Monster trucks might as well be one of the most popular hobbies of tech lovers across the globe. This harsh car battle show attracts millions of fans. And it’s not just about trucks: cars, bikes, and other vehicles can participate in the show’s many areas worldwide. Crowds love to roar as one supersized vehicle crushes another in the most brutal ways. It’s evident that attention for this trend is there, that’s why Noosphere Ventures and managing partner Max Polyakov recognized and the opportunity to contribute to such a favorite activity of makers, tech and robotics enthusiasts.
How did it start?
MONSTER TRUCKS were born in the late 70s. The first cars to participate in such an event were pickup trucks whose wheels and suspensions were enlarged twice. Simultaneously, an apocalypse movie hit, Mad Max, was made in Australia, creating room for dieselpunk culture and letting out the massive “Interceptor” – the very first monster truck into the world.
MONSTER TRUCKS began to air officially in 1981. Bob Chandler, originally from the US, was at the gear of Bigfoot, the very first monster car. He shot a few frames of him smashing two light-weight vehicles in the field with his huge-wheeled monster car. This way, he aimed to advertise his car parts shop and lure more clients into his business. However, fate had other plans. A producer saw the video and devised an idea to make a show out of it. Since then, Monster Trucks have gained a massive following in every country, gathering stadiums to see Bigfoot “perform” live.
Monster trucks nowadays
Since then, the show has adopted several names and has been successfully touring the world. It’s currently called “Monster Jam” in America, Canada, and Holland, “Monster Events” in Australia, and “Monster Truck Show” in GB, among other examples. Some programs have grown in volume and feature stunts, races, and different types of live entertainment.
What does the future hold?
The movement of monster cars and custom smashing vehicles is on the rise. Across the globe, custom technicians develop and design various monster cars to fit the fans’ interests, from Mad Max to other themes. Ukraine is no exception. Several daredevil monster trucks were exhibited at BestRoboFest, the biggest Ukrainian festival dedicated to robotics. The MonsterCarsUA event premiered in 2017 and hosted 17 designers from big Ukrainian cities. Customized “homemade” vehicles, from jeeps to bicycles, were part of the monster exhibition. Both the audience and the judicial commission were astounded by the variety. Association Noosphere, founded by Max Polyakov, Managing Partner of Noosphere Ventures, was this year’s event organizer and assigned substantial prizes to the contest winners to allow them to create new monsters for the next year’s event.
Max Polyakov commented that it was an immense pleasure to reinstate that the number of people participating in Ukraine’s biggest Robofest—BestRoboFest—had grown twofold since the previous year. He firmly believed that those young engineers who dared to come and show what great ideas they had at Noosphere’s event would be leading Ukraine’s scientific progress in the future.
The 2018 show promises to be even more eye-catching. Everyone who has a passion for mechanics and has developed their idea of the project of a monster car is encouraged to participate. Indeed, such enormous toys allow us to feel free and excited again, as in childhood, and live a life full of adrenaline and adventure. Thus, they must be created!