POCATELLO — Thanks to Ricky Fowler, Southeast Idaho residents will get their fill of wheelie-popping, high-flying monster truck action, even though the annual Grand National show at Holt Arena was canceled due to the coronavirus.

Fowler, a monster truck driver who owns Hylite Real Entertainment of Boyd, Texas, has booked outdoor shows for May 14 and May 15 at the Bannock County Event Center fairgrounds. Assuming he draws the expected crowds, he’ll add a third show, which will also be held on May 15.

It’s been two years since Pocatello has had a monster truck show, and Fowler believes the community has pent-up demand for oversized tires and loud motors.

The pandemic prompted Fowler’s friend and competitor, Ed Beckley with Checkered Flag Promotions, to cancel the April 2020 Grand Nationals show inside Idaho State University’s domed arena. With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the company also had to cancel this spring’s show, which had been scheduled for April 10 at Holt Arena.

If Fowler sells out his three shows at the event center, he said the combined crowds would be roughly equivalent to the 10,000 spectators who usually buy tickets to the Holt Arena show.

These will be Fowler’s first shows in Pocatello as a promoter, though he’s driven in local shows promoted by Beckley.

“I think Pocatello is a monster truck area. I think the Pocatello crowd loves the monster trucks,” Fowler said.

Fowler and his team will arrive in Pocatello on May 3 and plan to spend several days promoting the shows with truck displays and media events throughout town. He and his crew will be staying at a local Airbnb.

Fowler is also inviting locals who aren’t afraid to bang up their “tough trucks” or side by sides to race against the clock and jump their vehicles from earthen berms during shows at the event center. Anyone interested in participating may call him at 214-274-6949.

Fowler won’t be allowed to bring in cars for his monster trucks to smash at the Bannock County facility, but he vows to “pull more rabbits out of the hat” to make up for the omission.

“The fairgrounds (at the event center) is a very nice facility with lots of room. The arena is big,” Fowler said.

He hopes to make the event center a regular stop in the future, though he plans to host future shows later in the summer so they won’t compete with Beckley’s show in Holt Arena, once it returns.

Fowler also has shows scheduled for June 25 and June 26 in Rigby. He’s working to acquire and restore a machine made from an old tank chassis designed to roll over cars and hopes to have it ready in time to bring to Rigby.

“They were big in the ’80s and ’90s and died off,” Fowler said of the car-crushing tanks. “I’m looking at bringing them back.”

Event promoters typically work behind the scenes. Fowler, however, is accustomed to the spotlight. He’s hard to miss with his neon-yellow hair. He owns two monster trucks — Texas Outlaw and Zilla — and he personally drives Zilla. Zilla has a 2008 Ford super duty body painted black with its emblazoned in yellow letters to match Fowler’s hair.

Through the first quarter of this year, Fowler and Zilla were ranked among the top 10 in the world’s monster truck standings.

Fowler’s events are affiliated with the Monster Truck Racing Association, which is the sanctioning body for monster truck competitions.

He’ll be bringing seven trucks to Pocatello, some of which will be competing for the first time in this region. The list includes Zilla, Texas Outlaw, Monster Patrol, BearFoot, Wildcard, Obsessed and Psychotic.

The trucks will compete in racing, best tricks and freestyle, with the crowd voting on winners of the latter two categories. Spectators are invited to participate in a pit party after the show, during which trucks will be parked on the track and drivers will be available for photographs and to meet with their fans. Rides in Monster Patrol, driven by Clint Watson, will be offered for $10 per person.

Tickets to the shows will be $25 for adults and $15 for children. They’ll be sold at the gate until the event sells out and advanced ticket sales are available at hylitereal.com.