Denyer Hurt in Monster Truck Crash

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Former Dancing With The Stars winner and Channel Seven television personality Grant Denyer has been taken to hospital with back injuries after crash-landing a monster truck earlier today.

Denyer, who is also an accomplished race driver, was doing a demonstration jump over five wrecked cars during a media preview for the NSW Monster Truck Championships at the Dapto showgrounds this weekend.

Denyer has been driving the 6.5-tonne rig for about six months and in Melbourne last month defeated the Australian and North American monster truck champions.

The incident is a significant setback for Denyer, who is poised to compete in Australia's biggest motor race next month, the Bathurst 1000.

The 31-year-old was taken to Wollongong Hospital, where he was expected to stay overnight for tests.

The owner of the monster truck, Clive Featherby, who has been operating the big rigs for nine years, said he was devastated by Denyer's accident but said such injuries were common in the sport.

"I feel so sorry for him," he said. "He's just such a good guy. He loves driving these trucks. He's adapted to them so well."

Featherby said it appeared Denyer took his foot off the accelerator too soon as he landed.

"He lost a bit too much momentum and that's why it landed so hard," he said.

"The poor bugger was lying under the truck while we were waiting for the ambulance and he was apologising to me.

" I said: 'Don't be stupid, I just want to make sure you're OK.' "

Featherby said one of his drivers had been to hospital 11 times.

"Doing one show is like doing a dozen demo derbies, it really knocks you around," he said.

"At least Grant's in one piece thank goodness.

"He's talking about doing a telephone interview with [TV morning show] Sunrise tomorrow, so he can't be too bad.

"Even before the ambulance arrived he was telling me he wanted to drive the truck again when he got better."

Joshua Dowling is the Herald's Motoring Editor