Ricky started his racing career in 1961 when Team Manager Louie Martin towed Ricky's 1931 Model "A" to an airport runway in Silver Springs, Nevada. While racing at San Fernando Raceway in 1964, Ricky saw Rich Guasco's "Pure Hell" AA/Fuel Altered. That set the stage for Ricky's racing career. Since then, Ricky has raced a wide variety of cars including E, C, B, A/Altered, A/Fuel Altered, BB/Funny Cars and AA/Funny Cars. In 1987, Ricky built and ran his first AA/Fuel Altered and quickly realized that there wasn't any race car on the planet as exciting to drive as a NITRO-burning Top-Fuel Front-Engine Hot Rod!
With the help of his wife, Cheryl, and his 4 children--Jacqueline, Jill, Ricky Jr., and Ryan--along with his 10 grandchildren and numerous dedicated friends and sponsors, Ricky has kept his career and dream alive for over 43 years.
In 2003, Ricky's oldest grandson, Christopher Ruiz, age 9, started his racing career in a Junior Dragster. He appropriately named it "SNAKE BITE" and raced his first race less than 30 miles from where Grandpa Ricky began his racing career, and... "The Dream" continues........
Ricky was born on 11/5/46, and has been married to Cheryl for 35 years. 2006 makes 45 years of Drag Racing. The following chronology marks some of the highlights of Ricky's career:
1961 Began racing at age 14 years old
1963 Dominated w/34 Ford Pickup (when no one else raced pick-ups)
1966 Won 59 out of 60 events
1968 Dominated 43 events with 1919 Model T Touring Car
1968 AHRA B/comp record holder
1974 Dominated 3 yr A Altered, record holder
1975 Started racing Funny Car (Chevy Vega)
1978 First Mako Corvette Funny Car
1981 Western Regional Champion All Pro Funny Car
1983 Qualified AA Funny Car WITHOUT Nitro
1986 Ignitor AA/FC Champion
1986 Built & tuned AA Fuel Altered Texas Ranger - World Record at NHRA Finals
1987 Featured in Nite Time Fuel and Fire F/C Capri Fire
1987 1st to qualify for World Finals w/Ford Boss 429 Shotgun Engine BB/FC
1994 Engine Builder for winning Top Fuel Dragster Japan Debut
1995 Worked on Don Gartlit's AA/FD
1995 Runner Up for 2 yrs at Top Fuel Challenge
2000 Nite Fire Silver Eliminator Champion
2001 Nitro Nationals Champion
2001 Runner Up Budweiser AA/FA Classic
2001 Nite Fire Champion
2002 Ignitor Champion
2002 Desert Thunder Champion
2003 Nitro Madness Champion
2003 Budweiser Fuel Altered Classic Champion
2004 Nite Fire Shoot Out Champion
2005 Desert Thunder Champion
2005 Ignitor Champion
2005 Thunder in the Valley (tie)
2005 NIte Fire Champion
2005 IHRA World Series Runner-Up