Father-daughter duo makes Monster Jam a family affair in Vancouver
Credit to Author: Harrison Mooney| Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2020 22:31:34 +0000
Outside of the show, monster trucker Kaylyn Migues explained in advance of her Vancouver debut, the drivers of Monster Jam are all one big family.
But for Migues, 22, it’s true the other way as well: outside of the show, the drivers of her family are all one big Monster Jam. Her father, Darren Migues, 50, is a veteran of the Monster Jam circuit and the owner of the TK Motorsports race team. Her brother drives on occasion. Her fiancé used to. Even her mother has been known to compete.
“She basically drives whenever I want a weekend off,” Kaylyn said with a laugh.
The Migues family will be at the Pacific Coliseum next month when Monster Jam returns to Vancouver on March 14-15 for another weekend of high-flying, big-wheeled, six-ton trucks. Both Darren and Kaylyn, a rare father-daughter duo in the sport, will compete alongside the likes of the legendary Grave Digger, and Scooby-Doo, driven by Linsey Read, who made history last May in Orlando as the first mother to win a Monster Jam World Finals championship.
Dragon, driven by Darren Migues.
Darren will drive Dragon, a menacing, green truck outfitted with spikes and horns. “Its path is one of destruction,” according to MonsterJam.com, “and those who see its scaly hide can stutter only one word in hushed gasps ― “Dragon!”
Kaylyn will be behind the wheel of the Monster Mutt Dalmatian, a longtime fan favourite known for its floppy ears and tongue, as well as its roster of female drivers: Migues is one of three women driving the “canine of carnage” at Monster Jam events this year, alongside Candice Jolly and Cynthia Gauthier.
Monster Mutt Dalmatian, driven by Kaylyn Migues.
“I was really honoured when they asked me to join their team,” Migues said of the invitation to Dalmatian Nation, which marked the end of a steep learning curve in which she struggled her first two years to prove herself as a young woman on the monster truck circuit.
Joining the circuit, on the other hand, was much easier. Kaylyn got her start in 2015, when she was still a senior in high school. After 15 years in dance, she made a sudden pivot to the family business. The decision to follow in her father’s footsteps surprised and delighted Darren, who wasted little time bringing his daughter into the Monster Jam family.
“We took her out to a field and she drove,” he explained, “and then I said, ‘You did great, your first show’s this weekend.’ She drove at the next show.”
Darren Migues and daughter Kaylyn.
Five years later, the two remain teammates, as well as intense rivals.
“That’s my daughter 365 days a year, until I put the helmet on, and then it’s just another competitor I can’t wait to beat,” said Darren, with a laugh.
An invitation to the Monster Jam World Finals remains the goal for everyone on the circuit, the Migues family included, but both father and daughter admitted that they’re more competitive with one another, especially as Kaylyn continues to improve.
“Four years ago I wasn’t worried about her — if I had to race her, I knew I could beat her so easily,” Darren said. “Nowadays when I line up against her, I gotta be on my game, because this girl is coming for me.”
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