A thick layer of mud covers the arena floor, roaring trucks fly through the air, and children’s eyes light up. Right in the middle of it all is 20-year-old Geneva Keller. She has been driving for Monster Jam since 2025. This weekend, she is performing with the world’s biggest monster truck show at the only German event of 2026 in Gelsenkirchen.
A weekend that will go down in the history books of the VELTINS Arena and Geneva Keller. The rising star is the youngest of a total of eight drivers who took to the track on Saturday. With the Swiss driver, a German-speaking talent is part of the international field for the first time. We had the opportunity to accompany her this weekend.
Geneva hasn’t been in the game for long herself; she’s only been behind the wheel of the 1,000-horsepower behemoths since October 2025. Her path to becoming a monster truck driver, however, was set early on. “I started go-kart racing when I was just four years old. When I was six, I saw my first Monster Jam event, and from that moment on, I wanted nothing more than to drive for Monster Jam.” Through tryouts and the Monster Jam Academy, she is fulfilling her childhood dream. If the Swiss driver’s face looks familiar, you’re not necessarily mistaken, because Geneva is also a stuntwoman—including for the TV series Tatort.
From Florida to Gelsenkirchen
The 20-year-old currently lives in the U.S. state of Florida, from where she set off for Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday (June 10). But at the start of every Monster Jam weekend, she first has to tackle a task she finds tedious: “Before I pack my bag, I make sure my racing suit is clean. Then I put it in my gym bag along with my helmet, gloves, balaclava, and shoes.” What makes this special is that every driver has their own custom-made suit for the different trucks.
After packing, a long journey awaits: From her home airport, Geneva first heads to Atlanta, and from there, via Amsterdam and Düsseldorf, she finally reaches her destination. After the long trip, she checks into her hotel in Gelsenkirchen around 5 p.m. After that, it’s time to settle in and acclimate: “After arriving, we ate a pizza, had a few beers, and let the evening wind down in a relaxed way. There isn’t much time left to explore the city.”
On Friday, the driver briefing is first on the agenda before everyone finally gets into the trucks. This preliminary meeting is a key part of the weekend: “It’s simply important that everyone is on the same page regarding the specifics and rules for this weekend. Above all, that everyone has understood the safety information.”
During the upcoming practice session, the goal is to rehearse the performance for the audience and get a feel for the ground during a test run. Because the muddy ground varies completely from stadium to stadium, as the Swiss driver reports: “Here in Germany, it’s a bit springy or soft. You can see that it gives way and springs back. That’s why it will be very forgiving during our landings and absorb shocks well.”
No sooner have the engines been turned off than the extreme athletes take plenty of time for interviews, promotional videos, and photos. Geneva is particularly in demand here. Alongside veteran Charlie Pauken, who has been behind the wheel of the legendary “Grave Digger” since 1998, the young Swiss woman is the secret star of the event.
Once the work is done, there’s finally some time to catch her breath. Geneva finds her balance to the loud world of motorsports in a completely different genre: “I love horror movies. Last week I even went to a horror movie convention. I just absolutely love watching movies.” When she’s not on the racetrack, her daily routine in the U.S. usually looks like this: “I usually go to the gym first thing in the morning. After that, I take care of some office work. Sometimes I drive to Walt Disney World in the afternoon, just because I like walking around there. I consider that my second workout of the day.” Afterward, she likes to cook something and settle down on the couch for a cozy movie night with her cats.
Monster Jam at Schalke
On Saturday at 10:30 a.m., the VELTINS Arena fills up quickly: the Pit Party is about to begin. It’s the perfect opportunity for many fans to meet the drivers up close. The trucks are lined up inside the arena, and each driver has their own booth. The biggest crowd has gathered around Charlie Pauken and his truck, but Geneva is also keeping quite busy. Her hair is drawing special attention: “I like to wear fun hair bows, glitter, or eye-catching socks—that makes it easier for the kids to strike up a conversation with me.” The Pit Party brings a sparkle to many guests’ eyes and offers great encounters with their stars.
A little later, the competition finally begins: First, the individual trucks race head-to-head until the final. Always on board is Geneva’s lucky charm: “I always wear lucky socks. Today, it’s my socks with pink skulls. I always have a specific pair that I wear.”
Unfortunately, it’s not quite enough for the big win in racing this time. Geneva is still learning the ropes and has only been part of Monster Jam since October. Her colleagues are especially helpful: “Brandon Arthur, who drives the ‘EarthShaker’ truck, is like a big brother to me. I often ask him for advice on the different ramps,” she says. “Since I’m relatively new to the arenas, I always like to get tips from the other drivers. Still, I always drive in my own way,” she explains.
Between the individual competitions, such as the Skills Competition and the big Freestyle event, there are many more highlights for the audience. A spectacular performance by a motocross crew adds to the excitement. The drivers race through the VELTINS Arena at breathtaking speeds, bringing the stands to their feet with their spectacular stunts.
In the big freestyle competition, a big dream finally comes true for Geneva. Right in front of her parents, she manages to perform a perfect backflip with her truck, which weighs around five tons. The first of her still-young career! With this, she writes her very own story at the VELTINS Arena. Overjoyed and beaming, she stands on her truck’s tire and savors the thunderous applause from the audience. Such a spectacular stunt is anything but a given in one’s first year at Monster Jam. This success brings a great day to a close, as the drivers snap their final photos and the arena slowly empties.
Will Geneva still be behind the wheel in ten years? “I definitely want to still be driving the truck then—that’s my dream. If I have kids one day and become a mom, how cool would it be to be a mom who drives monster trucks?”
