Kayla Blood (Soldier Fortune) and her husband Blake Granger (Max-D) used to find themselves going up against each other head-to-head in arenas across the country. However, with Kayla competing in Stadium Series Yellow during the 2022 Monster Jam season and Blake in Arena Series Central, more often than not they would find themselves spending their weekends on the opposite side of country.

They’re back at the same venue this weekend at Camping World Stadium in Orlando for Monster Jam World Finals XXI. However, Blake was unable to qualify for the World Finals, but he is still here in support of Kayla for the event.

“When I was competing in 2019, she wasn’t and she was here supporting me and she gave me all the confidence in the world to go out there and take care of business,” said Blake. “It was awesome to have that support, so I’m looking forward to being here this year and giving her that support.

“Not only that, sitting in the stands and watching what the other 20-something drivers are doing, I can relay those messages to her, see what’s working and what’s not working, things she might miss. I can relay that. So we got each other’s back and it’s kind of an advantage.”

Kayla was watching on from the sidelines in 2019 when Blake won the Monster Jam World Finals ATV Racing championship. However, while she says she is open to advice this weekend, she adds that she is in her own element when she’s behind the wheel.

“I don't really like to ask for pointers like in the heat of the moment,” admitted Kayla. “I don't want anybody’s advice. But out of competition, like at the hotel, I'll ask him questions and I'll go through that. But when I'm here and I'm in my zone, I'd rather just kind of do what I know to do.”

Kayla proved that for a fact earlier this season in Anaheim, California, when she took home a Freestyle win. However, despite her recent success, she admits that there are still a few fans she needs to win over.

“It was rough for me whenever I first started. I wasn’t that great. And so I got better every year, I got better and better. But some people still kind of put me in that bracket where I was when I first started and underestimate me. And I feel like I’m so much better than what a lot of people make me out to be.

“Females in general that drive Monster Jam monster trucks, we have eyeballs on us all the time, and no matter where or when it is, anytime we drive on that track all eyes are on us and we have to prove ourselves.

“So it’s like pressure all the time, but I absolutely love it and I just want to show everybody that I have progressed and I need that breakout moment, like I need some kind of moment for me that’s going to prove myself.

“I got a Donut Arena of the Year award. That's great and all. But I want something more.

“I want to make Monster Jam history.”

On paper, Blake had a solid season too with several event championships and fourth in the Arena Series Central standings. However, reliability issues caused him to miss a few competitions, but he believes that a lot of the gremlins are behind him.

“I fought truck issues the whole season,” reflected Blake. “I probably missed 12 competitions or more, my poor mechanic was new and he just was struggling to figure out what was going on. And pretty much our whole tour was new, so it was a rollercoaster.

“But me and John, which is my crew chief, we actually became really good friends through all of this trial and error. You know, it broke up both of us, but it also brought us together at the end and towards the middle of the tour.

“Once we got the problems figured out everything turned for the better, we started winning competitions. We had the most racing wins on our tour, I think the most 2-Wheel skills wins, I think I had the second most overalls. So from third or fourth weekend on things started turning our way.”

Despite his disappointment, Blake is still in good spirits heading into the weekend and hopes there will be another championship trophy at the household once it is all over, even if it’s not his name on it.

“I was able to win a trophy in 2019, so hopefully Kayla can pull it out in 2022 and we can add a second one to the collection and keep that collection growing. That would be pretty awesome.

“She’s got it.”

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