P274-283h_Motorsports3-JAN15_Lr1_qxd_P274-283h 1/20/15 12:36 PM Page 274 {}MIKE CURB : 50 Years FINALLY—WINNING THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 — 2011 “Keep the 98 car running boys.” With those impassioned words, famed race car owner J.C. Agajanian in his hospital room shortly before his death requested that his son, Cary Agajanian, and Mike Curb continue the heritage of the 98 car made famous by Parnelli Jones’ victory in the 1963 Indianapolis 500. In 2011, almost 50 years later, Mike and Cary and their No. 98 car have in spectacular style honored J.C. Agajanian’s legacy by capturing the victory in the 100th running of the most storied event in the sporting world. In addition to owning the winning car, Curb feels fortunate to have been partnered with the very talented Bryan Herta and Steve Newey. Curb Records also teamed with Big Machine and Justin Timberlake’s William Rast Jeans Company to co-sponsor the 98 car in the Centennial Indy 500, ending up in Victory Circle after a dramatic last-lap win by driver Dan Wheldon. The Indianapolis Speedway referred to Wheldon’s 2011 victory as the most important race in history. Over the course of 200 laps and 500 miles, the lead changed 23 times, with 10 different drivers in the front of the field. Wheldon had run well all day, and with only 10 laps remaining, he passed Bertrand Baguette and Scott Dixon to put himself in second position, with an opportunity to win. Rookie J.R. Hildebrand was on the way to the checkered flag when he hit the wall exiting Turn 4, allowing Wheldon to pass for the victory at Indy. “I just kept going until the end,” Wheldon said after the race. “Until you cross that yard of bricks for the final time, it doesn’t matter.” In addition to the 2011 Centennial Indianapolis victory, together Curb/Agajanian has recorded 55 Top 10 IndyCar series finishes, including four Top 10 finishes in the Indy 500 among 150 IndyCar races that they have participated in. It was an iconic win, on the biggest stage in motorsports – the 100th Anniversary of the Indy 500 on Memorial Day in America. With millions around the world watching, the 98 car, emblazoned with the official seal of the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Curb mentor President Ronald Reagan, took the checkered flag in a race that went to the wire. The win was a fitting tribute to the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration, and the car was put on display in the Air Force One Pavilion – alongside the Childress/Curb/Agajanian sponsored #98 Centennial Above: Mike with his two lifetime partners – his wife Linda and Cary Agajanian and the famed NASCAR Sprint Cup car and Richard Petty’s Daytona 200th victory car Borg-Warner trophy. Inset: Driver Dan Wheldon and Dale Earnhardt’s first NASCAR championship car – at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library in Simi Valley, California. [ 274 ] P274-283h_Motorsports3-JAN15_Lr1_qxd_P274-283h 1/20/15 12:36 PM Page 276 DAN WHELDON WINS CENTENNIAL INDIANAPOLIS 500 IN THE HERTA/CURB-AGAJANIAN CAR 11 12 13 14 01 Jack Hawksworth leads many laps and finishes 7th in the Inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix in 2014 02 Luiz Razia and Jack Harvey finish 1st and 2nd in the Inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix in 2014 (Lights). Colton Herta finishes Top 5 in the Inaugural Formula 2000 Indianapolis Grand Prix. 03 Mike Curb congratulates Esteban Guerrieri on his victory in the 2012 Indianapolis Freedom 100 with Sam Schmidt and Cary Agajanian in Victory Lane with the winning Schmidt/Curb- Agajanian car 04 Mike Curb and Alex Tagliani – Tagliani drove the Bryan Herta/Curb-Agajanian #98 car in the 2012 and 2013 Indianapolis 500. Jack Hawksworth drove the Indy car for the 2014 season. 05 Mike Curb with the Angie’s List/Curb 01 Records car #39 which was driven by Bryan Clauson in the 2012 Indianapolis 500 06 Indy 500 rookie Bryan Clauson, three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti and Mike Curb at the Indianapolis 500. 07 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones with Mike Curb 08 Mike Curb with Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana 09 After a podium finish at Indianapolis, Tristan Vautier wins four races in 2012 for 04 Schmidt/Curb-Agajanian and wins the Indy 15 Lights championship 01 Mike and Linda in front of the victory sign 10 The inaugural Indianapolis Brickyard 12 Mike with Dan Wheldon’s wife Susie and 15 Dan Wheldon being presented with the 02 Wheldon in Victory Lane with Cary, Mike, Grand Prix was run in 2012 at the Indianapolis their son Winner’s trophy for the Centennial Indianapolis Linda, the Borchettas and Stewart McLaurin Motor Speedway with the NASCAR Grand-Am 13 Mike Curb is pictured at the historic 500 in 2011 with car owner/entrants Mike Curb, 03 Victory Brick from the Indianapolis 500 cars utilizing the Formula One track configura - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum where Cary Agajanian, Steve Newey and Bryan Herta Speedway “ Brickyard” presented to the winner of tion. The 2012 24 Hours of Daytona winning his winning car from the 2011 Centennial Indy 16 Car owners Bryan Herta, Mike Curb and the Centennial Indy 500 Shank/Curb-Agajanian car, driven by Ozz Negri, 500 was placed next to the car of Ray Harroun Cary Agajanian receiving their 2011 Centennial 04 The Reagan Centennial seal on the front of Jr. and John Pew led the 2012 and 2013 races and that won the inaugural Indy 500 in 1911 Indianapolis 500 victory rings with Steve Newey the car finished 7th. 14 The famous Pagoda at the Indianapolis and Andy Granatelli (at left) and Indianapolis 11 Mike Curb and Indy 500 winner Dan Motor Speedway 500 winners Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti 02 03 Wheldon looking on. 16 P274-283h_Motorsports3-JAN15_Lr1_qxd_P274-283h 1/20/15 12:36 PM Page 278 DAN WHEL DO N IN MEMORIAM 1978 – 2011 We had the opportunity to share the greatest moment that any car owner My wife, Linda, and I were participating with Dan in the Las Vegas or race driver could ever experience when Dan Wheldon won the Centennial race, and we were proud to present Dan with his Indianapolis 500 ring. Indianapolis 500 earlier this year. A couple of months ago while we were We were stunned at how excited he was to receive the ring and also, how having dinner in Nashville, I told Dan about this book commemorating our thrilled he was to talk about his wife, Susie, and his sons, Sebastian and 50th year in business, and he said he would like to write a note that could be Oliver. Dan was not only a great race driver but he was also a great hus - included. When I received that handwritten note on Sunday, October 9th, band, father, and most of all, a very special person. It's hard to believe I asked the publisher to make this one final inclusion before printing. that we were standing next to Dan seconds before he got into his car A few days later the book was at the printer, ready to roll. Then, in and that twelve laps later we would never see him again. We are proud one tragic moment on October 16, 2011, all that changed. The publish - to pay tribute to Dan's great racing career and also his magnificent life. er was asked to contact the printer and hold the press. —Mike Curb 01 Dan celebrates his Indianapolis 500 victory with the traditional winner’s milk. 02 The pit crews and drivers at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway pay tribute to Dan Wheldon after his tragic death on October 16, 2011. 03 Linda, Dan and Mike share a special moment as Mike presents Dan with his 2011 Indianapolis 500 championship ring just before the start of the Las Vegas race. 04 Mike and Dan just prior to the start of the Las Vegas race 05 Dan Wheldon and his wife, Susie with Mike and Linda Curb, Scott and Sandi Borchetta and all the team members during the prayer and national anthem just prior to the start of the Las 02 Vegas race 01 03 04 05 P274-283h_Motorsports3-JAN15_Lr1_qxd_P274-283h 1/20/15 12:36 PM Page 280 THE 2011 NASCAR/RONALD REAGAN CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 2011 – CURB’S 100 TH NASCAR SPRINT CUP START AT KANSAS IN CALIFORNIA (AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY) IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE RONALD REAGAN CENTENNIAL 02 06 07 09 01 03 08 10 01 Five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Joe O’Donnell, Liz Cavanaugh, Dennis Hannon, Johnson and Mike Curb Samantha DePrez, Sean Hannon, Annie 02 Richard Childress, Austin Dillon, Mike Curb Sandor, Eric Mellencamp, Mike Rogers, John and Stewart McLaurin Ozier, Mike Curb, Jim Ed Norman, Kim 03 Ken Clapp, Brian France, Mike Curb and Norman, Edward Norman and Linda Curb Cary Agajanian 09 Curb’s 100th start with eventual winner 04 Austin Dillon, Mike Curb, Stewart Jimmie Johnson (#48) leading and Dale McLaurin and Richard Childress Earnhardt, Jr. (#88), Tony Stewart (#14), Clint 05 Austin Dillon (in front of the car), Cary Bowyer (#33), Austin Dillon (#98) and Juan Agajanian, Mike Curb, Stewart McLaurin and Pablo Montoya (#42) Richard Childress announcing the 100th start 10 Curb recording artist Rachel Holder sings for Curb the national anthem during the pre-race cere - 06 Cary Agajanian, Austin Dillon, Mike Curb, monies Richard Childress, Carter Curb Childress, 11 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne Courtney Curb Childress, Taylor Childress and playing guitar for Mike Linda Curb 12 Curb recording artist Tim Dugger sings the 07 Cary Agajanian, Richard Childress, Mike national anthem prior to Curb’s 100th NASCAR Curb and Austin Dillon start 08 Key members of the Curb Records staff, 04 05 11 12 including Stephanie Keshe, Adrian Michaels, [ 280 ] [ 281 ] P274-283h_Motorsports3-JAN15_Lr1_qxd_P274-283h 1/20/15 12:36 PM Page 282 JOHNNY SAUTER WINS BOTH NASCAR TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY RACES IN 2012 BOBBY SANTOS WINS CURB’S 50 TH USAC VICTORY AT INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK IN 2012 ALL 3 KASEY KAHNE/CURB RECORDS WORLD OF OUTLAWS CARS SCORE VICTORIES IN 2012 DONNY SCHATZ WINS 2012 WORLD OF OUTLAWS CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE KNOXVILLE NATIONALS KEVIN SWINDELL WINS ARCA CHICAGOLAND IN 2012 05 06 01 07 08 09 02 03 04 01 Johnny Sauter celebrating his major victory at the Texas 06 Bobby Santos wins Curb’s 50th USAC victory at Indianapolis 10 Curb Records partnered with Tony Stewart Racing as the Motor Speedway where he won both Texas races in 2012 in the Raceway Park in 2012.