Bill Payne has been driving a Monster Truck for more than 20 years.
For the past 10 years, he has been running his own show, owner of 10 trucks and the leader of a full-time crew.
He has been just about everywhere, focused on the West Coast of the United States and Canada.
On Thursday and Friday, he will be able to say he’s performed in Clark County
“It’s always been that one, with 7,000 people who are just rowdy,” Payne said. “It’s always been my bucket list to perform at the Clark County Fair.”
Monster Trucks have been a tradition at the fair for years, but Payne’s company — Straight Up Racing, based in Port Orchard — is new to Clark County.
Payne said he had an opportunity to bring his show to Clark County back when he first started out as an owner.
“I was just learning to do the whole package myself,” Payne acknowledged. I didn’t want to make a mistake and not be able to get the epic Clark County show ever again.”
Through the years, Payne and Straight Up Racing have honed the skills, perfected the performances. So well, in fact, that Straight Up Racing is pretty much booked every weekend.
After last year’s motorsports at the grandstand arena, fair administrators were looking for a change. A change in companies and a possible change in schedule. The fair was open to a Thursday-Friday schedule for Monster Trucks. That worked out perfectly for Payne.
“We need that excitement back,” Payne said he was told.
“Am I a little nervous? I am. I want everything to go so perfectly,” Payne said. “I want to land every trick perfectly.”
Payne, 44, still drives Rock Star.
“I crash the most because I don’t know how to drive,” he said with a laugh. “The rest of my guys are young and fearless.”
Shows are Thursday and Friday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Monster Trucks are included with a general admission fair ticket. All seating in the grandstands are first come, first serve.
Fans should expect to see other trucks such as Spitfire and Identity Theft. Identity Theft may or may not be named because it looks a lot like the famous Grave Digger.
The trucks put on quite a show that starts with high intensity and just continues. In all, it is a 90-minute performance. Payne said each truck and driver have their own styles and skills. Plus there will be a few surprises.
“Do the fans want to see six Monster Trucks do all the same thing? Absolutely not,” Payne said.
Payne says he knows his business.
“My job is entertainment. Entertainment is my only job,” he said. “I just want that ‘wow’ factor.”
At the same time, he let us in on a little secret.
“As a performer, I’m supposed to say I do this for the fans. That’s a blatant lie. I love driving a Monster Truck so much. I would drive the exact same way if there were two people, 100 people, 1,000 people.”
He said he has no plans to ever quit.
“You have the excitement of jumping, almost crashing, the excitement of saving it,” Payne said. “If you crash, it’s about trying to get it all back together to make the next round.
“I have found the perfect job.”
