Charlie Pauken To Unleash The Grave Digger At The Monster Jam
BY NANCY GAGNET— MIRROR REPORTER
When Maumee resident Charlie Pauken climbs into the Grave Digger, a $250,000 purple and green monster truck with a 1,500-horsepower engine, spectators at Lucas County Arena can expect an action-packed show.
He’s one of several drivers appearing in the Monster Jam show this weekend at Lucas County Arena. Produced by Feld Motor Sports, the show will feature monster trucks – including Monster Mutt Dalmatian, Avenger, Brutus, Black Stallion and Iron Warrior – performing air stunts, wheelies, donuts and drag racing.
In a phone interview during a break from a show last weekend in London, Ontario, Canada, Pauken talked about driving the giant machine.
“It’s a big adrenaline rush,” he said. “I compare it to riding a roller coaster because you get the weightlessness and the g-forces, like when you’re flying down a hill and you come off of the seat.”
This will be the second time he has performed locally. Three years ago he appeared at Toledo Speedway.
The 43-year-old graduate of Maumee High School works at Mitch’s Welding and Hitches – his brother’s welding and fabrication shop – during the week, and flies to monster truck shows on the weekends to drive the Grave Digger.
“It’s a family show. It’s great entertainment,” he said. “A lot of times we call ourselves pilots because you’re driving it and flying it all at the same time.”
The car is equipped with slightly larger gas and break pedals and a steering wheel that controls the front steering. A toggle switch controls rear steering, he said.
“In a lot of the tighter places, it’s a lot easier to have front and rear steering to get around places,” he explained.
He hasn’t sustained any major injuries – his latest being a broken hand – but said car crashes happen.
“We try and be creative with the driving and put it to the ragged edge, and try and bring it back home safe – that’s driving. Once in a while, it rolls over and the crowd likes that too. Either way, the crowd wins,” he said.
Pauken currently performs throughout the United States but will leave in May for Europe, where he has performed for five years. He has appeared in Warsaw, Poland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Barcelona, Spain.
“It’s been a great experience for me to go out and travel. There is no way I could have traveled throughout Europe if it hadn’t been for the monster truck,” he said.
Pauken’s fascination with motors began at an early age.
“When I was growing up, I was always fixing and riding mini bikes and go-carts,” he said.
As he got older, his attention turned to motorcycles, cars and trucks, he said.
After watching Maumee residents Mike Nichol and Dave Marquart build and race the monster truck Excaliber, he went to work for them when he was 19.
“The first time I went with them to a show I thought, ‘This is too cool,’ and it just kind of snowballed from there,” he said.
After working for them for seven years, he and business partner Tim Bush bought the Excaliber and drove it in shows for four more years.
“I became burned out,” he said. “Trying to get sponsors is hard and trying to keep everything maintained is hard.”
He sold everything and thought his monster truck days were over until Feld Motor Sports called and offered him a job.
The company owns 38 monster trucks, including seven Grave Digger trucks, that are kept in a shop in North Carolina.
Initially, Pauken wasn’t interested in getting back into the business because traveling would mean too much time on the road and away from his wife Dawn and 5-year-old son Charlie.
“They told me they would fly me in and fly me out each weekend for the shows. It’s been 12 years now – it’s a good gig,” he said.
The Monster Jam will take place at Lucas County Arena in downtown Toledo on Friday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 p.m.
Fans with a valid ticket can meet drivers and see the trucks up close during “Party in the Pits,” a free event from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are $25.00 for adults and $12.50 for children and are available at all Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com, the Lucas County Arena box office or by phone at (800) 745-3000.
Charlie Pauken and Grave Digger will make a special appearance at Advance Auto Parts, 1017 N. Reynolds Rd., Toledo, on Thursday, March 11 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. for photos and autographs.

Celebrity Basketball Game, Family Carnival Slated At Maumee High School
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
The Maumee High School Alumni and Friends basketball team will take on the 13 ABC Celebrity All-Stars in a friendly game of hoops on Saturday, March 13.
MHS alumni basketball players include Buzz Rothenbuhler from the Class of 1973 and Tig Dybala from the Class of 2008.
Brittany Hartford, Caitlyn Theaker and Lindsay Diegel will also play for the alumni team, led by coach Adam Russell, a 2003 graduate and MHS science teacher.
All proceeds benefit the Maumee Schools Foundation, said Jim Dussel of the foundation.
“We’re hoping to raise money to support our programs including the mini grants, scholarships and student awards program,” he said.
A family carnival will take place in the MHS cafeteria prior to the game with fun activities including a football toss, mystery door, face painting, duck pond, toilet paper toss, frog launch and more. Admission to the carnival is free and game tickets are 25 cents each.
The carnival takes place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and game tip-off is at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets to the game are $5.00 for adults and students. Children 10 and under are free with a paid adult. Entertainment and a 3-point contest are planned at halftime.