Going to see the Grave Digger??

[SavageEagle]

Are you are you are you?????

My son and I got tickets to go to the Monster Jam Saturday. Is anyone else going? Figured we could carpool if you were coming from the westside...



(We need a Grave Digger Smilie. The truck, not the person! )

 

[Scutter01]

No, I'm not going. I felt like they were screwing me by selling me the whole seat when I only need the edge.

 

[SavageEagle]

LOL I got mine free or I wouldn't be going! It's nice having friends who can get you the hook up! It should be better than any other year since the track will be so much bigger...

 

[Bigum1969]

Your hearing protection will come in handy.

 

[SavageEagle]

LOL made that mistake when I took my first GF to see them back in 99! I'll give my son my ear muffs and I'll just have my plugs.

 

[NEOCON]

I am a member of a 4wd club that helps set up, work the show and tear down afterwards. It is a blast to help but lots of work. I just hate smelling the fuel and the eyes burning while in the indoor pits. There is not enough ventilation at Roberts stadium in Evansville, headache for days!

 

[exar]

There is not enough ventilation at Roberts stadium in Evansville, headache for days!

That's exactly why I won't go there to see trucks. It will definately give me a migraine!!

 

[elaw555]

Be careful, while you enjoy the show.

Boy, 6, killed at truck show
The 6-year-old Puyallup boy who died after being struck in the head by a metal object at a monster-truck show at the Tacoma Dome was a "kid's kid" who loved trucks and dirt.

By Keith Ervin
Seattle Times staff reporter
The 6-year-old Puyallup boy who died after being struck in the head by a metal object at a monster-truck show at the Tacoma Dome was a "kid's kid" who loved trucks and dirt.

Sebastian Hizey was shy around strangers but was fun-loving and had been looking forward to his first truck show where he didn't have to wear earplugs, said Marty Dwyer of Puyallup, the former husband of Sebastian's stepmother. The shows were a bit too loud for him when he was younger but he got used to the noise as he grew older, Dwyer said.

Promoters of the truck show say they haven't determined what caused the metal object to fly into the grandstands Friday night, striking Sebastian's head.

Sebastian then fell into the lap of Dwyer's 10-year-old daughter, who began to yell, "Sebastian, Sebastian," Dwyer said. That's when people saw that the boy was bleeding.

Sebastian was pronounced dead at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office reported Saturday. An autopsy will take place today.

Sebastian's family issued a statement saying the boy suffered severe brain trauma when he was hit by a 7- to-12-pound, Frisbee-sized metal ring from a truck.

The statement said the family "is grief-stricken and angry."

Another spectator, a man who was not identified by authorities, was also injured by a flying object and was taken to a hospital.

Feld Motor Sports, which promoted the event, said in its own statement: "This type of incident has never happened before in the history of Monster Jam events. All of us at Feld Motor Sports and all the Monster Jam drivers and crew extend our deepest sympathies to the families involved. We will continue to investigate this incident and will provide additional information as it becomes available."

The accident happened during the first of five planned Monster Jam shows at the Dome through today. The Dome's administrative office said all shows would go on as scheduled.

Spokesmen for the Tacoma fire and police departments said they don't know what caused the accident, which occurred around 9:40 p.m. "It was a mechanical problem or a failure and parts blew into the stands," Tacoma Police Sgt. Mark Fulghum said.

Paramedics who were standing by — standard practice at major events — treated the victims, performing CPR on the child and taking both victims to local hospitals, Fire Department Assistant Chief Dan Crotty said Saturday.

"The only thing I know at this point is there was some kind of accident that happened on the field and debris went into the stands."

City officials issued a statement saying they were "deeply saddened and our hearts go out to the families. ... The Tacoma Dome takes the safety of its customers very seriously, and we are working with Feld Motor Sports, the promoters of Monster Jam, to investigate the accident and ensure the safety of guests at the remaining shows this weekend."

After the accident Friday night, police took photographs and witness statements, and gathered any objects that might have gone into the stands, city spokesman Rob McNair-Huff said. He said at least one piece of metal "flew off the truck."

City officials and Feld Motor Sports representatives met Saturday to talk about how to ensure the safety of spectators at the remaining events, McNair-Huff said.

Bill Easterly, Feld's senior director of operations, said it wasn't clear what caused the accident and declined to say what object or objects struck the victims. The truck involved was taken out of use while the company investigates, he said.

Monster Jam, which has taken its big-truck shows around the country for about 25 years, was acquired by Feld last September.

Christine Moe, who was at the event, told KING-TV a truck came apart while heading toward the end of the grandstands during the freestyle competition right after intermission.

"Parts were falling off and a piece flew up and hit a little boy," Moe said.

Witnesses said a red truck was doing doughnuts — driving in tight circles — when debris flew 30 to 50 feet over a safety barrier and into the stands. Some told the TV station they had to throw cups off the stands to get the attention of medics.

It was not clear Saturday whether any public agency will conduct its own investigation. Police spokesman Fulghum said he doesn't expect a full police probe because it was "more an industrial-type accident."

Elaine Fischer, spokeswoman for the State Department of Labor and Industries' safety program, said her agency wouldn't likely get involved because it wasn't a workplace-safety issue or one of the two kinds of public-safety issues it regulates: amusement park rides and go-carts.

 

[SavageEagle]

Meh, just like going to see open wheel racing or going to the US Nationals, anything can happen, and while that's unfortunate what happened to the little boy, it was also a freak accident!

I've been to the shows in Evansville and I have to agree about the noise. Maybe it'll be better at Lucas. We'll see.

Anyone remember the outta control truck in Illinois?? I'll see if I can find that video...