"Monster Jam" favorites, including "Grave Digger," "Northern Nightmare," and the only female-driven monster truck, "Madusa," will race, compete in wheelie contests and freestyle on a dirt-packed arena floor in "Monster Jam," March 13, 14 and 15, PPL Center, Allentown.

Chad Tingler, who drives crowd favorite, "Grave Digger," hails from Stuarts Draft, Va., and has been interested in trucks since he was a boy. "I always played outside with my Tonka trunks," he says.

Tingler, the former Crew Chief for "Grave Digger" and "Pure Adrenalin," first drove in a "Monster Jam" truck competition behind the wheel of "Ragin' Steel." Eventually, Tingler took over the wheel of the well-known "Grave Digger."

The "Grave Digger" truck and phenomenon was created by professional monster truck driver Dennis Anderson 34 years ago. "He [Anderson] would tell the competing drivers that he was going to take his truck and dig their graves with it," says Tingler. "That's where the name 'Grave Digger' came from."

Tingler appreciates the opportunity to drive a truck that is so popular with "Monster Jam" fans.

"I like being able to interact with the fans," he says, "to get up close and personal with them.

"There are parents who came to competitions as a kid that bring their own kids. Sometimes after a show, the adults are more excited for [autograph] signings than the kids."

Fans can expect plenty of monster truck action during the show. "Grave Digger's" signature theme song, George Thorogood's "Bad To The Bone," announces the black and green hearse-like monster truck's arrival.

"It's gonna be one and a half to two hours full of excitement from beginning to end," says Tingler.

"There's a lot of history with 'Monster Jam' fans in Pennsylvania and we are excited to come to Allentown."