The Allen Report: Monster Truck Show – Del Mar, CA 2015

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 1st-3rd, 2015

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we travel back to the San Diego County Fair, a place that, for one hundred years, has delivered on fun rides, great food and exciting entertainment. And on the first, second and third of July, the entertainment was in the Del Mar Arena, where seven ground pounding monster trucks arrived to do battle in wheelie contest the first day, freestyle the second and, on the third day, qualifying in the afternoon and racing in the evening. The husband and wife team of Jim and Dawn Creten came to town, Jim in his sleek new black and yellow Bounty Hunter and Dawn in her traditional Scarlet Bandit. The “Flying Spaniard” Tony Canedo drove his newly purchased Survivor and Roger Stidell, as usual, piloted the trophy truck bodied Destroyer. The father-daughter team of Kelvin and Rosalee Ramer were in the house to defend their southern California home turf, Kelvin in his 1934 Ford Coupe Time Flys and Rosalee in her usual Wild Flower. Finally, Rick Swanson and his crowd-amazing Wrongway Rick arrived. [Read more…]

The Allen Report: Monster Truck Show – Del Mar, CA 2013

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 1st-3rd, 2013

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we make our annual trek to the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, California for a series of showdowns between a national name and a home state hero. For the past several years, Kelvin Ramer and his Time Flys machine have made several attempts to replace Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter as King of the Del Mar monster trucks. And he was going to try again this year. However, this was no two truck show. Right behind Jimmy was Trent Montgomery in Iron Outlaw. But Kelvin had backup of his own. That was his own daughter, young Rosalee Ramer, driving Detour. Rick Swanson returned with Wrongway Rick to the place where it debuted one year ago. Son Eric Swanson drove his trophy truck bodied-monster wearing the normal Obsessed logo to round out the field. [Read more…]

Obsession Racing 2012 Press Release #9

(Menifee, California – Obsession Racing PR – By Jill Swanson) – September was the month for Eric to shine! We started off September 1st in Tijuana, Mexico for nVivo Live Events. This was Eric’s first show in Mexico and the first time for Mexico to see Wrongway Rick. The two were a big success! The show was a sold out stadium show featuring racing and freestyle competitions.

In racing Eric took his truck Obsessed to the finals against Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter. Everyone was impressed with his racing skills and it made us proud! In freestyle the fans really enjoyed the concept of the Wrongway Rick truck. Rick put on a fantastic show that put him in the upper half of the freestyle competition. Then Eric went out to prove that racing was not his only talent. He caught big air on everything that he hit and did some extremely fast donuts and kept up a great momentum. Unfortunately on his last big jump he blew a rear steering line when he landed that caused the truck to roll. The fans were happy to see Eric out of the truck and on his feet! After thorough inspection on his truck there was no structural damage just some fiberglass work and the culprit steering line!

Eric Swanson goes for a wild ride in Tijuana as Obsessed ends up on its lid.

We had an event immediately following our Mexico show for WGAS Motorsports in Pomona, California on Thursday night. This event was scheduled for us to run only one truck. Since Eric’s truck Obsessed had some work to be done to it and wouldn’t look presentable, we decided to use Wrongway Rick. Eric was scheduled to run the event so we decided to have him drive Rick’s Wrongway Rick truck for the show. He did a great job in it! He pulled off a lot of wheelies and caught major air off of the double jump! We were all very impressed how he handled the truck because it is so very different than an ordinary monster truck.

Eric Swanson pilots Wrongway Rick for the first time in Pomona.

Our last show in September was for Arizona Short Course Racing. We had both trucks for this event. Eric and Rick did a couple of rounds of exhibition freestyle. This was the first time that they had monster trucks at their events. They felt that with having the monster trucks it would draw more of a crowd and widen their fan base. Having the trucks there was very successful for the Arizona Short Course Racing folks. Rick and Eric put on a great show for them. The crowd really liked it when Eric did a wheelie that ended up on one tire and we were grateful that he was able to keep it in control and save it! They are already looking into having us next year.

We want to thank all of the promoters for putting on the events and a special thanks to our friend Frankie and his family for all of their hard work and support! Our next event for October will be in Red Bluff California for the West Coast Nationals.

For more information on Obsession Racing and the Wrongway Rick, Obsessed and Obsession monster trucks, visit us online at www.ObsessionRacing.com.

The Allen Report: Speedworld Off Road Park Exhibition – Surprise, AZ 2012

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: September 22nd, 2012

Weekend Recap

We at The Allen Report were fortunate enough to have two monster trucks perform practically in “our backyard” at racing facility Speedworld Off Road Park in West Phoenix for the very first time. Eric Swanson, as usual, piloted Obsessed while his father Rick was at the helm of the new WrongWay Rick.

Much to the delight of the crowd, both monsters gave special pair freestyles especially for the short course off-road racing fans in attendance. Both Rick and Eric put on a great show, which was a great addition to coverage schedule as the year winds down. [Read more…]

Obsession Racing 2012 Press Release #8

(Menifee, California – Obession Racing PR – By Jill Swanson) – The Obsession Racing team had two events in August. The first event was at the Salinas, California Rodeo Grounds. Our displays to promote this show started on the 7th and continued through the 10th. On Saturday the 11th we had an open pit party. This pit party consisted of all the monster trucks and drivers along with the freestyle motocross riders signing autographs. There was a live band and BBQ for all of the fans & families to enjoy before starting off the event. What makes this pit party so large is that it is held on the front grounds of the complex open to everyone.

Rick Swanson airs out Wrongway Rick in Salinas!

This show had a very unique track. It had both left and right turns in the course. Both of the trucks did very well in racing. In freestyle Eric caught the largest amount of air of the show! We have been attending the Salinas show for many years. It is always good to see long term fans and it a pleasure always to make new ones.

Eric Swanson with a big wheelie in Salinas!

Our next show we headed to Grants Pass, Oregon for California Trucks & Stuff. Eric wasn’t able to attend this show due to school starting. We had Jimmy Lehnertz drive Eric’s truck in his place and Rick drove his new truck Wrong Way Rick. This was a two night show with freestyle only. Jimmy and Rick were added attractions for the Grants Pass Fair Tough Truck competition. This show attracts fifty plus tough trucks per night. After they are through with racing the crew from California Trucks & Stuff set up car stacks for the Monster Trucks to freestyle. Everything went smoothly and the crowd was very pleased with their performances!

We would like to thank Jimmy Lehnertz and his Father Tom for helping out Obsession Racing and doing a phenomenal job once again! Also a big thanks to Randy & Sherry Smallwood for all of their hard work and hospitality for making this show a huge success.

Keep up with all of our latest news and updates at www.ObsessionRacing.com!

The Allen Report: Monster Truck Show – Del Mar, CA 2012

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 1st-3rd, 2012

Weekend Recap

This edition of “The Allen Report” comes to you from Del Mar, California where Jimmy Creten in the Bounty Hunter is thinking San Diego County Fair Championship three-peat. Rick Swanson has introduced a new body design called WrongWay Rick. The other participants were Kelvin Ramer and Time Flys, the Youngest Female Professional Monster Truck Driver in the World, Rosalee Ramer in Detour, Eric Swanson the Youngest Professional Male driver in the World in Obsessed and Russell Steeley in Iron Outlaw. [Read more…]

Obsession Racing Debuts “WrongWay Rick”

(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.

To find out where WrongWay Rick or any member of Obsession Racing is going to be performing, check out www.obsessionracing.com. Who knows? You just might see Wrongway Rick yourself.

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