The seats are middle-mounted within the cockpits, custom fitted for every driver, and use 5-point racing harnesses to keep the drivers firmly in place throughout stunts and crashes. The two drivers are positioned in the "Thunder Alley" staging area and take off on a light. Team members say that small parts are the mostly replaced. Unusable or unrepairable parts are recycled, given to charity, given to sponsors or offered. The parts inventory is a common pool that teams can use as needed, since it's understood that the trucks normally get trashed on a nightly foundation and need intensive repair throughout the day. The gearshifts for the 2-velocity automatic transmissions are floor mounted and laborious to see, so drivers have to learn to shift by really feel. Mahon drives Whiplash, a new truck within the Monster Jam lineup, and is a good example of how drivers' personalities are played up - however not artificially. Up to now, Monster Jam University has examined 130 applicants - 77 have accomplished the coaching to date. The Monster Jam University primary course emphasizes security and lets drivers get accustomed to each stadium-type tracks and arena-model tracks.
