Lauren Baron
BRANT NEWS

Two of the world’s biggest and baddest monster trucks will go head-to-head to kick off the 154th annual Paris Fair.

Bounty Hunter, driven by Jim Creten, will take on Jim Koehler’s Avenger immediately following the Paris Fair’s opening ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 30, at 7:15 p.m.

“It’s going to be an amazing opening,” said Russell Press, general manager of the Paris Fairgrounds. “It will be 90 minutes of edge-of-your-seat action.”

Adding to the lineup are Wrecking Crew and Iron Outlaw, two trucks quickly working their way up in the monster truck world.

“This show is two world champions going head-to-head against each other along with two up and coming contenders that are really hungry to get some attention,” Press said.

The trucks will compete in racing, freestyle, wheelie and doughnut competitions, including a side-by-side racing competition that pits two trucks against each other.

“Each truck is 10,000 pounds and 2,000 horsepower, so you have 20,000 pounds and 4,000 horses racing,” Press said.

With the freedom of an outdoor venue like the Paris Fair’s grandstand, the trucks will have the ability to go through all their gears, make some noise and top-out, Press said.

“A lot of the times when they are in arenas like the (John Labatt Centre) or the Rogers Centre they can’t do a lot because there isn’t a lot of room,” he said. “The competitions here will be better than what you see in an arena.”

Three of Canada’s top freestyle motocross racers will join in on the action with an acrobatics show.

“They go 70 feet in the air and contort themselves and their bikes every which way,” Press said.

Monster truck fans are invited to come out early for a pit party in the grandstand. From 4 p.m. until 6 p.m., fans can get out on the track, meet the drivers, get autographs and take photographs with the champion trucks.

The Paris Fair hasn’t hosted a full-scale monster truck show since 2008. Press said the entertainment committee and organizing volunteers decided to bring the show back to help make the 154th fair one of the best ever.

“Monster trucks are larger than life,” he said. “With the last number of years being constrictive with finances in the world, we said in 2012 we are going to celebrate and we are going to kick this thing off with the biggest, most powerful show we can.”

Bring your smartphone to the show for the chance to win the opportunity to go backstage and meet the performers through a texting competition that will be announced that evening.

Tickets to the Paris Fair can be purchased at the Paris Fairgrounds, 139 Silver St. in Paris, or by calling 519-442-2823 to find the nearest ticket outlet. Visit www.parisfair.com for more information.