Macomb man lands key role in Discovery Channel's "Motor City Motors"

Clinton Township resident Rick Dyer is no stranger to celebrity.  A multi-year World Pro Street Drag Racing Champion, Dyer amazed race fans for his ability to drive 200 mph in a quarter mile, long before such a feat was considered possible.  He once crashed through a poured concrete retaining wall while traveling more than 150 mph and walked away from the mangled vehicle to the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd.  Several of his creations have appeared in HOT ROD magazine’s “Top 10 List” and his vehicles always cause a stir at Detroit’s Autorama. He was an early participant and promoter of the Woodward Dream Cruise.  As a senior manager with Cars, Inc. and Detroit Muscle, he touched even more high performance enthusiasts nationwide.

Despite his acclaim within the racing world, nothing comes close to Dyer’s current role: Garage Manager of the Discovery Channel’s exciting new series, “Motor City Motors,” which makes its national debut on Monday, December 28.
Rick was minding his own business, swapping souped-up engines into a backlog of muscle cars and hot rods in his well-equipped home garage near Gratiot Avenue one afternoon, when his good friend Chris Baum of the Detroit Metro Visitors and Convention Bureau stopped by.  (Baum became acquainted with Dyer when he was involved in a project to build the DMVCB’s promotional hot rod, “The D-Rod.”)

As it happens, Baum also heads up the bureau’s effort to bring film and television projects to the region.  As project manager for Film Detroit, Baum had just met with producers from Original Productions based in Burbank, California.  As the originators of popular programs for cable channels such as Discovery, History and Spike TV, they have produced hits such as “Deadliest Catch” and “Ice Road Truckers.” “Monster Garage” was their first big success and ran for five years.  With a new option to extend the series, they contacted Baum to learn more about how the Michigan Film Incentive could benefit the new series.  Among other coordination assistance, they asked for Baum’s help in finding a building in which to film the series as well recommendations of local gearheads who could lend their expertise to the show.  Baum’s visit was to determine whether Dyer would be interested in the project.

A huge fan of the show, Dyer was more than interested and with the blessing of wife Cheryl, a former drag racing star herself, he tried out for the show.

Thirteen Episodes Later
Almost nine months after joining the “Motor City Motors” crew, Dyer is a well-respected and influential member of the team. His responsibilities have run the gamut from ordering tools and equipment to setting up the show’s primary set, the “garage” in Mexicantown.  He’s also procured all of the speed equipment, raw materials and a wide variety of mostly vintage vehicles, (everything from a 1926 Ford Model T, to a classic Airstream trailer, Harley Sportster and massive military truck,) that each week’s team of mechanics attempts to convert (in just five caffeine-fueled days) into bizarre new vehicles to amuse and amaze the viewing audience.

Rick’s bigger-than-life personality and encyclopedic automotive knowledge caught the director’s eye early on. As a result, Rick will appear on camera in many episodes, delivering parts and harassing the build team. “That’s just me” he shrugs. “I’ll say, ‘How the BLEEP are ya?’, even if you’re the president of the BLEEPing company!”

With the thirteenth and final episode of Season One wrapping up this week, Rick is already excited at the prospect of starting “Motor City Motors - Season Two” next spring.  “I’m proud to have served as Garage Manager on the first automotive TV series filmed in metro Detroit, and appreciate Original Productions and Discovery giving me the opportunity to help show off the kind of engineering and fabrication talent we have all over The D. So if you love cool cars, wild bikes and Detroit, be sure to start tuning in Monday, December 28 at 9:00pm on the Discovery Channel so we’ll be sure to be back again shooting another thirteen episodes, with loads of local talent, next season!”