"I didn't want to look back, I didn't want it to be a big 'what if,'" she says. Krysten Anderson was born into monster truck driving. When fears of a global coronavirus pandemic ground the world to a halt in early 2020, the automotive industry served as a posterchild for shutdowns, slowdowns, and lockdowns. I had to basically catch up to speed from where my brothers had gone 10 or 15 years to where we are now, where we are doing those two-wheel tricks and doing backflips and corkscrews and nose wheelies and bicycles and everything else. Adam Anderson, Krysten Anderson and Ryan Anderson carry on the Monster Jam legacy created by their father, the original Grave Digger Dennis Anderson. My brothers have gotten all their world championships there. Racing up Thunder Alley like that is the fastest racing that we do all year and its the most fun. ", The male-dominated environment doesn't bother Anderson. Dennis Anderson is one of OGs of Monster Jam and he has built an amazing brand a reputation with Grave Digger and is one of the greatest drivers of all time. She received one million dollars from a Republican super PAC to research the youth vote and served as its communications director. It's easy to understand why her fans love her and why her fellow drivers enjoy being around her as well. Even though Grave Digger and Max D are supposed to be archenemies and the Max D team is our biggest competitor, they do have a really cool scheme on their truck. Jett won this race last year. But while Anderson has embraced her family legacy, her mother, Carisa, wasn't necessarily always on board. Id want it to be some kind of spin off of Grave Digger some kind of a pink or purple body that has the same Grave Digger paint scheme. He misses the adulation. "I have those butterflies all the way up my throat and down to the tips of my toes. I love everything about my familys history with Grave Digger and our Grave Digger fans, but Id like to create some Krysten Anderson fans and fans of me and my truck. It could be the best freestyle I've ever done, it could be the best race I've ever had, and that's what makes it so exciting for the fans and for the crowds. "When we pull up on the line," Anderson says, "we have no idea what's going to happen. I would have to say it kind of drove me in that direction to keep going.. It was most popular in the 1970s and 1980s (for reference Willie Nelsons music would be considered Outlaw Country), Her mom never wanted her to join Monster Jam, she wanted her to become a veterinarian. Ok so we all agree, right? A: Its really tight between two arenas. Anderson is only the third female driver to compete full-time in the Stadium series. Nashville to Tampa: Hey, nice Riverwalk you got there. It can be a lot of pressure sometimes, but it fuels me when I have a rough show and Im getting the feedback of it, Anderson said. Jason Anderson rounded out the top five for the third straight time and has not finished worse than seventh. A: Not with Monster Jam. Thank you so much for your message for my son Lucas. With his 2008 Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Championship, Adam holds the record for youngest titleholder at 22. Krystens pre-show ritual involves calling her dad. When complete, the truck weighs 12,000 pounds. 2017 - Grave Digger (DDS) (Grandma Grave Digger 35th anniversary encore), 2022 - Grave Digger (main + high jump) (Grave Digger 25th Anniversary for the 40th Anniversary encore). The females compete on the same platform, in the same competition, in the same trucks, with the same amount of time as the males doing the sport. Anderson grew up in Kill Devil Hills the son of Gail and Jesse Anderson, who worked as a part-time farmer and part-time shipyard worker. Log in and Edit. Kristen Lynne Soltis Anderson is a Republican pollster, television personality, and writer whose work has appeared in The Daily Beast,[3] Politico,[4] and HuffPost. But while he built the brand, he didnt build strong family ties. "I can sing almost every Hank Williams Jr. song front to back," she says. Honestly, I think all that pressure kind of rounded me out and toughened me up and made me do even better or wanting to prove even harder that I can do this and I do belong here. With Dennis's legendary career, and Adam Anderson being a five-time World Finals champion, the female Grave Digger driver surely has a high bar set for her. In 2020, Krysten broke the World Record for the highest leap in a Monster Truck at 33 feet and 9.6 inches. Second to Grave Digger, its probably one of the more aggressive, meaner-looking trucks. Tomac grabbed the holeshot by inches, but Webb took the early lead, but he could not shake the points leader. I dont really get a lot of backlash from anyone, she told ESPN. Its like your family being involved in commercial fishing or something your whole life. He was outside the top five in practice, rose to fourth in qualification, but once the money was on the line, he won his heat to gain a great gate pick. Height. My dad and my brothers have competed in the Tacoma Dome, so my family has a lot of history there. Its the same horsepower, but much faster and its meant for more speed and racing through the mud and obstacle course. She didn't get put into that truck for nothing. I was like, man, I dont even know if I have it in me. Three of Dennis' children have followed . This is a sick moment for me right now. I was really involved with my art and I was taking AP-level art classes and putting together an art portfolio because I was actually interested after high school in going to college and pursuing a career and degree in graphic design. Click to reveal Krysten is the first female to compete as a driver of Grave Digger. This was an opportunity that I didnt want to look back at and say, dang, I should have done that.. Kristen and Chris Anderson were married on April 28, 2012. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? Follow @hoop4you. Im an Anderson everyone looks at me the same way they look at Adam, Ryan and my dad.. Krysten has no fear sending that 12,000-pound truck off some jumps to get some serious air time. Ansties runner-up finish elevated him to second in the points, 14 behind Lawrence. Krysten Anderson Monster Jam Driver | Monster Jam When a driver levels up and takes on a new challenge, there is always a heightened level of scrutiny. They were always some of the top competitors. I loved it. Krysten broke the record for highest monster truck leap in 2020 at 33 feet and 9.6 inches. I was brand new. She developed a passion for all sorts of motorsports such as off-road racing, dirt track racing, pro mega truck racing, and monster trucks, obviously. Because obviously theres more to her than the fact that shes a rad lady Monster Jam driver. She is amazing and we loved chatting with her. Even though he retired in 2017, Anderson's legacy has been carried on by sons Adam and Ryan, and daughter Krysten, all of whom drive versions of Grave Digger. Her two brothers, Adam and Ryan, have been driving for nearly a decade as well. This is the first time Feld Entertainment has staged the Monster Jam World Finals outside of Las Vegas. I wouldn't be surprised to even see her become a World Finals champion down the road. Krysten Anderson Profiles | Facebook Krysten is the only daughter of monster truck, Monster Jam and Grave Digger legend, Dennis Anderson. I'm nervous as hell, you know, Dennis Anderson said. So busy. I think he hit neutral at the finish line on the triple and after that you had to be on your lines. After speaking with Kaylynn Simmons a couple years ago, we found out there are only a few women who work on the pit crews of the NHRA teams. In 2021, she made her Stadium Tour debut at Houston on January 30. Contact Ernest Hooper at ehooper@tampabay.com. As Orlando hosts the Monster Jam World Finals Friday and Saturday, monster truck legend Dennis Anderson reflects on the legacy his kids carry on. I'm in the stands, and I had tears of joy. 1st female Point Series Champion. Her story is one of legacy: Anderson's father, Dennis, is the creator and original driver of Grave Digger -- one of the most iconic monster trucks in the world. "She hoped I'd go on to college and be a veterinarian.". She often gets recognized by fans when shes working at the dinertalk about a Monster Jam fans dream. Our other world champion is Linsey Read in Scooby Doo and shes our freestyle champion. It wasnt ideal, but I took it and never looked back. I didnt want to look back, I didnt want it to be a big what if,' she told ESPN. The Monster Jam truck is considered one of the most iconic and recognizable monster trucks in the world. But, maybe hands down the coolest venue that Ive ever got to compete in, and Im really proud that I got to compete in it before Monster Jam stopped going there, is the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. And then she went out and won that part of the competition. I was trying my balls off up front. Diggers Diner is located next to Diggers Dungeon in Poplar, North Carolina. Krysten Anderson (born May 16) is a driver out of Currituck, North Carolina who drives Grave Digger since 2017. I think that another one of our cooler designs is some of our concept bodies. [8] As a senior, she interned at The Winston Group, an opinion research and political communications firm based in Washington, D.C.[7], After graduation in 2005, she accepted a full-time position with The Winston Group, where she focused on the youth vote and education reform. Subscribe to our free Breaking Sports News newsletter. I was screaming louder than their fans were and they were probably looking at me like, You gotta be kidding me? [10] They have a daughter named Eliana Christine Anderson, born in June, 2022. Thats something that my youngest brother Weston actually does right now. [5] In 2013 Time named Anderson one of the 30 People Under 30 who are changing the world. [8] In 2015, she published The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials are Leading America (and How Republicans Can Keep Up).[7]. Adam drives another one of the Grave Diggers and Ryan drives Son-uva Digger. When I was in high school, I kind of nosed away from monster trucks and motorsports a little bit. As a teenager, she had dreamed of attending college, but the world of monster trucks caught her attention. Monster Jam reached out to my dad and my dad told me about what they wanted to do. She loves spending time with her family. I remember being in the bottom of the rig playing with my monster trucks. This ended up pushing him into retirement earlier than expected. Last year Tomac passed Webb late in the 2022 Daytona Supercross race and denied him the win, so the early lead was incredibly important.