Annual War on Wheels Monster Truck Slam Family Spectacular this Saturday, October 2 from 6 pm.

Event signals end of an era for the Sunshine Coast's Featherby family.

AN $80,000 fireworks display, seven awesome monster trucks, a world-first monster truck backflip, fiery jet cars, bone-crunching car crane drops, thrilling freestyle motocross, huge LED big screens, Transzilla the fire-breathing dinosaur and a host of motorised stunt acts are on offer at the annual Kawana Monster Truck Show at Stockland Park this Saturday (October 2).

"Our great line up of trucks in this year's Monster Slam are Raptors Rampage, Avenger USA, Scooby Doo, Taz, two Outback Thundas and a huge world-first with USA star Kreg Christensen driving the brand-new, Yandina-built monster truck, Freakshow. Christensen will attempt an Australian first - to backflip the monster truck over a set of cars," promoter Clive Featherby said. "This has never been done before and we have designed this new truck to do just that."

With all the hype aside, the October 2 Kawana Monster Truck Show marks the end of an era for the Sunshine Coast's remarkable Featherby family -- Clive and his sons, Billy (18), Jaye (16) and Pat (7).  

After 25 years of travelling the nation and performing in front of millions of spectators in more than 1000 shows, Clive, the family patriach, and Australian monster truck champion, has sold his self-made business to Sydney-based company, EMT Events.

Billy Featherby, a Nambour High School senior graduate and now an 18-year-old infantry soldier posted to the 1RAR regiment in Townsville, was the world's youngest-ever monster truck driver when he hit the arena at the age of 13. Billy retired from monster truck driving this January when he joined the Australian Defence Force, but is making a one-night-only comeback to join his family in the final hoorah. Billy's future includes deployment to Malaysia, East Timor and Afghanistan.

Jaye Featherby, at 16 and in Year 11 at Nambour High School, has been racing monster trucks for three years. Prior to that, from the age of 11, he had the unenviable reputation as the youngest stunt kid in the world. His Wall of Fire stunt, where he was strapped on the bonnet of a stunt car and driven through three walls of fire, was world famous. Jaye was ecstatic when he grew tall enough to drive the monster trucks and has since proved an exciting champion in the arena. He plans on studying sports medicine at Sunshine Coast University.

Pat Featherby, just 7, and in Grade 2 at Glenview State Primary School, has led the monster truck parade around Australia in his own mini-Bronco monster truck and performs startling stunts on this modified quad during the show. This youngest Featherby wants to be "just like his big brothers" and excel in any sports arena.

With Clive selling the business, Billy forging a career in the defence force, Jaye striving for university and Pat getting into Little Athletics, the era of the four Featherby "boys" has come to an end.

That is why this Saturday's Monster Truck Spectacular at Stockland Park will be massive -- it's personal -- it's a family's last hooray. And knowing the promotional skills of Clive Featherby, whose Sunshine Coast-based KC's Fireworks Displays business placed third in the 2000 World Fireworks Championships at Macau and monster trucks shows have featured in TV shows and magazines all over the world, this Saturday night will be massive.

While its the end of an era for the Featherby family, the Kawana show marks the debut of Australia's newest youngest monster truck driver, 15-year-old Noosa District High School student, Hayden McLeary, from Ridgewood.

Clive Featherby said he was pulling out all stops and "blowing the budget" to give spectators the most spectacular monster trucks experience ever staged on the Sunshine Coast.

"Seven top-line racing monster trucks will compete in a mind-blowing Skywheelie Comp that includes top American drivers American Monster Jam's Kreg Christensen and former Bounty Hunter Driver Corey Clark from Montana," Mr Featherby said.

"In the wheel-standing comp each truck has two jumps each to see who can launch the highest into the air and then drive the furtherest on two wheels without falling over backwards.

"Our great line up of seven champion monster trucks in this year's Monster Slam is awesome as is the first-ever monster truck backflip in our precision-designed Freakshow monster truck, " Mr Featherby said.

"But that's not all for the trucks, after the Skywheelie comp every truck then comes out for the Monster Truck Freestyle - a competition where each truck is given 90 seconds each to smash the living daylights out of all the obstacles and cars. They will literally tear obstacles to pieces. It's the truck that causes the most damage that will be declared the overall winner."

Mr Featherby said he has two Outback Thunda monster trucks to ensure mass car-crunching carnage and guarantees the fans will see trucks roll in spectacular fashion.

"We've got so much amazing action planned," he said. "This is it for the Featherby family. The contracts have been signed, the deal is done, the business has passed hands. This is our most amazing show and what better place to end a family era than our home Sunshine Coast."

Tickets are on sale now from Autobarn Kawana, Nambour, and Gympie or at Kawana Shopping world and online at www.monstertrucksaustralia.com  

Tickets are limited. This is a great family show and reasonably priced so make sure you don't miss this night of nights.
Gates open at 4pm and the show will start at 6pm sharp.

Prices are on the website or call the hotline 0447 TRUCKS (0477 878 257). Admission is: $40 adults, $30 kids 3-11 years, $25 teens 12-15 years, family pass (2 adults, 2 kids) $120.

Gates open Saturday, October 2 at Kawana's Stockland Park at 4pm for the Pit Party with the Main Event getting underway at 6pm. Kids getting there early will be treated to free face-painting and street theatre performances, plus an electric performance by one of the Coast's best young teenage bands.