Richard Rawlings – Know him Better!

Richard Rawlings is a renowned American entrepreneur and auto mechanic. He is also a popular media personality and restaurateur. Rawlings gained prominence after he started appearing in the Discovery Channel reality television series ‘Fast N’ Loud’ in which Rawlings, and Aaron Kaufman search for tired, run-down cars and help in their restoration with some help from his Gas Monkey Garage crew.

Rawlings is also a successful entrepreneur and the owner of the ‘Gas Monkey Garage’. He also owns the American restaurant ‘Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill’ and several Gas Monkey Live music venues across Dallas, Texas. He also owned the printing/advertising company, Lincoln Press. Rawlings featured in the 2014 national promotional television commercials for Dodge vehicles as well as Dodge vehicle financing.

Early Life and Education

Rawlings was born on 30 March 1969 in Fort Worth, Texas as the son of his parents who raised him in the same city in the Christian faith. Rawlings is of American nationality and White ethnicity. He is one of the four children of his parents and has 1 brother named John Rawlings and 2 sisters named Daphne Rawlings Kaminski and Angela Rawlings Warmath.

Rawlings studied at the Eastern Hills High School from where he graduated. He developed an interest in automobiles as a child and was inspired by his father who often used to take him to various auto shows, with Rawling helping his father in constructing cars with him. At age 14, Rawlings purchased his very first automobile. In the early years after graduation, Rawlings worked as a firefighter, paramedic and a law enforcement officer. 

 

Career Rise

Rawlings established the Gas Monkey Garage, Dallas, Texas in 2002 and two years later, in 2004, sold off his printing and advertising company, Lincoln press. Gas Monkey Garage was launched with a view to create and transport automobiles for customers across the world. The facility gained nationwide prominence when it became the focus of Discovery Channel’s ‘Fast N’ Loud’ in 2012. Rawlings along with co-pilot Dennis Collins set off to break the New York City to Los Angeles Cannonball Run time set in 1979. The duo set the record of 31 hours and 59 minutes, breaking the previous record of 32 hours and 51 minutes behind the wheels of a black Ferrari 550, which was modified with a few extra fuel cells, thus breaking the record set by Jack May and Rick Cline.

Rawlings established the Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill restaurant in September 2013 in Northwest Dallas and a second location was launched at the Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas in March 2014. Rawlings has also indicated that he is considering opening a third location in Texas, preferably outside of the metropolitan area of Dallas-Fort Worth. He established the Gas Monkey Live music venue that predominantly features live music in October 2014. Rawlings has also authored his own autobiography, ‘Fast N’ Loud: Blood, Sweat and Beers’ which was released in May 2015.

Personal Life

Rawlings has been married twice. Rawlings married Karen K. Grames after a short courtship in 1993 but the marriage was short lived. The couple divorced the following year. The union did not produce any children.

Rawlings then entered a relationship with Suzanne Marie Mergele who became his second wife after they married in 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2009, after 10 years of marriage, Rawlings and Mergele divorced but were reunited and remained in Cabo, Mexico in 2015. The couple do not have any children.

House

The ‘Gas Monkey Garage’ stars resides in a $1.7 million palatial home, which sprawls across 4000 square feet . The home includes four bedrooms, one bathroom and many features like a stunning pool, a bar, a Zen garden.

Richard Rawlings – Net Worth

Rawlings has an estimated net worth of approximately $15 Million.