Who Is the Original Driver of the Grave Digger Monster Truck?

The Grave Digger monster truck is an iconic part of the American auto racing scene. It has been tearing up arenas and stadiums around the world since its debut in 1982. But who is the original driver of the Grave Digger?

The man behind the wheel of this legendary monster truck is Dennis Anderson, a former professional motocross racer who had a passion for building and racing custom vehicles. After seeing Bob Chandler’s Bigfoot monster truck at the 1982 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Anderson was inspired to build his own vehicle. He purchased a 1951 Ford pickup, painted it black and orange, and christened it “Grave Digger” – thus beginning one of the most successful careers in auto racing history.

Anderson has been driving Grave Digger for almost four decades now, earning countless accolades including eleven Monster Jam World Finals championships. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2015 for his contributions to the sport, which include innovations such as building trucks with oversized tires that allowed them to soar over obstacles on the track.

Anderson has also become a popular figure in pop culture; he was featured in several films and TV shows throughout his career, including “The Grave Digger” episode of The A-Team (1985) and an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman (1986).

Today, Anderson still competes in Monster Jam events around the world alongside his son Ryan Anderson, who took over driving duties of Grave Digger after his father retired from full-time competition in 2015. He also owns several other monster trucks such as El Toro Loco and Max D that compete at Monster Jam events as well. Conclusion:

Dennis Anderson is the original driver of the Grave Digger monster truck, having built it in 1982 after being inspired by Bob Chandler’s Bigfoot truck. He went on to have an incredibly successful career driving Grave Digger over four decades until he retired full-time competition in 2015; his son Ryan Anderson now drives it at Monster Jam events around the world alongside other vehicles owned by Dennis such as El Toro Loco and Max D.

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Stephen Dunn