How I put down my knitting and got into a monster truck
I drive a 2011 Toyota Corolla. For fun, I like to knit. So naturally, I got assigned to interview a monster truck driver — in a monster truck, out at Eastbound Park, at this weekend's Napa Auto Parts World Series of Monster Trucks.
The last time I was this out of my league I was a classical music show host on university campus radio who had been assigned to cover intra-residence arm wrestling at the MUN Winter Carnival.
I was secretly delighted then. And flat-out thrilled now.
Once I got to Eastbound Park, I realized there is a fine line between thrilling and terrifying.
More monster than truck
I stared up at a monster truck named Scarlet Bandit.
The truck part of Scarlet Bandit was simply a fibreglass shell painted to look like a pickup, down to the grille and headlights. It was literally over my head, suspended over humongous tires.
The rest of the machine seemed to be a steel cage holding a very intimidating engine, and one bare-bones driver's seat with a five-point harness.
Scarlet Bandit could crush my Toyota Corolla and spit out the bones.
Powerful driver, small package
As I stood there sweating and fretting, a petite woman in her 40s with an impeccable manicure and a shirt that matched Scarlet Bandit's paint job said hello in a Kansas drawl. That was Dawn Creten, Scarlet Bandit's driver.
Dawn Creten has been driving monster trucks for about 20 years, making her the longest-reigning woman on the professional monster truck circuit. She is also a former U.S. Army medic and mother of four.
She matter-of-factly ran over the specs of Scarlet Bandit, then swung lightly up into the driver's seat. I scrambled awkwardly up, and braced myself behind her, a microphone-holding projectile.
Let's roll
We drove a sedate lap around the speedway, going over a small dirt hill en route.
It was awesome. It was also less jarring than taking my Corolla over the Outer Ring Road.
Dawn saves the wheelies, donuts and car crushing for when she's driving solo.
Afterwards, we exchanged some polite conversation about our children, she asked me about my work, and then she went on her way to sort out some logistics with her crew.
As Dawn put it, being one of the few women on the professional monster truck driving circuit is "just a normal job."
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
