When Devin Tardif isn't helping customers at Lac La Biche's Home Hardware, the mild-mannered merchant turns into a Monster ... well .. the driver of a monster.
Tardif has spent much of his free time over the last several years as a monster truck driver, racing at regional and international events, crushing cars, spinning wheels and flying high above more than 10-feet of rubber, suspension and safety framing.
"It's not boring," said Tardif, who loves his role as a community hardware expert and isn't planning on giving up his day-job for his monster-sized hobby anytime soon. But, he admits, there are some perks in the monster-truck world that may not present themselves selling drop-ceiling packages and bathroom fixtures.
Late last year he performed in Aruba — his first international show — for three performances, driving the Alberta-based monster truck Sheer Insanity. Last week Tardif was racing the same truck at a weekend festival in Louisiana.
So how does the bespectacled manager of a local hardware store turn into the bespectacled driver of a 1,500-horsepower alcohol-fuelled monster truck that bounces to the cheers of stadium fans?
It's an ongoing transformation, says Tardif.
"Growing up, I always wanted to drive equipment, lawn tractors, quads, forklifts .... it moved to faster machines and I really enjoyed that speed, the rush. I guess racing has been in my blood all along, and it's just progressed," he says, explaining with a laugh that his first words as a baby were "monster truck".
"It's always been a dream."
The monster-sized dream became reality for the now 32-year-old when he was in his late teens.
A long-time friend got involved in the monster truck sport, and Tardif helped out, learning about the sport and the vehicles. He was part of the truck's crew and when he was 19, he got behind the wheel of the 1,5000-horsepower machine for the first time. At the time, the truck, built on body of a Ford F550, was racing as "TNT". Tardif remembers his own powder-keg of adrenaline and excitement as he lined up the truck and drove it perfectly over the top of a smashed-up car for the first time in a practice ring.
He was kind of a natural at it, and his friends at Medicine Hat-based Sheer Insanity Monster Truck Racing kept him in mind for the driver's seat. His first 'official' event was as the driver of the 'ride truck' — safely carrying loads of fans in a specially-modified, monster-sized tour bus around the track at Whoop Up Days in Lethbridge. His first solo ride was in Western Renegade, another truck from the Sheer Insanity fold, this one with the body of a full-size Humvee. That show was at the Brandt Arena in Regina in 2019.
"It's like landing on a cloud"
Lac La Biche's Devin Tardiff describing landing a big air jump on 66 inch tires, 30 inches of suspension travel and 12,000lbs of truck.
In the years following, Tardif hasn't looked back. He's done a lot of looking down, though — as that's largely where you look when you're driving a monster truck.
"For the most part, a lot of it is about feel. You don't have a lot of vision . You're not looking over the hood to see what's in front of you, you're looking down, underneath to see the tires," Tardif said.
Sometimes, he's looking down quite a bit further than the tires.
"My highest jump was at the past shows in Loiusiana. I had some 'big hits'. There was probably 30 feet of air under the front tires," he said — adding that re-connecting with the ground "isn't as bad as you would think."
Coming down from a jump like that — in a full containment seat that is directly attached to the frame of the truck, padded with head and shoulder supports, strapped in with a five-point harness, and riding above a sophisticated suspension system with 30 inches of travel ... "It's like landing on a cloud," he says with a grin.
So how do you prepare for a ride that can take you three storeys into the air, strapped into a machine that has the same horsepower as an M1 Abrams tank?
For Tardif, it's a little bit of "relaxing" music.
"I listen to Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue, before every event. I've done it since day one. It's crazy- but it relaxes me."
Learning curve
Tardif earned the driver's seat of the big trucks because he has natural talent— but there's still lots to learn. He's still considered 'green' in the monster-truck family of drivers, but he gets pointers and tips and more experience with every event, every cyclone spin, slap wheelie, endo and sky wheelie he attempts.
"Every time you get in, you are finding more things, adapting and finding new things," he said, adding that as much attention is paid to the surroundings outside the truck as inside the cab. "You've got the steering wheel for the front wheels in your left hand, a toggle switch to steer the rear wheels in your right, you're watching the engine and oil temperature, pressures ... shifting grabbing gears, brakes, gas — It can be a short ride, but it's a busy one."
The two most recent shows in Louisiana were the biggest of his monster-life so far, he told Lakeland This Week.
It was one of the largest crowds and biggest roster of competitors he's been a part of. It also didn't hurt that he finished third in the Freestyle event.
"It was a highlight of my career. It was my best placement and the biggest event I've been to," he said.
Coming up
This year, while his day-job continues to bring monster deals on hardware to the community, Tardif would love to bring a monster machine to local attractions. His last time driving a monster truck for local fans was in 2019 at the Plamondon Mud Bogs. The Mud Bogs are back this year, slated to run July 7-9. Tardif isn’t sure if he’ll be behind the wheel of a monster truck for the event — that depends on scheduling. And that schedule is filling up. He's already got some return dates for Louisiana and another event slated for Florida. There is also the chance of a weekend show in Central Alberta later in the summer. The details are still being worked out for that one.
Tardif is looking forward to wherever those big tires take him next.
“If it’s racing — I love it. I’ve always been a competitive guy.”
