Richard Rawlings

Early Life and Education:

Richard Rawlings was born in Fort Worth, Texas on March 30, 1969, to a father with a passion for cars. He often accompanied his father to auto shows as a young child and was always inspired to construct unique cars. He purchased his first car at the age of 14 and eventually acquired more as he got older. He graduated from Eastern Hills High School and his early years saw him wanting to give back to the community.

Career:

After High School, Rawlings took jobs as a law enforcement officer, then as a firefighter, and eventually a paramedic. In 1999, he started the Lincoln Press, an advertising and printing company. A short time later in 2002, Rawlings started the Gas Monkey Garage and opted for a more mechanical approach to customization. He sold his other company Lincoln Press and became the star of the reality television show called "Fast N’ Loud" that airs on Discovery Channel. 

His salary per episode was $50,000 dollars and he has been able to make a net worth of 15 million dollars. He is an owner of Gas Monkey Garage and of Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill. He has also Gas Monkey Live Music venues in Texas, in the city of Dallas. In May of 2017, Rawlings and his partner Dennis Collins broke the 1979 Cannonball Runtime from New York City to Los Angeles making the trip in 32 hours and 51 minutes. 

Jay Riecke bet the pair that they couldn't beat the record time in their 2007 Bullrun entry, a black Ferrari 550 with the added customization of extra fuel cells. Rawlings and Collins were offered a bet by rival Jack Riecke that they could beat the time in their 2007 Bullrun entry in a black heavily modified Ferrari 550. The car even had extra fuel cells added. The pair managed a final time of 31 hours and 59 minutes making them the only pair to defeat the record put in place by Rick Cline and Jack May in a Ferrari Dino in 1975.

Rawlings became well-known for his Bullrun, also known as the Cannonball Run. The two were the only pair to beat the previous record from 1975. The races are a testament to the technological engineering Ferrari are capable of, especially when a good driver is being the wheel. In the year 2014 to 2015, he featured in the television commercials and he was promoting Dodge Vehicles with Dodge Vehicle Financing. 

Rawlings restaurant "Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill" began to be so successful that he decided to open another location. This one would open up in Northwest Dallas at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in March 2014. The prime location would make the perfect location for a venue where both fans and travelers would be passing through.

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Personal Life:

Richard Rawlings was married to his first wife Karen K. Grames in 1993. The pair tried to make it but they divorced sometime afterward. In 1999, Rawlings met his second love, Suzanne Marie Mergele in Las Vegas, Nevada. The relationship lasted longer than he could have hoped but even she divorced Rawlings in the year 2009. Rawlings has been radio silent about where his love life has led him of late or if he even plans on remarrying. 

The divorce did not affect his life and he decided that the separation is just a phase of his life and he moved on. Now, it is not possible to know more about him, like if he got married again or if he has a girlfriend or children. From his bio, he has an online presence and he has over 1000 followers on Instagram. It may even be worth giving him an ask for yourself if he interested in a date. With celebrities on social media, it is not impossible to cross paths online with the famous when they are using the same social media that everyone else is.

He likes to post pictures including the shirtless pictures while working. Richard Rawlings attended Eastern Hills High School and got the academic excellence there. This is what helps him up to now. His new house is in Longboat Key. Rawlings also wrote and published his first autobiography entitled "Fast N' Loud": Blood Sweat and Beers" on May 12, 2015. 

One critic of the book had this to say: "Great story. Super audio tape. Loved the introduction by Richard himself and even though Andrew Cendese read it quite well, after hearing Richard's voice, my husband and I wanted to hear Richard read it. Especially when he said, "Boom!" We are diehard "Gas Monkey Garage" watchers and knew Richard's story, but hearing it in basically his words, it was so much better and if it was in his voice--"Boom!" Great comments on all of his coworkers which told us some things we did not know. His favorite episodes were ours also and we have watched every one of the ones he mentioned, so that made them even more enjoyable. His tips on where to look for cars beyond eBay and Craig's list were very good also."

Another woman wrote Rawling's book "Fast N' Loud: Blood Sweat and Beers":

"My 13-year-old son hates to read. He wanted this book and I bought it because GOOD GOD HE WANTS TO READ. He said its the best book he ever read, that he was intrigued by the story and the author's struggle. It does have some curse words in it but hey he is reading! Sometimes you gotta look the other way."

Fans of the show have enjoyed his outgoing and old-school personality, something this is somewhat lacking in the most recent generations. This is what gives Rawlings his appeal and part why he has achieved such a great deal of success, but until he has children his bloodline will stop. It seems he is enjoying the "fast and loud" lifestyle too much to be bothered with settling down yet. At 49-years-old, Rawlings is already aging fast and although he has found his passion, fans have to wonder if Richard and his wife 

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