The business of Monster Trucks!

In the 1980s, promoters such as the United States Hot Rod Association (USHRA) and TNT Motorsports began racing monster trucks on a regular basis. By 1991, there was a consolidation in the industry when USHRA bought TNT Motorsports and merged the point series. As of 2007, USHRA runs Monster Jam and the Thunder Nationals. Monster Jam is the largest series based on the number of events, which includes freestyle (drivers perform stunts and tricks) and racing competitions. Thunder Nationals is different from Monster Jam because the course is made of concrete rather than dirt, and drivers who are flying their trucks through the air can look forward to rock-hard landings. Big-name trucks, such as Grave Digger and Madusa have taken part in both events.Clear Channel Communications, a broadcasting and entertainment conglomerate that rakes in $9 billion annually, promoted monster truck shows until the end of 2005, which means that the sport was gaining a lot of popularity and was actually worth being broadcasted.