Monster truck racing formally began in the Louisiana Superdome in 1985. While the spectacle of monster trucks was their initial draw, side-by-side competition propelled the popularity of the sport. TNT Motorsports organized the sport's first national points series in 1988. This was followed by many other points championships, including the Penda Points Series by Family Events and various series by the United States Hot Rod Association (now Monster Jam).

 

Today, many promoters organize their own points series to crown their circuit's champion. However, these series are separate from one another, and there is no national points series comparable to the series of the past. Furthermore, as the spectacle of freestyle has increased, the racing component of the monster truck industry is often overshadowed by freestyle competitions. This has left some enthusiasts (and drivers) wanting a way to refocus attention on monster truck racing and to reignite the passion that such competition creates. This is why the he Monster Truck Racing Open Championship (MTROC) has been created.  

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The first attempt at a global ranking system was the World Monster Truck Racing League (WMTRL) launched in 2004. This series created the basic formulation for how to assemble the variety of racing events into a single equitable series. The series ended in early 2008 because the workload became too great.

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The Monster Truck Racing Open Championship (MTROC) is the successor to the WMTRL, following the same basic structure but with modifications to how points are awarded and how drivers are ranked.

 

The officials and supporters of the MTROC do not seek to end non-racing competitions. As fans of the sport, we enjoy all aspects of monster trucking. However, as racing enthusiasts, we believe that side-by-side racing offers a unique experience and objective unlike those offered by any other event; and we believe that just as side-by-side competition carried the sport in its earlier years, a return to racing will grow and strengthen the industry for decades to come.

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