Rick Swanson

Driver Name: Rick Swanson

Truck: Obsession/Obsessed

Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA

Residence: Menifee, CA

Started in Monster Trucks: 1994

Year of Birth: 1967

Marital Status: Married

Children: 1 – Eric

Hobbies: Dirt bike riding, swimming and riding our Harley

PERSONAL PROFILE

From the beginning Rick has always liked to put on a show. He loved to compete with his big brother. If his brother did a wheelie on his bike, Rick had to do one just as good, if not better. If there was a crowd then it made it all the more fun. He loved competing. He wasn’t allowed to race dirt bikes or have one until he was 10. He made a compromise with his parents to race BMX. He raced at Ascot in Gardena, CA for about 5 years and loved it. Rick and his friends were always on bikes. They built a track and jumps at the local baseball park. One day Rick decided to jump over the baseball fence on his bike for the grand finale at a baseball game (not showing off or anything) and cleared it the first time. Of course, it was so cool, he had to do it again, (because his friends bet him he couldn’t) and the second time is always a charm, and the dirt gave way. Rick’s bike caught the fence and Rick ended up with a broken collarbone. He loved bike riding and water skiing and he started to play football when he entered high school.

He met his wife Jill his junior year of high school. He purchased his first vehicle from his Grandfather with the money he received from his Aunt Judy and from his Grandparents. It was an old 1970 Bronco. The kids at school called him Merlin Perkins. It looked like a Giraffe chaser. Of course Rick couldn’t leave it stock. He pleaded with his Dad to have a 3-inch lift put on it. His Dad said it was WAY to unsafe. Finally his Dad gave in and said it would be all right. Rick just kept lifting it higher and higher from then on. Rick and Jill got married in 1988. They drove from the wedding to the reception in the back of the bronco, since he had an OBSESSION for trucks. They loved to take it off road. Go on trail rides with their friends but it started costing too much money. He decided to really trick it out. While working on the bronco he also decided he want to race his KX250 dirt bike. He liked to race but felt he had to many responsibilities and couldn’t risk getting hurt. Instead he focused on his passion for trucks and continued with the Bronco. He displayed it at car shows and was featured on covers of magazines and in calendars. He won dozens of trophies with it.

One day he decided he couldn’t go any further with this truck. He had some sponsors for the bronco and decided he needed to go bigger. He told his wife Jill, “I want to build and race a Monster Truck.” She was supportive and new in his heart he would make a go of it. They had a baby boy Eric, in 1995. Rick was already thinking FUTURE DRIVER. He started to build the monster truck in 1996 and it was complete by the end of 1997. His first race was at the LA Coliseum. Since then Rick has been blessed with many accomplishments. He won the 2006 MOD Outdoor Channel Series. He dedicated the championship to his Father who passed away that same year. He has done commercials for: Smirnoff Ice, Napa, Kingsford Charcoal, ESPN, Full Throttle, BMW and Maytag. He also has worked and met with entertainers such as Sylvester Stallone, Wu Tang, Fred Dirsh, 8 ball, Charlie Danielle’s, Ellen Degeneris, and the stars of Country Thunder. He has also had the opportunity to drive for Feld Entertainment. He has driven for Monster Mutt, Bulldozer and King Krunch. He likes to experience driving in different trucks because it gives him a different perspective on the way different truck are set up and how they handle.