The Raminator is set to be featured in the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals March 29 at the Schottenstein Center.  Credit: Courtesy of Michael Glaskin-Clay

The Raminator is set to be featured in the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals March 29 at the Schottenstein Center.
Credit: Courtesy of Michael Glaskin-Clay

Rev your engines, ladies and gentlemen, because the Monster Truck Nationals are barreling toward Columbus for the last stop on their “Monster Nite Out” tour.

“Basically, it’s just destruction and madness and lots of noise,” said Emily Boden, marketing manager for the event’s promotional firm, Family Events. “It’s a crashin,’ bashin’ good time.”

With an assortment of five vehicles weighing more than 50,000 pounds altogether, the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals are set to take over the Schottenstein Center Saturday, but it won’t just be the cars taking center stage for the evening.

In addition to the behemoth vehicles performing wheelies, racing and even getting some air around the arena there will also be a live concert, a cash-grab machine and a party outside the arena with country singer Brandon Maddox, prior to  start the event, Boden said. According to Family Event’s website, Maddox with perform a new song called “Bigger the Wheels” at the show.

In the Monster Truck Nationals tour, there is an ongoing competition between the cars that, Boden said, is determined by points for things such as racing wins or best stunt. Over the season, the points are tallied until a “champion” is crowned.

As Saturday’s stop in Columbus is scheduled to be the last of the season, the crowd at the Schott will get to see Mike Hall, driver of the “Raminator” car, be crowned as this season’s champion.

“It feels real cool to be a champion, I’ve got to be honest,” said Hall, who clinched his championship crown before heading to Columbus. “You work real hard all year long — it takes pressure off and you don’t have to worry about points heading into the final show. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Hall explained his early love for monster trucks and said doing these shows is the best thing in the world.

“When I was a little kid, I loved trucks and tractors,” Hall said. “I was in Indianapolis when I saw a monster truck for the first time in real life and that was the coolest thing ever. I was hooked ever since. I never really grew up and that’s why I always tell everybody I have the best job in the world.”

After explaining his experiences with monster trucks as a child, Hall said the Monster Truck Nationals have something in store for everyone.

“The trucks appeal to everybody,” Hall said. “Kids think they’re big toys, then you have gear-heads who love the mechanics, and finally, you have outsiders who just can’t help but be taken away by the size of these monsters. Everybody loves these things for different reasons.”

Dave Redelberger, the director of interactive marketing for the Schottenstein Center, echoed Hall’s excitement for the family atmosphere of the Monster Truck Nationals.

“Over here at the Schott, we get pretty excited whenever the Monster Trucks roll in,” Redelberger said. “The smiles on the kids’ faces when they hear those engines rev for the first time is something we look forward to every year.”

The Monster Truck Nationals is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Schottenstein Center. Tickets for the event cost $20 in advance on Ticketmaster, or $23 the day of the event.