To describe Mike Ryan's career with automobiles is to describe a passion for anything with wheels. From farm tractors to Ferraris, Ryan has driven, crashed or raced them all. From learning to operate heavy equipment at a local nursery before he was old enough to drive, the teenage Ryan also enjoyed riding and repairing go-karts and motorcycles. This early interest led him to a career with automobiles.
When he was just 18, his passion for automobiles brought him into stuntman Ronnie Ross' shop in Southern California, where Ryan began working for free in exchange for stunt driving lessons. Within six months, Ryan performed his first paid stunt, although the modest Californian will tell you that it took seven years before he was well established as a stunt driver.
Thousands have seen his work in feature films such as Herbie Fully Loaded, After The Sunset, The Italian Job, Training Day, Swordfish and Terminator II. With over 500 feature films, television shows and commercials to his credit, Ryan is probably best known for his work with semi-trucks, where he can often be seen crashing, burning and getting blown up on screens across the United States.
In addition, Ryan hand built a Mercedes Benz powered Freightliner Century Class S/T Super Truck. In 1997 he started competing in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, held annually near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The race is the second oldest motorsports event in the US after the Indianopolis 500. He set his 6th new record in 2006 with a time of 12:43.66. The race truck displays at trade shows across the US to include; "The Mid-America Trucking Show" in Louisville, KY "The Great American Truck Show" in Dallas and "The Truck Show Latino" in Pomona, CA just to name a few. However, this year a new Freightliner Cascadia Race Truck has been built and will be making it's debut at the 2008 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on July 20th.
Ryan's unique experience that he's gained in over more than 25 years of stunt driving and stunt coordination with semi-trucks and automobiles has led him into several ways to share his knowledge with others in an effort to educate people about semi-trucks and safety. Ryan frequently reconstructs accidents, often serving as an expert witness in cases involving traffic collisions. In 1998, he began speaking to drivers in truck fleets on safety and accident avoidance maneuvers for semi-truck drivers.
"Not many truckers have had the experience of sliding or crashing their semi-trucks, and it's easy to panic when placed in a dangerous situation. By sharing my experience, I hope to lend some insight to truckers that may help them avoid or survive a collision and make the highways a safer place for everyone," said Ryan.
Mike Ryan lives in Southern California with his wife, Maureen, and their eighteen-year old son, Kristofer.
Media seeking interviews, photos, video or film may
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