The official monster truck governing body is the “The Monster Truck Racing Association” (MTRA). They make sure that the trucks are safe for both the drivers, their crews and spectators at the events they are appearing at.
The MTRA was set up in 1987 to make sure the safety precautions are adhered too. They set out a list of safety requirements that each monster truck member, must comply to.
President – Tim Hall, of the Executioner Monster Truck.
Vice President – John Seasock owner of Sudden Impact.
Technical Officer – Kreg Christensen owner of Dragon Slayer & Misbehavin’.
Drug Enforcement Officer – Steve Macklyn of the Nitro Fish Monster Truck.
Directors – Bob Trent & Doc Riley
Secretary Treasurer – Donna Purcell.
Tech Director – Tim Barks
It is these people that over see everything, & without them & the co-operation of the members, shows wouldn’t be as safe as they are today.
The MTRA is an organization soley designed for the advancement of Monster Truck Racing safety for drivers & spectators alike. The purpose is to establish & enforce safety rules & regulations for Monster Trucks & drivers, & assist in a safe track layout.
The MTRA set out requirements for the trucks. These are:
Remote Ignition Interrupt System(RII). This is a remote control kill switch, which when used shuts off the power to the electric fuel pumps & ignition system.
At MTRA races, an official observer, who has an un-obstructed view of the race track, has a remote control for one of the trucks that is racing & will keep a close eye on the truck. If during the race the truck looks to be in trouble, ie. veering of the track (even slightly) he will automatically kill the truck. The RII is tested before each race heat, at the starting line, to make sure that it is working properly.
In-cab kill switch. This is like the RII, except it is located in the cab of the truck, within easy reach of the driver(on the dashboard). Again it shuts off the power to the electric fuel pumps & ignition system. This way there is two ways of killing the truck, so if one fails there is always a backup device. A driver must be able to activate the kill switch with their eyes closed and belted into the seat.
Trucks also have a kill switch located on the rear of the trucks (by the license plate) which if pulled, it will again, shut off the power to the electric fuel pumps & ignition system, killing the engine.
Other safety requirements are onboard fire retardant system, roll cage, firewalls, engine shields, drive shaft shields, blower restraints & other parts to ensure that if an engine blows, parts will not fly out from the truck.
Driver protection requirements are, fire-retardant suits, eye protection, neck collars & helmets with restraints.
All off these requirements have to be met by each truck and driver before they are able to compete.
For a monster truck to be certified it must weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds.
Since 1995, any new monster truck driver wishing to compete in races, must now earn a monster truck license, to prove they are able to handle these beasts. There are two types of licence, Class A & Class B.
To earn a Class B Monster Truck License, which is the first part that you need. A driver must preform the following tasks in a MTRA-certified vehicle, & in the presence of three different Class A, MTRA drivers.
Cab familiarity test. The new driver must identify key switches, buttons, & dials in the cab, with attention to detail on the safety & emergency equipment.
Vehicle stopping, starting, and turning demonstration. The driver must complete these basic maneuvers.
Driving over cars a number of times, at different speeds. The new driver must show he is able to control the truck while driving over cars at varied speeds.
Once a new driver has completed these tasks, and has been observed by the Class A drivers, they will sign his application form, which the new driver will send to the MTRA Board of Directors for approval.
For a driver to earn a Class A Monster Truck Driving License, they must first have earned a Class B license.
A Class B Monster Truck License is like a learners permit.
With Class A Monster Truck Driving License, the driver is allowed to compete in any Certified races or any Purse Race Series event.
To earn a Class A Monster Truck License the driver has to be able to pass the following requirements in front of at least three Class A driver.
- Have a Class B Monster Truck License.
- They must execute 10 performances in a MTRA-certified vehicle, in front of at least one Class A driver for each performance, which is then signed off on their application.
The MTRA Board of Directors then evaluates the summited application form and decides if they should issue the license or require the driver to take some more tests.
Once you are a qualified Class A driver, it is then your turn to evaluate Class B drivers, and assist them in attaining their license.