Grave Digger’s first female driver gets ready for show in Tupelo
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – On this International Women’s Day, we want to introduce you to a young lady who wields a lot of power.
Krysten Anderson is in our area for the annual Monster Jam show, and she is the first female driver of the most well-known monster truck on the planet.
For Anderson, driving “Grave Digger” is a family tradition. Nothing quite compares to the feeling she gets when she is behind the wheel of Grave Digger.
“It is extremely empowering I would say,” she said.
Anderson is 26 and started driving Grave Digger when she was 18. She is the first female driver of the iconic monster truck, and it is in her blood.
Her dad, Dennis, created Grave Digger more than 40 years ago.
Her three brothers – Adam, Ryan, and Weston – also drive for the team.
Grave Digger weighs in at 12,000 pounds and boasts 1,500 horsepower. Anderson has proven herself on the circuit and even set a world record for the highest ramp jump in a Monster Truck.
“The record itself was 33.9 feet from the top of the ramp to the bottom of my tires. It was almost like a 40-foot jump, which is a three or four-story building. So, next time you are standing by a three-story building, I jumped over that,” said Anderson.
She said her favorite part of any Monster Jam weekend is meeting the fans at the Pit Parties before each performance. She also believes her success in the world of Monster Trucks sends a strong message to women.
“It is really cool for me to meet the women and meet the girls. I come out here and represent my family, but I also represent all the ladies sitting in the stands of all ages. It’s cool for them to see a female driving the most iconic Monster Truck in history,” said Anderson.
She said she was looking forward to showing off her skills and competing against the other drivers this weekend.
This is Krysten Anderson’s first visit to Tupelo. Monster Jam has two shows on March 9 and one on March 10.
