Monster Jam is known for many things.  High-flying excitement. Adrenaline pumping loud monster trucks getting the crowd into the action. Athletes that are the best at what they do. These are just to name a few, but when it comes to first completed, that is not something everyone gets to see. At Amalie Arena on Aug 24th through 2 shows there were quite a few firsts that made it a most memorable show for the fans and athletes both.

Dennis Anderson has always been a fan favorite in the Tampa area in Grave Digger. With his retirement we get to cheer on Adam or Ryan in his name as the next generation of athletes. Let us not forget Krysten Anderson. The daughter of the legend on the way to making herself a legend. This was her first appearance to Amalie Arena as a competitor and she showed what it is to be a fan favorite by her selection to the All stars in Vegas in a couple of months. Krysten is looking to be a competitor for the future and an athlete the fans will always welcome to their hometown.

Here in Tampa we are used to seeing husband and wife Jimmy and Dawn Creten competing against each other. The Triple Threat Series introduced us to a new husband and wife duo to compete. They held nothing back either. Blake Granger in Max-D showed why he was the World Champion in ATV racing and Kayla Blood in Soldier Fortune showed that the sport of monster racing is not limited to just the men to compete either in the arena. It was very entertaining watching the mini-battle on the dirt happening during the big battle of all 8 athletes.

The exciting part of monster jam is watching these huge trucks fly through the air and eventually hit that back flip. Not all drivers attempt this and few others have actually stuck and landed it. Not only did Amalie Arena see its first back flip ever. Two drivers in two different shows manage to hit their first successful back flip in competition. Tristan England hit it in the first show in Earthshaker and Kayla Blood hit it and became the first female ever to do a completed back flip in arena competition during the evening. Matt Cody also hit it in the evening show in Blue Thunder. It was something most memorable and as a fan knowing these guys will be around for a while. It is nice to say “I was there.”

The early show saw  Saw Blake Granger take it all with a first place in ATV racing. What really was the “heartstring story” was Matt Cody. He finished second in the early show with first place finishes in Speedster Obstacle Course, Donuts, and Racing. He also got the overall championship in the evening with wins once again in Racing and the Speedster Obstacle Course. This career day with his first ever back flip was dedicated to his best friend, monster truck driver Mike Thompson, whom we lost just earlier in the week. It was a victory well-earned and a performance memorable for all.

Remember the All-Star Challenge is coming to Vegas in 6 weeks to Sam Boyd Stadium. Be there to watch team fire and team ice compete with fan-voted drivers. It is an event not to be missed if in the area. I know I would be there if I wasn’t in Florida. For more information go to monsterjam.com.