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Richard “Rug”
Cunningham
Co-Founder, Coronado Speed Festival
 Richard,
known as “Rug” to his fellow friends and family, Cunningham
was one of the co-founders of the Coronado Speed Festival
and it can be said that he was a man who loved life. As a
native San Diegan, Rug enjoyed the wonderful weather and the
many activities that are available to those who live in
Southern California. His most loved and cherished activity
was racing, especially racing BMW’s, and until his untimely
death in February of 2007, was co-owner of Cunningham BMW
with his wife of 18 years, Gina Cunningham.
As a young boy, his nickname, “Rug”
derived from the simple fact that his sister could not
pronounce his given name “Richard” or even the other
derivative “Ricky”, which came out as “Wuggy” and ultimately
“Rug”. Even as a young boy growing up in La Mesa, a
community of San Diego, he had a passion for racing every
kind of vehicle and a desire to participate in every race
possible. He entered his first race in Tecate, where he
raced 100 miles in a go-kart through the streets of Mexico.
No stranger to hard work, he worked
his way to the top of the automotive industry, and got his
first “job” at eight years old after visiting the Drew Ford
dealership in La Mesa, where his father worked, after he
“sold” a woman on buying a 1955 Falcon with his extensive
knowledge of the car. Over the years, he not only worked
for Drew Ford, but for Cunningham Chrysler Plymouth doing
odd jobs such as dusting cars and transporting vehicles, but
in 1972 his hard work paid off when he was named Vice
President of Cunningham Chrysler Plymouth.
One of his most notable professional
accomplishments included owning and operating Cunningham BMW
in El Cajon, a community of San Diego, as the President.
The dealership boasted award winning accomplishments such as
one of the oldest BMW retailers in the United States, one of
only a couple BMW retailers who race their product and one
of the top retailers in the United States for customer
satisfaction. In fact, Cunningham BMW won several awards
for customer satisfaction, including a 2006 Time
Magazine award as quality dealer for Southern California.
An avid racer, not only on land but on
the sea and in air as well – he enjoyed sailing and flying -
and in the mid-1970’s, Rug was the five-time Southern
California regional champion for the Sports Car Club
America. He raced at major tracks such as Daytona and
Riverside, and participated in the Baja 500 and Baja 1000
off-road races. He also enjoyed collecting vintage
automobiles, so many his wife, Gina, couldn’t keep track of
how many he had. His collection included a pair of 1968 BMW
Trans Ams, and his favorite car, a 1959 Porsche convertible.
His untimely death in
February of this year caught many by surprise, but he will
not be forgotten. His passion for automobiles throughout
his life and his dedication to the military, a retired Coast
Guard himself, drove him to be involved in the co-founding
of the Coronado Speed Festival in 1997. The 2007 event is
in 10th year of celebration, and this year’s
event will not only pay tribute to the military, but the
community, the attendees and the committee will pay tribute
to Rug’s dedication by dedicating the event in his honor.
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