Monster Jam and Exclusive Interview with Candice Jolly (Monster Mutt Dalmatian) and Neil Elliott (Max-D)

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Our Parenting World Interview Series: Exclusive Interview with Candice Jolly (Monster Mutt Dalmatian) and Neil Elliott (Max-D)

Monster Jam SMASHES into Singapore’s National Stadium for the first time ever! Monster Jam, the most action packed family entertainment experience on the planet, provides a full day of family entertainment tailored perfectly to your family’s budget. These colorful, larger-than-life beasts are sure to capture the hearts of both young and the young at heart!

Celebrating 25 years of adrenaline-charged family fun, Monster Jam combines spontaneous entertainment with the ultimate off-road, motorsport competition. Monster Jam events leave you on the edge of your seat as these competitors thrill fans with jaw-dropping displays of gravity-defying feats. Singapore Monster Jam will feature 10 of the most recognizable trucks in the world including Grave Digger®, 11-time world champion Max-D™, El Toro Loco®, and many more.

Our Parenting World team gearing into excitement as we are pleased to be able to interview Monster Jam’s celebrity driver-couple, Candice Jolly and Neil Elliott, parents to a 12-year-old son, Chase.

Monster Mutt Dalmatian is driven by Candice Jolly and Max-D by Neil Elliott. The lovely couple will be coming to Singapore for the first ever Monster Jam at National Stadium on 19th August!

Candice Jolly (Monster Mutt Dalmatian)

1) Please share with us more about your background and how did you first start to drive these trucks?

Candice: I have been racing since I was eight-years-old. I started racing go karts then moved into Formula Vee, limited late-models, Formula Continental, dragsters swamp buggies, demolition cars and now Monster Jam trucks.

Neil: I have been racing Monster Jam trucks for the last 17 years. I also race dragster and go karts.

2) What influenced and inspired you to start your driving career?

Candice: Both of my parents race: my mother races swamp buggies and my father races drag cars. They inspired me to get into a racing, and I have been doing it ever since.

Neil: I have been a mechanic ever since I was 12-years-old, working in my grandfather’s garage. Working on all this heavy equipment as a mechanic inspired me to become a driver.

3) Can you tell us more about Monster Jam and how did you prepare yourself for Monster Jam competition?

Candice: Monster Jam is affordable family fun! There is a little bit of something for everybody at Monster Jam. I drive Monster Mutt Dalmatian – a Dalmatian puppy dog truck. My puppy has big floppy ears a tail that wags and will fly 30 feet in the air.

Neil: My Monster Jam truck is Max-D, a futuristic SUV with large spikes on the outside. It’s cool looking and a fan favourite!

4) What are some of your favourite and memorable moments driving the trucks?

Candice: My most memorable moment happens at Monster Jam World Finals each year. I get to have a Monster Mutt Dalmatian fashion show. Last year I had 77 Monster Mutt Dalmatian Nation fans dancing with me on the main stage! It’s the highlight of my year.

Neil: My most memorable moment would have to be getting to attempt the first ever forward-carrying momentum backflip in the Monster Jam 25^th Anniversary truck during Monster Jam World Finals this past year. I landed it, and it was amazing!

5) Candice, what are some of the challenges that you faced as a woman driver in this male dominated activity?

Candice: It is very challenging being a woman in a male dominated sport like Monster Jam. As women, we have to work twice as hard to prove ourselves just like in any other sport.

6) Tell us more about your trucks and what is the most incredible trick you have ever performed at Monster Jam?

Candice: My Monster Jam truck has a 540 Merlin engine alcohol blown pumping out about 1500 horsepower, sitting up on 66 inch BKT tires with 26 inch nitro shocks. It weighs in at 10,000 pounds, and it looks like a giant spotted puppy!!!!

Neil: Max-D, my Monster Jam truck, is 12 feet tall and 12 feet wide and weighs in at 10,000 pounds.

Max-D (driven by Neil Elliott)

7) What can parents and children expect when they come and watch the first time ever Monster Jam coming to Singapore?

Candice and Neil: Parents and children can prepare to be excited and surprised for the first ever Monster Jam show in Singapore! These 10,000 pound Monster Jam trucks will fly 30 feet in the air! Drivers will attempt sky wheelies, slap wheelies, and donuts! It’s going to be thrilling!

8) How did you both meet and decide to compete together at Monster Jam? Who is the better driver between both of you? When you are out as a family, who does the driving?

Candice: We met racing Monster Jam trucks in Finland. Neil was already in the sport when I started in Monster Jam. Then Neil moved to Florida to join my family. We are both competitors; in normal life, we are husband and wife but when we are out on the race track, we are both going for the win! We are not a couple when it comes to the race track!

9) How has Monster Jam helped you to bond with your kid and how do you stay in touch with your family when you are on the road?

Candice and Neil: We have a 12-year-old son, Chase, who gets to travel with us to a lot of different shows around the world each year. We fly out on Thursdays for each event and fly home on Sundays, so we are only away from home 18 weekends a year. It’s nice that our son gets to go with us to a lot of shows.

10) As a busy parent, how do you strike a balance with your career and family life? What are some of your favourite things to do with your kid?

Candice: As a busy woman with multiple careers and a son, it’s a balancing act. I’m sure any mother can agree that we all wear many different hats to be able to juggle our lives.

Neil: When we’re not racing, we are very active family. We do a lot of offshore fishing and also do a lot of horseback riding.

11) Do you have any advice to children who aspire to be like you and have the opportunity to be part of Monster Jam?

Candice: My advice for anybody wanting to be a part of Monster Jam is to start in an automotive education field. Education is key to striving to accomplish your goals.

12) Lastly, what would you like to say to our Singapore readers and audience who are looking forward to catch Monster Jam?

Candice: I am very excited to be a part of the very first Monster Jam in Singapore! I cannot wait to meet all of the Monster Jam fans at the Pit Party! Please make sure you guys come by and say hello.

Neil: It’s an honor to get to participate in the very first Monster Jam in Singapore. I look forward to meeting all the Monster Jam fans there!

Thank you Candice Jolly and Neil Elliott for taking our interview!

All the above images credit to Monster Jam

Don’t miss the first time ever, Monster Jam and enjoy the most-action packed live event on four wheels coming to Singapore on 19 August!

Our Parenting World is currently running a giveaway for Family Package of 4 x Cat A Tickets & including Pit Passes for one lucky winner for you to bring your whole family to catch Monster Jam, to participate, please go to this link at

http://ourparentingworld.com/monster-jam-tickets-giveaway/

Monster Jam

Date: 19 August 2017, Saturday

Timing: 7 pm (Pre-Event Pit Party from 2.00 pm – 6.00 pm)

Venue:

Singapore Sports Hub, National Stadium

1 Stadium Drive,

Singapore 397629

Tickets on sale now at www.sportshubtix.com.sg

For more information on Monster Jam, log onto www.MonsterJam.com or follow via social channels below:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MonsterJam

Twitter: www.twitter.com/MonsterJam