Monsters have escaped Orange County and they’re heading to Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
The horde of loud and colorful giant creatures includes Grave Digger, Megalodon, El Toro Loco and Zombie, among others, and there’s no use running because they’re big and mean and they will catch you and crush you.
Just kidding — don’t take off screaming because these are all Monster trucks that are following up their show/competition at Angel Stadium earlier this year with a three-day stay at Staples Center Aug. 17-19 as part of the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series.
The weekend event includes eight Monster Jam drivers competing in several events riding Monster Jam Speedsters, ATVs and, of course, the main attraction, the 12,000-pound Monster Jam trucks.
The daredevil drivers will race each other, jump in the air and compete to see who can do the best doughnut, wheelie, freestyle trick and other challenges.
And who would be crazy enough to jump inside a big truck and fly it off a dirt ramp or flip it on its front tires?
His name is Brandon Vinson and this is his first season driving Grave Digger in the series.
Vinson spoke to us about his tricks on the track, and why you should watch out for him if he ever catches you driving a wimpy little Smart car on the road.
Q: Are you ever tempted to drive a monster truck down the street?
A: Every now and again you get tempted when the traffic is bad. You would love to get in your Monster Jam truck and just go out there and just bust right on through traffic. But we save it all for the track.
Q: When you’re up high in the air and about to land back down on the track, what’s your landing position on the driver’s seat?
A: Sometimes, man, I just close my eyes and hope for the best.
Q: What’s the secret to doing a good doughnut?
A: The secret to doing a good doughnut, man, when you start off as they hit the green light, we have four-wheel steering on the truck, so I pitch all four wheels, turn them one way and I floor the gas and hope for the best, man.
Q: What’s your best freestyle move?
A: When I end I try to end with a big Moonwalk. That’s where you jump really high in the air and you trip the jump and land on the front tire, then you throw the truck in reverse and you can ride on your front two wheels while you’re looking at the ground.
Q: So who’s going to come in last place here in L.A.?
A: In last place I gotta say Megalodon.
Q: Oh, why?
A: We compete so hard in our Triple Threat Series tour and we go neck-and-neck all the time. So if he comes in last place that will be all right with me.
Q: If there were no consequences, and you could crush any car on the road, what kind of car would you crush with your monster truck?
A: I would love to crush a Smart car.
If You Go:
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, 1 and 7 p.m. Aug. 18-19.
Where: Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles.
Tickets: $25-$80
Information: www.monsterjam.com