KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire show brought seven monster trucks and their drivers to Unifi Arena, Kuala Lumpur, for a weekend of stunts and high-powered action.
Among the drivers were American husband-and-wife duo Darron and Rebecca Schnell, who took to the track in Rhinomite and Bigfoot, respectively.
Darron has been driving monster trucks for 16 years, while Rebecca has six years of experience behind the wheel.
Together, they travel around the world performing in shows and competing, sharing their love of monster trucks with audiences.
Their stop in Kuala Lumpur from October 16 to 18 marked another chapter in their journey as a couple in the sport.
In an interview with Malay Mail, the pair spoke about how their childhood interests developed into a career, their shared love of Hot Wheels and the challenges of life on the road.
The journey that led to monster trucks
Darron said his love for monster trucks began when he was around three to five years old, recalling how he watched monster truck videos on VHS tapes throughout his childhood.
“Throughout my childhood, that was my main interest, obsession, whatever you want to call it,” he said.
When he turned 18 and entered university, Darron began volunteering with a monster truck team after emailing someone to ask if he could help.
He started with basic tasks such as wiping windshields, washing tyres and handling other jobs the drivers did not want to do.
He continued volunteering for four years while completing his studies.
“When I graduated, I could either chase a real job or chase monster trucks.
“I chose to chase monster trucks, and here I am 18 years later, halfway around the world, still loving monster trucks,” he said.
Rebecca’s journey into the sport was different, although she had also grown up with an interest in big trucks.
She regularly attended monster truck events as a child, but Darron encouraged her to try driving them.
Before entering the sport, Rebecca competed in horseback riding, including show jumping and English riding.
She described her transition to monster trucks as moving from manual horsepower to mechanical horsepower.
Rebecca, who married Darron in 2011, recalled watching a female news anchor get behind the wheel of a monster truck early in her husband’s career.
“That was probably my first interest in getting behind the wheel, because by then I had started learning about the mechanics of monster trucks.
“As I worked on the monster truck alongside my other career, I let them know that if an opportunity came along, I would love to jump in.”
Although she was initially unsure whether she would enjoy the experience, Rebecca discovered that she liked driving the trucks.
She has now been behind the wheel for six years, travelling around the world alongside her husband.
The love for Hot Wheels
Their interest in monster trucks also extended to the Hot Wheels toys they played with as children.
Darron said he played with Hot Wheels trucks growing up but was not particularly interested in collecting them.
“I have pictures of myself playing with little Hot Wheels trucks.
“I was not really a collector as a child.
“Unfortunately, I had a bad habit of taking my Hot Wheels outside, playing in the mud, and they would disappear from time to time.”
Rebecca also recalled playing with monster truck toys as a child, including a Bigfoot model, after her mother found photographs of her with those toys.
“My mum managed to find a couple of pictures of me playing with little monster truck toys as a child.
“One of them was actually Bigfoot, which was really cool to have as a kid.”
Today, both have become collectors, with their collections growing to include models of the monster trucks they have driven.
Whenever they arrive in a new town, the couple also make time to visit toy shops in search of models they do not already own.
What began as a childhood interest has become another shared passion, connecting the toys they once played with to the full-sized trucks they now drive professionally.
Life behind the wheel
Beyond the stunts and excitement, Darron and Rebecca described Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire as a family-oriented show that gives audiences a chance to break from their daily routines and create lasting memories.
Despite their years of experience behind the wheel, the drivers said operating monster trucks still comes with an element of fear, as the powerful machines can behave differently each time.
They also stressed the importance of continuous learning, improving their skills, trying new techniques and taking risks, even when things do not always go as planned.
For the couple, life on the road also means spending considerable time away from their families.
When asked how much longer they planned to continue driving monster trucks, Darron said he was unsure, adding that their decision would depend on how life unfolded.
“One downside of driving monster trucks is that we are not home very often.
“We spend a lot of time away from our families.
“When we reach the point where we really miss our families, and that becomes an issue, that is when we will step out of the trucks,” he said.
The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire show concludes today, October 18, with performances at 1pm and 8pm at Unifi Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
