Krysten Anderson
{{short description|American monster truck driver (born 1997)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor =
| name = Krysten Anderson
| image =
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| fullname =
| residence =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|05|16}}
| birth_place = Currituck, North Carolina, U.S.
| years_active = 2017–present
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives = 3 brothers (including: Adam and Ryan)
| parents = Dennis Anderson (father)
| death_date =
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| website =
| country = United States
| sport = Monster Jam
| team = Grave Digger
| retired =
| world =
}}
Krysten Anderson (born May 16, 1997){{cite web|url=https://www.monsterjam.com/en-US/drivers/krysten-anderson|title=Monster Jam – Krysten Anderson|work=Monster Jam|access-date=February 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117075700/https://www.monsterjam.com/en-US/drivers/krysten-anderson|archive-date=January 17, 2024|url-status=live}} is an American professional monster truck driver. Anderson currently drives Grave Digger on the Monster Jam circuit and is the first full-time female driver for the team. She is the daughter of Grave Digger creator Dennis Anderson. She holds the record for the highest ramp jump by a monster truck at 33 ft 9.6 in (10.3 m).
Early life
Krysten Anderson was born on May 16, 1997, in Currituck, North Carolina. Anderson has stated that she has been surrounded by monster trucks since she was just a few months old.{{cite magazine|first=Greg|last=Jones|url=https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2020/08/women-in-motorsports-krysten-anderson/|title=Women in Motorsports: Krysten Anderson|magazine=Engine Builder Magazine|date=August 13, 2020|access-date=February 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807031911/https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2020/08/women-in-motorsports-krysten-anderson/|archive-date=August 7, 2023|url-status=live}}
Career
Anderson first got behind the wheel of a monster truck when she was 18. Prior to Monster Jam, Anderson was planning on going to college for graphic design with the intention of becoming a graphic designer for the Monster Jam trucks. Anderson joined Monster Jam in 2016{{cite web|first=Victoria|last=Beaver|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/motor-sports/news/krysten-anderson-grave-digger|title=All eyes are on Krysten Anderson as she inherits Grave Digger in Monster Jam|work=NBC Sports|date=March 29, 2021|access-date=February 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807031919/https://www.nbcsports.com/motor-sports/news/krysten-anderson-grave-digger|archive-date=August 7, 2023|url-status=live}} and began driving for the Grave Digger Team in 2017, the same year her father Dennis Anderson was celebrating his 35th anniversary of driving Grave Digger. Her father retired that same year due to an injury.{{cite web|first=Jonathan|last=Turner|url=https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/female-monster-jam-driver-has-the-beast-in-her-blood/|title=Female Monster Jam driver has the beast in her blood|work=KLJB|date=April 25, 2023|access-date=February 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807031910/https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/female-monster-jam-driver-has-the-beast-in-her-blood/|archive-date=August 7, 2023|url-status=live}} Monster Jam contacted her dad to see if she was interested in competing as the first female driver for Grave Digger. She won her first freestyle competition in the second event she competed in. Speaking of her first year competing in Monster Jam, Anderson stated, "I had a very rough first year...I was brand new. I was a rookie. I was driving Grave Digger, which is basically the most iconic truck in monster truck history or Monster Jam history. I had the pressure of being an Anderson and my dad and my brothers had always brought the show home all the time. They were always some of the top competitors. I was like, 'Man, I’ve got to be good because I’m an Anderson. I've got to be good because I’m driving Grave Digger and everybody wants Grave Digger to do good. I'm also out here representing all of the girls."
On June 25, 2020, Anderson broke the Guinness World Record for the highest ramp jump by a monster truck at 33 ft 9.6 in (10.3 m) in Bradenton, Florida.{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/76319-highest-ramp-jump-monster-truck|title=Highest ramp jump – monster truck|work=Guinness World Records|date=June 25, 2020|access-date=February 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807033411/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/76319-highest-ramp-jump-monster-truck|archive-date=August 7, 2023|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.monsterjam.com/en-US/records|title=Monster Jam Breaks 8 Guinness World Records Titles|work=Monster Jam|access-date=February 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517071853/https://www.monsterjam.com/en-US/records|archive-date=May 17, 2022|url-status=live}} The previous record was 21.33ft/6.5m. Anderson became the first female Monster Jam series champion when she won the Arena Series Central championship in 2022. She won the Rising Star Award in 2022.
File:Grave Digger XLI World Finals 2024.jpg
In an online bio, Anderson stated, "Monster Jam is all I know. I was born into the sport through my dad...During the peak of his career was the early stage of my life, and one of the coolest things was my dad being the Grave Digger creator."
Awards
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.monsterjam.com/en-US/drivers/krysten-anderson Monster Jam – Krysten Anderson]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Krysten}}
Category:Monster truck drivers
Category:People from Currituck County, North Carolina