Michael Vaters Jr.

Michael Vaters Jr. has literally been around monster trucks his whole life. His father, Michael Vaters, debuted his Black Stallion as one of the original trucks in 1982, six years before Michael was born.

Before Mike Vaters Jr. entered the picture as a driver of Monster Jam trucks, Michael Vaters Jr. could often be seen at the events as part of the freestyle motocross teams that performed. He got behind the wheel of a Monster Jam truck when his father and monster truck legend Marty Garza joined forces with a new truck called Overkill Evolution, which would be Michael Vaters Jr.’s primary responsibility.

Overkill Evolution and Michael Vaters Jr. made their debut in Tulsa on January 4, 2014. After a mixture of arena and stadium appearances, Michael was selected to be a part of the up-and-coming driver competition at the Monster Jam World Finals, promptly winning the racing event and earning the final spot in the Monster Jam World Finals main event. He would also claim Rookie of the Year in 2014.

Vaters was cast into the national spotlight the following year. He won six racing events and a total of 9 Freestyle competitions, but none more important than claiming the 2015 World Championship at Sam Boyd Stadium during the Monster Jam World Finals.

Moving to a schedule that focused primarily on stadium events, Michael continued to find success in Freestyle, winning at least one event over the next four years. In 2019, he made his international debut, driving Pirate’s Curse in Cardiff, Wales. He concluded his first chapter with Monster Jam in 2020, when Extreme Overkill was parked during the global pandemic.

Michael Vaters Jr. Gallery