Brandon Derrow grew up in Elkton, Virginia — deep in the Shenandoah Valley — and monster trucks were part of his DNA from the time he was barely old enough to walk. His dad took him to his first show at the Augusta County Fairgrounds when he was just one and a half years old. From that moment on, he was hooked.

"Ever since then I was just crazy about monster trucks and bugged mom and dad to bring me to all the shows," Derrow has said. "They used to have them at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds so we'd go out there and watch them. All the local shows pretty much. I begged them to take me to."

One truck in particular caught his eye — a clean, well-kept machine with a name that stuck: Bad News Travels Fast. "I remember one show, I think it was 2007, I told dad… I just love that truck," he recalled. "Well, little did we know that we were gonna own it one day."

In 2011, when Derrow was in his twenties, word came that Bad News Travels Fast was for sale. Original owner Bruce Haney had spent nearly 15 years building the brand into one of the most respected names on the independent circuit, and was ready to pass the torch to someone who would carry it forward with the same passion.

Derrow made the trip to Bronson, Florida and came home with the truck. His first show was October 29, 2011 in Swainsboro, Georgia. "Thanks to everybody who has helped my dream become a reality," he said at the time. "Without the love and support of my parents — Sharon and Kent Derrow — my family, friends, and of course God, it would not be happening."

His father Ken — "Pops" to the crew — became an essential part of the operation, serving as crew chief. Every November and December, Pops tears the truck down for its annual rebuild, making sure Bad News is ready to go when the season kicks off.

Bad News Travels Fast is one of the longest-running names in independent monster truck racing — a legacy that dates back to 1998 and spans more than a quarter century of competition. Under Brandon's ownership the truck competed at the highest level of the sport, including Monster Jam arena tours and national television.

• Selected for inaugural Monster Jam Fox Sports 1 Championship Series (2015) — national TV
• Overall event championship win in Milwaukee — Monster Jam Arena Championship Series 5
• 4th place finish, Monster Jam Arena Championship Series 5 standings
• Competed on Monster Jam Arena Tour, Stadium Tour, and Arena Championship Series
• 20th Anniversary celebration (2018) — one of the sport's longest-running independent brands
• Ranked #17 in the world out of approximately 300 drivers
• Annual performer at Augusta County Expo — his home fairgrounds since childhood

Brandon runs the Bad News Travels Fast operation as a true family affair. His father Ken — "Pops" — serves as crew chief, tearing down and rebuilding the truck every offseason. Brandon has two young children and intentionally keeps his schedule focused on the East Coast to stay close to home.

"My daughter, she's obsessed with it," Derrow has said with a grin. "So, you never know — my son or daughter may be driving one day."