Monsters are roaming the streets of Powell. You can see these powerful beasts at the diner, gas stations and occasionally running down the road. They’re hard to miss. But, if you want to see what they’re really capable of, you’ll have to go to the fairgrounds this weekend where they’ll be battling in a gas-fueled fight.

Ricky Fowler, professional driver, promoter and proud Texan, is the owner of HyLite Real Entertainment. He picked Powell for his final western performance of “monster trucks, mega trucks and all things muddy” before heading back home. He’s been working hard to prepare the arena and bring his boisterous message to Park County.

Wednesday morning he traded in his monster truck keys temporarily for heavy equipment to move dirt, building a large track in the arena for the Friday and Saturday races. It’s hard to imagine he’d need to rent the equipment. He brought his own 1,700-horsepower tank on the long trip from his hometown of Boyd, Texas.

The machines look mean. One of Fowler’s trucks, dubbed “The Punisher,” stands 12-feet tall on $15,000 worth of suspension parts added to a Ford heavy-duty chassis and sitting on tires big enough to make a tree swing for a pair of mating grizzly bears enjoying a full picnic basket.

The trucks cost between $80,000 and $250,000 to build, Fowler said. If he blows a tire on the road, he has to shell out $4,500 for a spare. 

“Tires had gotten astronomically expensive,” he moaned.

Due to supply issues, a blown gasket could take months to fix.

“I made a call this morning trying to get some new steering cylinders ordered and they’re 38 weeks out,” he said during a Tuesday interview. “I’m like, ‘38 weeks! Do y’all realize that’s more than eight months?’”

Maintenance is serious for a monster truck that can do backflips.

If you want to get a close-up look at the vehicles, the arena will be open to ticket holders prior to the show. You can even climb in and take a ride atop “The Punisher” while Fowler and his two sons, Colton and Dylan, do doughnuts around the track.

The trio are certified adrenaline junkies, he said.

“It’s definitely an adrenaline rush when you put your right foot down and are in control of, you know, 1,450 horsepower and you’re jumping 25 feet in the air,” he said.

Fowler’s hope is Powell-area crowds will fall in love with monster trucks and Powell will become a frequent stop in the future. 

“We plan on this being a yearly stop for us,” he said.

Gates open Friday and Saturday night at 5 p.m., with the action starting at 7.