Riding ‘The Punisher’ Monster Truck

I was at Townsquare Media's "Four States ATV & Outdoor Show" over the weekend. I got a thrill out of watching the kids go for a ride around the building on the Monster Truck "The Punisher." I'm just a big kid at heart myself, so I had to see what it was like. Before I boarded this beast of a truck I got the chance to talk with driver Lance Hammonds about his childhood dream.

Hammonds, who is from nearby Simms, Texas, said has been a fan of monster trucks since he was 10 years old.

"The first time I remember seeing a monster truck I told myself that one day I'll have my own," he said.

Lance has had the opportunity to get some really good advice from professional monster truck drivers. They have given him the knowledge, insight and the advice on how to build a great monster truck. So through steady work and lots of patience, Lance set out on a journey about two years ago, turning his dream into reality.

First of all, he had to find the perfect truck and since he has always been impressed with Ford trucks his decision was easy.

"I went with a '94 Ford F-350 two-wheel drive one ton Dually," said Lance

His monster truck has a 7.3 turbo diesel engine with 66-inch tires that normally take 15-20 minutes to air up. If he takes his truck on the road for an event you can expect about an hour and a half for setup and breakdown.  The good news is all that hard work is well worth it, as he loves to see the kids' eyes light up when they climb on board to ride -- "The Punisher." That's right, a monster truck is not complete without a name.

I asked Lance what made him choose that particular name.

"I've always been a huge fan of the comic book character 'The Punisher,' which I thought had a really cool theme and vibe."

Lance has appeared  at the Monster Truck show in Texarkana, Railfest, Demolition Derby, Touch a Truck and some local school events. This weekend, Lance will be making an appearance at the Titus County Fair in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.

One thing's for certain when talking with Lance, you can tell he's very passionate about being able to share his childhood dream with others. A small town boy with a big dream and a big Monster Truck.

Want to know what the view looks like in a Monster Truck? Take a look.

For more information on "The Punisher" Monster Truck see his Facebook page.