Meet the Monster Truck Family of Central Florida

Today, Matt’s name, along with his sons, can still be found in the 2026 yearbook but they’re no longer listed as superfans. Now, they’re official Monster Jam drivers. His journey from sitting in the stands to steering the wheel is a Cinderella story of sorts. Well, if Cinderella’s carriage had been fitted with 600-plus-pound tires and a 1,500-horsepower engine. And, like most fairy tales, it started with love at first sight back in the 1980s—for a monster truck, not a princess.

Revving Up

“My first show was in Daytona Beach, and I was probably 12 or 13,” Matt, now 53, recalls about the first time he saw these four-wheeled beasts. “It was like, ‘Oh my God, these are amazing.’” He was there with a childhood buddy from St. Louis, Mo., also the home of Bigfoot, which is considered the first true monster truck. 

Its creator, Bob Chandler, built Bigfoot to promote his shop, Midwest Four Wheel Drive Center, by switching out the regular tires on his 1974 Ford F-250 for the bigger 48-inch kind and eventually adding larger axles and a more powerful engine. Chandler and his truck began making appearances at events in the mid-’70s and even caught the eye of a film director, who featured his truck in the movie “Take This Job and Shove It.” As the story  goes, an announcer at Detroit’s Pontiac Silve dome referred to Bigfoot as a “monster truck” during a show, and from that point on, the moniker became synonymous with these mammoth vehicles.  

Monster trucks officially went mainstream in 1981 when Chandler released footage of Bigfoot, now equipped with 66-inch tires, crushing cars. People couldn’t get enough of it, so before long, Chandler and Bigfoot were showing up everywhere, demonstrating the carnage Bigfoot left in its wake to thousands of fans. Before long, more monster trucks began participating in car-crushing competitions and mud-bogging exhibitions. Televised programs like the TNT Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge also introduced racing, fueling the craze and creating an uptick in the kind of events Matt first attended back in Daytona Beach. What is now known as Monster Jam officially started in the early ’90s as an event sanctioned by the United States Hot Rod Association, and it became its own entity when Feld Entertainment acquired the  association in 2008. 

“Bigfoot was huge back in the day, so when I saw it, I was instantly hooked,” remembers Matt. “I started going to all the shows and collecting posters. While other teenagers had girls in bikinis on their walls, I had monster trucks.” 

However, his wife, Laura, 54, wasn’t initially sold on the concept. She remembers when Matt took her to a show on their sixth-month anniversary in 1990. Despite being held at Daytona’s Municipal  Stadium, it was one of those rare, freezing 30-degree Florida evenings, so she sat shivering as they watched Bigfoot’s oversized tires get switched out. “Oh yeah, I liked him,” she says, “but I wasn’t sure about the whole monster truck thing.” 

Laura eventually came around to the sport. She’s now the office manager at Tomfoolery Motorsports and spent years serving as crew chief for her son Nick. In their early days together, the couple traveled throughout Florida to different stadiums and arenas, and eventually across the country, to watch these productions. One annual event that the Pagliarulos attended was the Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas. As spectators, Matt and Laura’s presence, along with that of their three kids, began to get noticed. 

“After we were featured in the yearbook, somebody reached out and wanted to do a story on us,” Matt explains. “They ended up coming to our house with a camera crew and surprised us by having one of the drivers, Candice Jolly, come too.” 

As the family began to make connections within the Monster Jam community, they became more involved in the industry. “In 2013, there was a charity event where you could win presenting an award at the Las Vegas finals and another opportunity to ride in the parade. We did both,” Matt says. It was during that trip that Matt started seriously kicking around the idea of getting into the monster truck business themselves. “We knew some people back home based out of DeLand who had a team, so we decided maybe it’s time to dip our toes in and try to build our own truck,” he says. 

Making A Monster

So how exactly does one build a monster truck? In the beginning for Bob Chandler, it was simply supersizing the wheels, but as the sport evolved—and the stakes and tricks got bigger—so did everything about the cars. In 1987, Chandler, along with fellow drivers, petitioned to start a governing body to ensure a gold standard across the board for monster truck competitions. In turn, the Monster Truck Racing Association (MTRA) was created. Beyond laying out rules, standardizing inspection sheets and determining membership categories and fees, one of the most important contributions they made to the industry was coming up with steadfast safety guidelines that included everything from driver certification to the trucks being equipped with a remote ignition interrupter (a device that shuts down the vehicle from a remote location). Requirements continued to get more stringent when Feld Entertainment took over to ensure heightened safety for drivers and fans alike.  

In addition to safety features, a monster truck boils down to a few key parts beyond their oversized tires. First up is the chassis, which is the foundational frame the rest of the truck is built around. The steel structure typically is made with around 700 feet of steel tubing and holds the cab (where the driver sits) inside of it. Next, there’s its supercharged engine, which consumes three gallons of methanol fuel a minute, generating enough power for the vehicle to jump and catch big air moments, as well as a two-speed transmission that enables rapid acceleration and allows the truck to reach speeds up to 70 mph. Then there are the axles that connect the behemoth wheels, along with the shocks that help cushion the impact of high leaps. Finally, there’s the fiberglass body. This is where drivers can put their signature spin on the truck by creating its own distinct persona and name. The proof? It’s hard to think of Monster Jam without the names of its star racers: Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, Megalodon and Zombie. 

For Matt, the name was the easy part. “When Laura and I were first together, we said if we ever had a monster truck we’d call it Jester,” he explains. “I had a motorcycle, and her helmet had a jester hat on it with all these metallic shades. It also matches my personality. It’s very colorful.” In terms of the actual build, Matt had a background in construction management and had always enjoyed tinkering with cars, including a complete frame-off restoration of Laura’s four-wheel-drive Toyota truck, during which they removed every nut and bolt and rebuilt it from the ground up.

The first step for the Pagliarulos was getting a chassis, which usually takes months to obtain due to the ordering and constructing process. In a stroke of luck, they were able to acquire one that was already built and ready to go from legendary chassis builder and retired monster truck driver Dan Patrick in 2013. “Then, the plan was to start buying parts here and there and slowly begin to assemble it,” Matt says. At the same time, he began crewing for the DeLand monster truck team Razin Kane to learn the business side of the industry. A monster truck’s pit crew is essential in fixing and maintaining the vehicle while also making sure everything behind the scenes at the show runs smoothly. “At this point, I was 42 years old. I was learning and getting experience on how to do it, but I also was working for free,” Matt says. 

All the while, Matt continued building Jester on nights and weekends at his old shop in Longwood. Laura, who had been working as a Winn-Dixie floral manager, quit her job and opened her own home day care, allowing her to be around more often to assist. After a year and a half, the truck was almost done, so Matt reached out to Monster Jam to see if they would hire him once the truck was finished and he had proven it was competition-worthy. 

The answer was yes.

In The Driver’s Seat

Paxton, Ill., is situated about 100 miles south of Chicago. At first glance, it looks like just another small Midwestern town. Its historic center boasts brick buildings and a white clock tower, reminiscent of a time when railroads reigned supreme. While the population is estimated at around 4,000 people, it’s also home to one quite hefty resident: Monster Jam University.

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So we decided maybe it’s time to dip our toes in and try to build our own truck.
—Matt Pagliarulo

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The driving school is run by Paxton native Tom Meents. Meents, a retired veteran Monster Jam driver known for helming Maximum Destruction—a spike-covered truck affectionally known to fans as Max-D—is often considered one of the GOATs of monster truck driving, thanks to his record-breaking 14 world championships. Today, he is often referred to as “The Professor,” thanks to his knack for teaching and his expansive training facility.

The property in Paxton has a practice arena as well as a stadium filled with different-sized ramps and obstacles, so it was the perfect place for Matt to see if Jester (and his driving) were up to par for a spot in Monster Jam. “I believe I was the first person to ever bring an outside truck to that facility,” Matt explains. Most drivers who train there typically operate Monster Jam-owned and -operated vehicles, rather than ones from independent garages like the Pagliarulos. 

“It was at Paxton where I showed them we had a truck that could compete at the highest level and proved that I could drive and handle the truck,” he explains. “I had been watching it for 30 years. I don’t want to say you know what to do, but you’ve seen it enough to know when you’re in certain situations—like if the truck is going to roll—don’t hit the brakes, hit the throttle.”

Soon after Matt received the green light in fall 2014, Meents’s program went on to officially be known as Monster Jam University. Many top drivers have dirt doughnut-ed and wheelied their way through its rigorous program, with many coming back to master new tricks. Today, most prospective drivers attend to hone their talents, but they also learn other important skills ranging from media training to developing nutrition and exercise routines. 

At the start of the 2015 Monster Jam season that January, Matt officially went from a cheering fan to a driver being cheered. He buckled into Jester’s driver seat for his debut in Miami and let it rip. “It was surreal driving out into the stadium with my own truck for the first time. It was definitely emotional,” Matt says. From that moment on, Matt and Jester have been on the Monster Jam circuit, even earning the title of Overall Champ in Tampa in 2020. 

Family Matters

I first caught wind of the Pagliarulos’ story earlier this year when Monster Jam came to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium. I was a first-timer there, just trying to placate my monster-truck-obsessed son. Thanks to countless toy cars and books about these giants, I was familiar with a handful of names and had a loose understanding of what I was about to witness. What I didn’t realize was what a spectacle the entire production is. On average, for a stadium show, it takes up to 16 hours to load in all the dirt and equipment, and another 20 hours to build the track. While I knew the cars got beat up, I wasn’t expecting so many to get absolutely destroyed—or do such insane stunts. I also wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. As they barreled out for introductions, I heard the announcer give a shout-out to a father-son duo that was competing. Matt was driving Jester, and his middle child, Mike, 22, was driving Excaliber. Not only that—the announcer dropped a fun fact that Matt built his own car right here in Central Florida. Clearly, this was a sign I had to meet them. 

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Monster trucks were always there 24/7 throughout my entire childhood. It was the coolest thing ever when my dad decided to build a truck.
—Nick Pagliarulo

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When I drove out to Tomfoolery Motorsports, I was surprised to learn that there are four Pagliarulo drivers. The oldest child, Nick, 26, helms Kraken, a car outfitted like the iconic sea creature. Nick made his Monster Jam debut in 2019 and is currently on the 2026 All Star Monster Truck Tour, where he was recently crowned the Monster Mashers Series Champion. That tour is also where the youngest Pagliarulo, Brooke, 18, is competing professionally for the first time in MissFire, a pink truck with fiery purple flames.

“Monster trucks were always there 24/7 throughout my entire childhood,” says Nick. “It was the coolest thing ever when my dad decided to build a truck. It was shocking that we were really going to do it.” Nick had just started high school when Jester began to take shape, so he helped on weekends and eventually worked the pits, where the team provides mechanical support during the show. “The first time I drove a monster truck was for my 15th birthday,” he says. But it wasn’t until his dad decided to expand his fleet that driving one for a living became a reality. “I was pretty content working with my dad in the garage and pits, but when the opportunity came to expand, I was down.” He joined the tour circuit a week after high school graduation. 

Like many hardcore Monster Jam fans, Nick always brainstormed potential truck names, dreaming of the day he’d have his own. Kraken was always his top choice. Once he sketched out his design—featuring the squid’s giant tentacles wrapping around the truck’s cab—the decision to make it Tomfoolery Motorsports’ official second truck was a no-brainer. As for Mike, it was hard not to want to join his big brother and dad on the monster truck circuit too. 

Mike is currently on tour with his dad for Monster Jam’s 2026 Stadium Championship Series East, making a name for himself in Excaliber. Unlike Kraken, Excaliber isn’t a new name to the sport. It debuted in 1985 and was a popular truck for years. “I had pictures of it on my wall,” laughs Matt, so he didn’t hesitate when the opportunity to purchase the intellectual property came up. Along with it, Tomfoolery Motorsports also owns the trademarks for Wreckreation, a truck with an RV-fashioned body; Michigan Ice Monster, a silver-and-blue machine adorned with its ice monster mascot; and Freedom Flyer, a patriotic vehicle loosely inspired by the classic Radio Flyer red wagon. 

Since bringing Excaliber back into the fold, Mike has reinvigorated the brand and even earned the nickname “Magic Mike” among Monster Jam fans due to his tendency to embrace Excaliber’s original no guts, no glory reputation. “I grew up watching the truck,” says Mike. “Now to be a part of it and drive that legendary name, it’s been an honor and a blessing. It’s amazing to go out there and drive as hard as I can to keep the legacy alive.” It seems to be working. Since January, Mike has won four freestyles, three overalls and two skills events, grabbing one of the victories with only three working tires. A rare feat. He’s hoping his risk-taking pays off with a trip to the World Finals this summer.

As for Brooke, the youngest of the Pagliarulo brood, she’s been wanting to drive for as long as she can remember, going to her first show around 6 months old, then making her debut at 9 behind the wheel of a mini monster (a vehicle half the scale of a regular monster truck) in small rodeo arenas or local speedways. “I drove my first full-size one at 13, so I was young as heck,” she says. 

Growing up, she admired other women in the sport, like Candice Jolly, known for driving Monster Mutt Dalmatian, and Debrah “Madusa” Miceli, who drove the aptly named Madusa truck. Today, there are more women in the field than ever before; in 2024, Monster Jam introduced Sparkle Smash to the tour after its success as a die-cast toy. It’s a glittery pink, purple and blue unicorn truck with a golden horn sticking out of its roof. Based on the number of little girls and grown women I saw rocking Sparkle Smash merch, appealing to a broader female audience seems to be working. “There are more women than there ever have been,” Brooke says. “There’s always been a girl-to-girl bond, and we can talk to each other about how we’re all feeling.” 

But just because Brooke’s the only girl driver in her family doesn’t mean her dad or brothers go easy on her. “I mean, we would have a competition to get to the dinner table first,” Mike laughs. “We always say we’re nice to each other with the helmets off, but as soon as they are on, it’s a whole different story.” Matt agrees: “We all want to beat each other, and we all want to do well, but if I do lose, I don’t care—that’s my kid, and I’m happy they won. I think I have the best position in the world,” he explains. “But I have said this a hundred times and will say it a hundred more: I want to win to show them the old man’s still got it.”

The Show Must Go On

According to Matt, there’s something about monster trucks that once it’s in your blood, it’s always there, so he’s not surprised his children have followed in his footsteps. Even his 2-year-old granddaughter Jadyn says she wants to drive a monster truck one day. However, the Pagliarulos aren’t the only family of drivers; there are quite a few, like the father-son duo Jim and Chris Koehler, and the brothers Triton and Montana Robbins. One of the most popular dynasties within the Monster Jam world is Dennis Anderson and his four kids, Adam, Ryan, Krysten and Weston. Anderson’s truck, Grave Digger, with its ghoulish exterior, has been a fan-favorite since its inception in 1982, partly because Anderson himself really knew how to perform. “Even if he lost in racing, he put on a show in front of his friends, in front of his fans, so he created what’s now known as freestyle 35 years ago,” Matt explains. Freestyle is now an official part of the Monster Jam competition, where drivers show off their signature flair and are scored on their execution of hair-raising stunts. Think: back flips, big-air leaps, dirt doughnuts, wheelies and basically anything that could potentially lead to the complete destruction of the truck. 

“It’s really hard to watch because it feels like the umbilical’s still attached while they’re out there jumping and doing all these crazy things,” Laura admits. But it’s those crazy tricks the fans come to see—and what her family does best. “Because all of us are driving trucks and all of us have our own personalities, we try to give back to the crowd 110%,” Matt says. “I am not going out there to collect a check. I’m going out there to burn it down every time. Our focus is the entertainment that we bring to the fan base.” 

While Matt’s living out his dream and has grown Tomfoolery Motorsports into Florida’s most reputable independent monster truck garage, it’s not without its challenges. Because they’re one of the handful of contractors remaining within the Monster Jam universe, the family must put in the work themselves and are very hands-on in every aspect of the sport. “We spend 30, 40 hours a week on our cars to drive them over a weekend for five minutes total between three events. There are times when we’ve had the highest of highs, then the lowest of lows, but we’ve mostly figured it all out now,” Matt explains. “If we weren’t passionate about monster trucks, we couldn’t do it.”

For a Florida guy who began collecting die-cast cars as a kid, to now see his own monster trucks—and his children’s—recreated in toy form (and in the collections of fans throughout the United States), it’s safe to say Matt got the storybook ending—but swapping the happily-ever-after kiss for Jester completely crushing its competition.  

“I’ve heard people say that I’ve gone from a superfan to a superstar,” he continues. “But I don’t really consider myself a superstar. I’m just a guy that had an opportunity.”  

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