Get ready, Utes fans: Swoop will have a new set of wheels this fall.
Its name is Red Betty, a bright red 1953 Chevrolet pickup “combined with all the advanced technology of today’s modern American engines,” according to a news release from the university.
Kyle Whittingham rides a Harley. Former Utes quarterback Cam Rising once drove a 1969 Ford Ranger, which also is owned by the 21-year Utes head coach.
Now Swoop has the keys to his own vehicle … kind of. For the next year, Utah fans will see the truck wherever the famous Utes mascot goes. That means parades, football games and more.
“Representatives from the U came to me and said they wanted to build a vehicle that Swoop could use at parades, ball games and other appearances,” Robert Staker, the co-owner of Fairfield-based Resurgence Automotive, said in the release.
The classic truck will be put up for auction next year, however. So, Utah fans, start preparing your funds now to place a bid on the shiny relic.
For now, it’s Swoop’s ride.
“We intend to use the truck in community appearances and parades, obviously,” Brett Eden, director of auxiliary business development at the university, said. “This vehicle is, dare I say, a mascot of sorts that represents the university in a variety of settings and in a unique way, so we want to use it in any place we can.”