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Photo by Bob Pennell The "Monster Patrol" makes a monster wheelie during Friday night's show at the Jackson County Expo Center. Big fun for truck lovers BY JIM DAVIS Jennifer Brammer watched with the crowd as Deathwish Dan Elders jumped his motorcycle over moving helicopter blades at the Jackson County Expo Center on Friday night. Exciting, yes. But the 22-year-old Shady Cove woman wanted a little more danger from Deathwish Dan. "It was pretty good, but it needs to be farther," said Brammer, who won tickets on the radio to the "Monster Trucks" show -- the first of three shows this weekend. Of course, Brammer may get an argument about the excitement factor from Elders, who has broken 14 bones in his 10-year career of jumping bikes. A philosophy major in college, Elders was, well, rather philosophical about his jump. "It's something to do," Elders, 40, said. "I'm not sure it's better than a real job." Before the show began, Elders and the four main drivers of the Monster Trucks autographed shirts and caps at a creaky table at the Expo entrance -- across from the table selling $6 checkered flags and near the beer tap. Christopher Roy, a driver with a shaved head and hoop earrings in both ears, said that this was the job that he'd wanted "forever." The 28-year-old promised fans an exciting night. "I just crush cars and race through the mud," Roy said. "I do whatever it takes to get the crowd excited." And the crowd was getting excited as the Monster Truck drivers crashed over beater cars and jumped dirt berms. Bobbie New, a Medford woman who bought one of the flags, said she loved the "loud noise and the cheers." Her friend, Jennifer Sand, said that she's always been around the big trucks. "I'm from Kentucky," Sand said. "They all have big trucks where I lived." Nathan Christian, 26, of Medford, was watching the trucks from the corner of the stadium, spitting into a Pepsi cup and holding a small camera. "The excitement," Christian said, "it's just bone thrilling." The excitement got a little too thrilling at one point. Rod Schmidt, 26, of Charles City, Iowa, has been racing for six years and is part of the "Monster Patrol," a group of three trucks that tour internationally. On Friday night, Schmidt was romping through the dirt when his truck flipped to its side -- drawing a cheer from the crowd. Schmidt had to crawl out through the window. A few minutes later, when his truck was pulled upright, Schmidt was inspecting the damage -- guessing he would need about $3,000 in repairs. "That's the first time that's ever happened in six years," Schmidt said. But Schmidt said he was fine. "It's all cool," he said. And the fans were happy as well. Mike Criswell, 26, of Medford, said of the accident: "It's a good thing -- it's all show." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA