Uran Joins the Ranks of Monster Truck Mayhem

By Johnny McDonald

If you want excitement, join the circus. It is sometimes backbreaking work...but it's show biz, even if it's picking up after the elephants.

Well, a Ramona printer found the next best thing - Monster Truck Jams at some of the major arenas in the southland. He's Jeff Uran, otherwise known as the "press-man" at Manzanita Printing.

He takes off twice for Anaheim Stadium, travels down to Qualcomm and goes to Phoenix to be part of the crew that stages these popular. Uran's son, Jeffrey Uran, got him started.

Clear Channel Entertainment Inc. has bought into the craze, producing Monster Jam truck rallies across the country before an estimated 3 million fans.

"My son was doing it about six years prior to me," Uran said. "He got me to volunteer and I just kinda fell into it." He moved on to NASCAR now as a technician on the Nextel circuit.

"Been working with monster trucks six years, the first four as a volunteer. You go into town a couple days early to get things ready for the event. A professional company lays out the dirt and sets up the course," Uran said.

Single most important feature is the ignition interrupter that shuts off the engine. Tech official Jeff Uran above, shows the safety device, and below shows why it is so important. Photos by Darrel Kinney

The tons of dirt remain throughout the year somewhere near the stadiums at Anaheim and Qualcomm but in Phoenix they truck it in each time.

"If they need technicians or crew at other locations, they might call me a week ahead of time," he said. "It could be anywhere even as far away as Toronto."

"They have a tour of Europe but that would take too much time away from work. My son went one year."

One of his assignments is to help set up the ritualistic Pit Party where fans (mostly children) form long lines to get autographs on paper or clothing and have photos taken.

During this fanfest, we chatted with some of the participants near their monsters, like Charlie Bauken of Ohio who handles one of the bulky Grave Digger trucks in 30 events a year. There are six other replicas performing somewhere in the country.

"It's like it's bigger than life," he said, while hugging some young fans. "It's like the little toy the kid had but it's out of proportion. Without a doubt it has taken Big Foot's place. Grave Digger is noted for freestyle competition."

This brought up some points. Are these men daredevils, hippodrome artists. entertainers or serious competitors?

Uran, who knows a few of them, said the answer is all of the above.

Expense-wise it is ridiculous, according to Bauken, a welder and fabricator. "I used to have my own stuff but I sold out. Now I'm just the driver."

"Drivers are in competition," Uran said. "But there's a lot to do with entertainment. Lot of work goes into those vehicles they run."

"Qualcomm is one of the biggest ones with 40,000 fans. Anaheim sells out with 36,000 each time. People check the Website to see where the next attraction will be."

Driver Jimmy Creten of Kansas City is one of the busiest, performing in 53 events in 52 weeks.

"The biggest tricks will win the freestyle portion of the event and I have the world title in freestyle right now," said Creten, who has been doing this 11 years.

Rick Swanson of Menefee, Calif. said he competed on 40 weekends last year with 27 days of display all around the United States.

"That's my big semi over there," he said "The front half is 42 feet of living quarters for my wife and son and the back half is a trailer."

Between photo flashes, Lindsey Week of Alberta, Canada, claimed his record is 15-0 in the racing portion with Bounty Hunter.

His seventh year on the circuit. Week says he's never home so his wife travels with him. Still it is nerve-wracking and he admitted, "The closer to the show, the more nervous I get."

Like the rest, they have big rigs to carry the huge tires, shocks and other equipment but to him it's home.