Tom Meents
A fearless innovator and showman who transformed monster truck driving from a spectacle into a high-flying, precision sport, winning a record 14 world titles.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American monster truck driver·Birthday: July 10·Generation X
Biography
Tom Meents pioneered the monster truck backflip and other aerial stunts, re-engineering the entire approach to the sport. From Paxton, Illinois, he began his career in the early 1990s. Behind the wheel of Maximum Destruction (Max-D), his background in mechanics earned him the nickname 'The Professor.' He treated the arena as a physics puzzle, constantly tweaking his trucks to perform never-before-seen maneuvers. His rivalry with Dennis Anderson and Grave Digger fueled a competitive era that grew Monster Jam's audience. Over three decades, his combination of engineering intellect and bravery made him the most dominant and influential figure in the field.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tom was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tom Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Tom's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- He won a record 14 Monster Jam World Finals racing championships, the most of any driver in history.
- He is credited with performing the first successful backflip in a monster truck at the 2009 Monster Jam World Finals.
- He drove the iconic Maximum Destruction (Max-D) truck for over two decades, making it one of the most recognizable vehicles in the sport.
- He was inducted into the Monster Jam Hall of Fame, solidifying his status as a defining figure in the industry.
Did You Know?
He is a skilled fabricator and mechanic and was heavily involved in the design and construction of his trucks.
His nickname 'The Professor' was earned due to his analytical, calculated approach to driving and truck setup.
He once crashed his truck through the roof of the Louisiana Superdome during a freestyle run in 2002.
He announced his retirement from full-time competition in 2024 after a 31-year career.
“I'm not crazy. I'm just not afraid.”
