Thinking about attending Monster Jam? You’ll get to see Linsey Read compete in the Scooby-Doo Monster Truck at the Arena Championship Series East. Find out all about this driver, her family, and what she loves about driving the Scooby-Doo truck!
“Linsey Read driving Scooby-Doooooo,” announces Linsey’s adorable four-year-old daughter when she walks into the kitchen. Or anywhere in the house.
This is a common scene at Linsey’s house. After all, she’s one of Monster Truck’s most loved and entertaining female drivers and someone who loves putting on a show.
Linsey Read: Becoming a Monster Truck Driver for Monster Jam
Getting paid to drive an enormous truck, racing them around an arena and doing tricks sounds like a really cool job. Linsey Read from El Paso, Texas thought the same. She was working in retail after high school and loved going to the Monster Jam shows. She watched the female drivers speed around in the huge trucks and knew what her calling in life was at that moment.
She skipped college and went straight into pursuing her dream of driving a Monster Truck. Linsey started by doing a Tough Truck Competition in El Paso, placing fifth of 25 drivers – with zero experience. The next year she was only milliseconds away from first place. That got her noticed by a few Monster Truck drivers, who asked if she had ever thought of driving a Monster Truck.
Bingo.
Linsey went to Monster Jam University where she was trained on how to drive a truck and then started her career in 2016. Monster Jam asked her to drive Scooby-Doo, a hugely popular truck originally driven by Nicole Johnson. It was off to the competitions from there.
Mom and Monster Trucks
Linsey Read became pregnant with her daughter about a year into her Monster Jam truck career and took some time off to have her baby. Her daughter is now older and isn’t afraid to give her mom advice.
“My daughter was four months old when she went to her first show,” said Linsey. “Now she tells me I should have taken a turn differently or did a different trick. She loves watching me drive.”
And of course, her little girl loves to practice announcing mom at home.
“I think she’s going to grow up to be a Monster Jam announcer,” said Linsey.
Linsey’s husband and daughter would often travel with her to shows. They are still her biggest supporters and for fans, she loves meeting kids who want to grow up to become Monster Truck drivers.
“I remember how I felt when I was watching them and I want to be that person for them. I want to show them that it is possible – you don’t need to have motorsport experience to become a driver,” she said.
Monster Jam Shows Near Me
Monster Jam usually comes to Greenville every January, and drivers are constantly rotated and refreshed. Though Linsey Read will not be traveling to SC in 2023, you can check out the Monster Jam Arena Championship Series Central in several cities throughout South Carolina and North Carolina, with Monster Jam shows in Columbia, SC in April 2023.
Be sure to check out the Pit Party! This is where fans can get up close with the trucks and meet the drivers and take photos. Tickets can be purchased here.