“Treated Me Like a Son”- Ex-NASCAR Team Owner Unearths Former President Ronald Reagan’s Hand in Kickstarting His Political Career

From music, philanthropy, politics, and motorsport, it seems Mike Curb has been involved in it all. The 79-year-old is famous within the NASCAR circles for sponsoring some of the biggest names in NASCAR history, such as Dale Earnhardt Jr, Richard Petty, and Darrell Waltrip. As co-owner of Curb Agajanian Performance Group, the Georgia native won ten national championships, cementing his legacy in stock car racing despite his wide range of interests.

Taking a trip down memory lane, the Georgia native reflected on his political career in a candid conversation with Dale Jr. and the role Ronald Reagan played in making him Lieutenant Governor of California.

Ronald Reagan jumpstarted Curb’s political career

Mike Curb was always a motorsport enthusiast. Serving as chairman for his Lieutenant Governor of California campaign, NASCAR executive Les Richter invited Curb and his wife to the 1980 season-opening race at Riverside International Raceway, which was where he was given the idea of becoming one of Dale Earnhardt’s first-ever sponsors. As a result, he sponsored ‘The Intimidator’ during the 1980 Winston Cup championship, which the legendary driver won for the very first time. If that wasn’t all, Curb also sponsored Richard Petty’s No. 43 car during the 1984-85 seasons, helping ‘The King’ secure his 199 and 200th wins.

While motorsport was always a source of passion, politics was Mike Curb’s sense of duty. Revealing the role Ronald Raegan played in his career, the 79-year-old said on the Dale Jr Download podcast, “In California, it was getting kind of testy because he (Ronald Reagan) was running against Ford (Gerald Ford) who had become President because Nixon had resigned. Reagan said, ‘We want someone young’ at the top of the committee so we’re going to ask you to be the co-chairman.” Curb went on to say, “He (Reagan) liked me. He almost treated me like a son. He said, “I’ve looked up your background, I’d like to see you become a co-chairman of California’.”

In many ways, Mike Curb went on to surpass Raegan’s expectations. The Georgia native was elected as Lieutenant Governor of California, defeating incumbent Democrat Mervyn M. Dymally in 1978. He also became acting governor briefly in 1980, issuing executive orders in his temporary role, vetoing legislation, and making appointments. However, during this timeframe, he also acted as co-owner of Curb Agajanian Performance Group, sponsoring Darrell Waltrip‘s No. 12 Toyota Tundra in the Truck Series.

Despite his age, Curb’s involvement in motorsport hasn’t dwindled with the years. He remains a long-term sponsor of ThorSport Racing and part-owner of the No. 98 Ford driven by reigning Truck Series champion Ty Majeski. The Georgia native was also co-owner of Austin Dillon’s No. 98 Richard Childress Racing Chevy and has run cars in the Indianapolis 500 as well. With all things taken into consideration, it’s no surprise that the 79-year-old is an influential figure, not just in motorsport but in the field of politics as well.

Mike Curb reflects on his love affair with NASCAR

Mike Curb’s involvement with American motorsport goes back 40 years. A lover of all things fast, he has been involved in various racing disciplines over the years and has succeeded in most of his endeavors. Despite being interested in racing at an early age, Mike Curb’s real involvement in the sport began in the 1970s with sprint car racing, which eventually led him to NASCAR. As things stand, he is the only car owner to win in all 10 auto racing series of NASCAR, cementing his legacy in the history books forever.

Reflecting on his journey, Curb said, “I’ve been following racing since I was a young boy in California. I got involved with motorsports in the ’70s with J. C. Agajanian and the California Racing Association through sponsorships that led to a meeting with Les Richter and Bill France Jr. at Riverside Speedway back in 1979 when I was the grand marshal for the Riverside NASCAR race.”

Recalling how his association with Dale Earnhardt began, Mike Curb went on to say, “Les and Bill advised me that Dale Earnhardt was only going to run a partial schedule and asked me if I would be willing to provide sponsorships that would lead to the possibility of ownership in Dale Earnhardt’s team.” The rest, as they say, is history. The legendary driver drove a Mike Curb Productions car in the 1980 Cup Series season, winning five races in the No. 2 Chevy for Osterlund Racing. Meanwhile, Curb got his foot into the motorsport door, going on to make a name for himself within the NASCAR circles.