Bradshaw and the truck would later be invited to compete in Monster Jam World Finals XIII. Air Force Afterburner chassis, but would receive a new chassis several months after its debut. At the time of its debut, the truck was run on the previous U.S. The truck made it's official debut on Januin Birmingham, Alabama. Tickets: $15-$35 (children under 2 are free on lap) available at Ford Field Ticket Office call 31, and/or 87.Monster Energy was originally announced in late 2011 as one of several new trucks for the 2012 Monster Jam season, with Damon Bradshaw as the driver. Who: Soldier Fortune Black Ops, Grave Digger, Alien Invasion, Storm Damage, Scarlett Bandit, Monster Mutt, Dragon and more. “It’s an awesome machine.”Ĭontact Mike Brudenell: Follow him on Twitter Motor City Madness “I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it, just leave it at that,” Ochs said. Safety for driver, crew and the fans is paramount.”Ī monster truck is a formidable brute, capable of jumps, spins, flips and rollovers. We prepare in much the same way in monster trucks. Preparation was pivotal to a good, safe mission. “The training and hands-on experience you get is invaluable in life after active duty. “In the military, the key under stress is to keep your wits about you and stay calm,” Ochs said. Ochs’ military training, he said, will serve him well at Ford Field as he battles the likes of Grave Digger, Dragon, Alien Invasion, Scarlet Bandit and a bunch of other monster trucks. “In the army, we’d ride bulls when we got a chance,” said Ochs, who finished tied for third at Monster Jam last weekend in Houston. “I’m absolutely so fortunate to be picked to drive this truck.”Īs a youngster, Ochs spent his spare time competing in local demolition derbies and riding dirt bikes, he recalled. “I’m racing this truck for all the military boys and girls,” said Ochs, who was born in Oil City, Pa., and raised in Crown, Pa. The 1,500-horsepower camouflaged, tank-inspired monster truck is making its Detroit debut and paying tribute to the armed forces. On Saturday night at Ford Field, Ochs will be doing just that, as Monster Jam rolls into the Motor City.Īs it happens, Ochs will be at the wheel of Soldier Fortune Black Ops. I said, ‘Drive a monster truck.’ He replied that that wasn’t farfetched at all.” “One of the Feld executives asked me what I wanted to do in the future. “I was crewing on the motorcycles,” Ochs said. As a crew chief, he played a vital role in providing ground soldiers and special forces groups with superior air support fire power.įollowing an honorable discharge from the army, Ochs landed a job with Feld Entertainment, which promotes events such as Monster Jam, Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross and Marvel Universe Live, an action-packed arena extravaganza featuring super heroes, aerial motorcycle stunts and martial arts. Ochs, 30, is a combat veteran, serving 10 years in the military in South Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan. If your second career is a monster truck driver, well, the Apache likely taught you a great deal about preparation and execution. Army Apache attack helicopter carrying Hellfire missiles, you’d better be on your game. When your job is being the crew chief of a U.S.
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