Monster Truck Show Becomes Frightening as a Stray Tire Smashes Spectator’s Kia

      monstertrucksofwashington Instagram/Fox 13

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      Whether it's the Indy 500 or Monster Jam, going to races is always enjoyable. However, there is an inherent risk involved in motorsports, and sometimes things can take a turn for the worse—just ask the owner of this unfortunate Kia Spectra.

      Last weekend, the Malicious Monster Truck Tour visited the Kitsap Fairgrounds in Bremerton, Washington, and the array of large trucks, dirt bikes, and other off-road vehicles provided the audience with more than they bargained for—though not in a positive way. But then again, what can you expect from an event named “Malicious”?

      During the show, a monster truck named Veteran was performing its typical acts, which included crushing cars, spinning in circles, and ramping off jumps to achieve significant height. One of these jumps was particularly impressive, but it resulted in some unfortunate consequences. When landing, the front left tire of Veteran broke off the axle and continued rolling forward while the truck gradually came to a halt.

      These two videos, one from gagasolineaddiction and the other from monstertruckswashington, show the frightening situation from two distinct perspectives.

      As is common with runaway tires, it didn’t stop until something obstructed its path. In this instance, the tire launched off a ramp and soared over the track's fence, maintaining enough speed to cause considerable damage to anything in its path. Fortunately, and I emphasize fortunately, it landed in a parking lot where it crashed into an unoccupied Kia. A Subaru was also struck, though it sustained less damage.

      An unmounted monster truck tire weighs between 800 and 900 pounds, not including the rim. Clearly, had that tire hit a grandstand filled with spectators, it could have resulted in numerous injuries or fatalities. This type of incident has occurred before.

      It’s unfortunate for the Kia's owner, but it could have been much worse. According to Fox 13, the event organizers did not issue a statement, but I certainly hope the management of the track implements necessary measures to contain runaway tires or debris to the racing surface in future events.

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