Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire! coming to Long Island

Fans of Hot Wheels cars can catch gigantic monster trucks performing tricks at Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire! at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale Jan. 17-18.

"There are few things that get you going more than loud engines," says Salvatore Catalano, 41, of Mastic, who plans to attend with his wife, Amanda, and their 3- and 5-year-old sons.

Debuting for 2026: Rhinomite, a part rhinoceros, part dinosaur-inspired monster truck known for charging horn-first in this stunt-driving exhibition featuring candy-colored Hot Wheels toy replicas.

Rhinomite will be joining the toothy, green, dinosaurlike Skelesaurus and the equally scary Mega Wrex, on Team Dino, competing against Team Shark opponents like the car crushing, orange and black-striped Tiger Shark.

"Hot Wheels is focused on younger fans but everybody can relate to crushing cars," says Mega Wrex’s driver Frank Krmel Jr., 47, of Moyock, North Carolina, of the show’s multi-generational appeal. Krmel, a Detroit, Michigan native, began racing go-karts as a teen and took up monster truck driving 23 years ago after studying to be a schoolteacher in college.

"It’s definitely an escape from the every day," Krmel says of driving the customized T-rex-themed truck with 66-inch wheels. It will be Dinos vs. Sharks in a series of challenges, including wheelies, donut turns and long jump contests, Krmel says. In the freestyle finale "each truck gets a minute on the floor to basically combine what you did in all three competitions," he says.

"It’s an awesome presentation" with "flames and glow in the dark colors," says Catalano, still marveling at a show he first saw as a boy. "The trucks are still gigantic, towering, roaring beasts and the stuff they do is crazy."