(Article By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen) – Monster trucks have been a staple at the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar for years. But in 2012, fairgoers got more than they bargained for when they saw what Rick Swanson of nearby Menifee, California, was driving in this year’s arena shows. After running their traditional Obsession and Obsessed trucks for the past few years the Swanson family decided to surprise the Del Mar fans with something…that’s going completely the wrong way. Rick Swanson debuted “Wrongway Rick” at the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, California.
The new body, which was called WrongWay Rick, has been turned around 180 degrees to make the impression that the truck is always going where the name says – The WrongWay. Rick wanted to debut it earlier in the month, but instead saved the debut for the fans at the San Diego County Fair. The body has a yellow paint job with black trim. Rick runs Ford F-150 extended cab bodies on all his trucks, and on the extension part of the cab is a green head with wild hair and a purple tongue with lots of drool. The head somewhat resembles a wild-eyed Frankenstein monster. Wrongway Rick clears the bar during the monster truck high jump contest.
Needless to say, both kids and adults pointed fingers and took notice right away when the truck came out for introductions. Questions were asked by young and old alike as to why that truck was “Going the Wrong Way”!! By the end of the first day of monster truck competitions, the first of the four days at the Del Mar fair this year, fans were already asking Rick about novelties for him to sign. Fans love the new Wrongway Rick truck, watch for it at a show near you!
The first performance of a new identity for a monster truck is very rarely also the last performance. We at “The Allen Report” are confident that “WrongWay Rick” is no exception. This reporter looked around at the crowd at each introduction of the world’s only wrong way monster truck. Every time, there were children pointing and adults staring. A monster truck body with that kind of recognition and reaction from the crowd doesn’t just fade away into obscurity
