Dave Sparks Bio: Family, Siblings, Ancestry, Wife, Children, Net Worth

Who is Dave Sparks?

Dave Sparks, whose real name is David Sparks but also known as Heavy D, is a custom vehicle builder, TV personality, and entrepreneur from Layton, Utah. He’s best known for co-creating and starring in the Discovery Channel show Diesel Brothers, which follows him and his team as they build and customize diesel trucks. Dave started his YouTube channel in May 2015.

Right now, Dave has 4.5 million subscribers on YouTube with over 1.1 billion total views. He also has 4 million followers on Instagram and 6 million on Facebook. His fans love watching him create wild custom vehicles and pull off crazy stunts.

Dave is the co-founder and CEO of DieselSellerz, one of the top custom diesel shops in Utah. He’s also a certified helicopter pilot and runs multiple YouTube channels, including a Spanish-language channel and one for his company Sparks Motors.

And, yeah, yes… Dave is a Millennial who built a massive business from his love of diesel trucks, so now The GenZStars Team tells you everything else there’s to know about him. :))

Profile Summary

• Real Name: David Sparks
• Nickname: Heavy D
• Date of Birth: January 5, 1985
• Age: 40 years old
• Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
• Place of Birth: Layton, Utah, United States
• Nationality: American
• Ethnicity: White/European (German heritage)
• Religion: Christianity (Mormon)
• Sexual Orientation: Straight
• Current Residence: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
• Years Active: 2008 to present

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Family Life

Dave Sparks was born on January 5, 1985, in Layton, Utah, to a military family. His mother is Lisa Tanner Sparks, and his father served in the military before passing away when Dave was 21 years old from a brain tumor after several surgeries. Dave is the fourth child in his family and has three siblings.

Growing up in Salt Lake City, Dave showed an interest in vehicles from a young age. Auto mechanics was one of his favorite subjects in high school. He loved working on cars and trucks, which eventually became his whole career.

Cue into this: At age 19, Dave went on a Mormon mission to Bolivia, and later traveled to Brazil for missionary work as well. During his time in South America, he learned to speak Spanish and Portuguese fluently, which he still speaks today along with English.

After high school, Heavy D enrolled at Weber State University at age 21 to study welding, mechanics, and fabrication. But he only stayed for one semester before dropping out to start his own business. This decision ended up launching his entire career.

Before starting DieselSellerz, Dave worked for his uncle’s construction company operating heavy equipment. He eventually started his own small excavation business. In 2008, he hired his close friend David Kiley (Diesel Dave) to help run equipment, and that partnership changed everything.

Wife and Kids

Dave Sparks is married to Ashley Bennett Sparks. The couple met at a church event back in 2008 and got married on August 12, 2010. They’ve been together for over 15 years now.

Dave and Ashley have three children together. Their first child, Charly Mae, was born on October 19, 2011. Their second child, a son named Beau, was born on May 30, 2015. Their third child, Mack, was born on May 10, 2017.

In 2020, the family moved into a new dream home in Utah. Dave posted about it on social media, saying he was proud to go from “just a poor kid with a dream to a man building my dream home and family.” He mentioned the house still needed work but was starting to feel like home.

Dave often features his family on his social media and seems really proud of being a husband and father while building his business empire.

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Height, Weight & Physical Appearance

• Height: 6 feet 5 inches tall (196 cm)
• Weight: 95 kg (209 lbs)
• Ethnicity: White European with German ancestry
• Eye Color: Brown eyes
• Hair Color: Brown hair
• Body Type: Large and muscular build

Career Timeline

2008 Timeline: Starting DieselSellerz
Dave Sparks co-founded DieselSellerz, a custom diesel truck shop in Utah, with his friend David Kiley (Diesel Dave). The two met at a church event and quickly became business partners. Their shop specialized in building and customizing diesel trucks.

2015 Timeline: YouTube Channel Launch
Heavy D started his HeavyDSparks YouTube channel on May 1, 2015. He began posting episodes of the Diesel Dave Show, showing off his custom builds, stunts, and behind-the-scenes content from his shop.

2016 Timeline: Instagram Growth and TV Show
Dave started posting on Instagram on February 3, 2016. That same year, he and Diesel Dave launched Diesel Brothers on the Discovery Channel. The show followed them as they bought, fixed, and sold custom diesel trucks. The show was a huge hit and made Dave a household name.

2017 Timeline: Growing Fame
Dave threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Major League Baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers on May 18, 2017. His social media following continued to grow as Diesel Brothers became more popular.

2018–2019 Timeline: Expanding the Business
Dave continued building DieselSellerz and started working on other ventures. He co-authored a book with Diesel Dave called The Diesel Brothers: A Truckin’ Awesome Guide to Trucks and Life. He also became a certified helicopter pilot and started featuring helicopters in his content.

2020 Timeline: Legal Issues and New Home
In March 2020, Heavy D and his business partners were ordered to pay $850,000 in fines to the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. A federal judge found they had violated the Clean Air Act hundreds of times by modifying vehicles to produce black smoke.

Despite the legal troubles, Dave moved his family into their new dream home in Utah and continued creating content. That same year, he purchased all rights to the Nikola Badger truck after the project was cancelled.

2021 Timeline: More Legal Battles
In March 2021, Dave and his partner Joshua Stuart were ordered to pay an additional $928,602 in legal fees on top of the previous $848,000 penalty. The legal issues stemmed from continued Clean Air Act violations.

2022–2024 Timeline: Continued Growth
Dave continued growing his YouTube channels and businesses. He launched additional channels including HeavyDSparks en Español, Sparks Motors, and the Heavy Checklist podcast. His main channel passed 4 million subscribers.

2025 Timeline: Arrest and Controversy
On October 7, 2025, Dave Sparks was arrested by federal marshals in Salt Lake County, Utah, for contempt of court. The arrest happened because he failed to pay $843,602.23 that he still owed from the 2021 lawsuit ruling. He was booked into the Salt Lake County jail.

On October 15, 2025, Dave released a video on YouTube titled “The Truth Behind Why I Was Thrown In Jail” where he claimed he was wrongfully jailed.

Net Worth

Dave Sparks’ net worth is estimated to be $12 million. His money comes from his TV show Diesel Brothers, YouTube ad revenue from multiple channels with over 1 billion combined views, DieselSellerz and Sparks Motors businesses, brand deals and sponsorships, merchandise sales, and his book.

Despite the legal fines totaling over $1.6 million, Dave has continued earning through his various business ventures and content creation.

Follower Count: Here’s Dave’s social media numbers:

• YouTube (Main): @HeavyDSparks, 4.5 million subscribers, 1.1 billion views
• YouTube (Spanish): @heavydsparksespanol, 234K subscribers, 39 million views
• YouTube (Sparks Motors): @SparksMotorsCo, 689K subscribers, 64 million views
• YouTube (Heavy Checklist): @HeavyChecklist, 106K subscribers, 719K views
• Instagram: @heavydsparks, 4 million followers
• Facebook (Heavy D): 6 million followers
• Facebook (Dave Sparks): 280K followers
• Snapchat: @heavydsparks, 200K followers
• TikTok: @heavydsparksofficial, 170K followers, 1.7 million likes

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FAQ

What is Dave Sparks’ real name? His real name is David Sparks, but he goes by the nickname Heavy D.

How old is Dave Sparks? He’s 40 years old, born January 5, 1985.

Where is Dave Sparks from? He’s from Layton, Utah, and currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Is Dave Sparks married? Yes, he’s married to Ashley Bennett Sparks. They got married on August 12, 2010.

How many kids does Dave Sparks have? He has three children: Charly Mae (born 2011), Beau (born 2015), and Mack (born 2017).

What is Dave Sparks’ net worth? His net worth is estimated at $12 million.

How tall is Dave Sparks? He’s 6 feet 5 inches tall (196 cm) and weighs 95 kg (209 lbs).

Why was Dave Sparks arrested? He was arrested in October 2025 for contempt of court after failing to pay over $843,000 from a Clean Air Act lawsuit.

What is Dave Sparks known for? He’s known for co-creating and starring in Diesel Brothers, building custom diesel trucks, and his massive YouTube following.

Is Diesel Dave his brother? No, Diesel Dave (David Kiley) is not his real brother. They’re close friends and business partners who call each other brothers.