EXCLUSIVE: Monster Truck Drive Cynthia Gauthier Talks Female Drives & Bringing Monster Jam to FedEx Field
Monster Jam Stadium Championship Series is invading FedEx Field in Landover, MD tomorrow, June 11 for the first time to celebrate its 30th Anniversary! We got the chance to chat with one of the driver’s taking part in the highly popular motorsports experience, Cynthia Gauthier.
Gauthier is the only female competing in the show and during our chat with the driver, we talked being the only female on the course, how she got into monster trucks, confidence, and so much more. Check out what she had to say below.
How excited are you to not only be bringing Monster Jam to FedEx Field, but you’re also the only female hitting the course tomorrow? How exciting is that?
“I’m super excited. It’s always fun to do a competition in a new stadium. For me, it’s the first time I’m here. And to be the only female is always amazing. It’s an honor for me to represent all the girls and show that we can do it too. I’m pretty excited. A lot of people reached out to me on social media and told me how excited they were for about this weekend.”
I can only imagine. This is a new stadium for you, is your prep different when you have to deal with a new stadium?
“It’s definitely different. We have to adjust because the dirt is never the same in each stadium. The reaction of the truck will be different during racing. We definitely have to adjust. Every weekend is a challenge. We have to make sure we adjust the truck to how the track is reacting. Some dirt is a little bit looser. Some dirt is a little bit tackier, so you definitely have to adjust your driving style.”
How did you exactly get into Monster Jam and monster trucks?
“That’s a good question. So actually, I’m in accounting. But I always loved racing. I used to go to the racetrack with my dad. He’s a mechanic. And I fell in love at a young age with the fuel and the engine noise and everything around racing track. When I was 18, I started racing dirt bike, and that’s really where everything started for me. I went from dirt bike to off road racing to monster truck.”
How do you go from riding a dirt bike to racing a monster truck?
“It’s not like you can practice a lot with a monster truck either. For me, it was a challenge because when we do competition, sometimes we want to try something new. You really have to watch a lot of videos and watch other racers to improve yourself.”
Did you always know that you wanted to eventually land in a monster truck?
“No. I was always really passionate about racing. I didn’t know if it was something I could do full time, but I started working in a team and as a mechanic, and I really fell in love with the traveling part and the racing of the monster truck industry. So, when I got the opportunity to test one, it was right away I fell in love with it. It’s something I never thought I would do, but after you get in that industry and that family, it’s amazing.”
I can’t imagine it is easy trying to drive the truck and making sure you’re entertaining the fans at the same time. How do you deal with that stress?
“It’s a lot of stress I have to say it is demanding physically and mentally driving a Monster Jam truck. I definitely always have that little nervous thing before I go to a competition. Even after seven years, it’s still there. But I do feel like watching video really helped me to get prepared. And I work out a lot to make sure my body’s ready physically to get all those impacts. And the chance we get to meet all the Monster Jam fans before a competition is really good for me because I feed off the fans. The fans give me the energy. Seeing a little girl coming to me and say, ‘I want you to win tonight.’ It’s the best thing you can do before a competition because it gives you all that energy and that support you need from the fans.”
Do you have a particular trick you enjoy the most?
“Back flip. Love, love doing back flip.”
I feel like you have to have a lot of confidence to not only drive the truck but to compete in this sport. Where does your confidence come from?
“I’m pretty confident. I’m the kind of person who worked really hard. But when I want something, I make it happen. So, I’m super, super competitive. And that starts from dirt bike. When you’re on a gate with 40 other racers, you really need to be competitive. I always had it. I don’t think I had it from my family because nobody raced, or nobody is really competitive in my family.”
Do you feel a lot of pressure knowing you’ve been revolutionizing this world for women and little girls?
“It’s not always easy to be the only female in a male dominated sport. I still get some funny comments once in a while, but I think it’s great because even some mom will bring their son to my line and say you, see? Girls can do it too. And it’s not only for the little girl. I think it’s good for the little boy to see that. I also have a really big male fa base. I feel like when the helmet’s on, it doesn’t matter if I’m a girl or if I’m a boy, I’m there to show my skill and show what I can do. And after the show, I usually gain a lot of love from the fans. It’s always challenging for me being a girl, but I think I work really hard. And my reward is really all those messages I get on social media from the dad or the mom or even the children that tell me how I did good and how they look up to me.”
Is there a moment in your career, so far, that still sticks with you to this day?
“I feel like I won the high jump at the word final in 2019. That was one of my favorite moments. Not only I was the first driver to win that championship, but I was also a female. And it was pretty impressive to jump really that high in the air.”
Well as we wrap, what are you hoping fans get from the show today?
“A lot of action, definitely, from beginning to the end of that competition. It’s a lot of action. We have some of the best driver out here this weekend. I think this competition is for any age, from older grandpa, parents, then children. Everybody loves to see Monster Jam. Monster Jam, it’s big jump, a lot of action. And hopefully, I get to do a back flip.”