As Curb celebrates the sixth decade of his successful music career, it's also important to talk about the incredible impact he's had on motorsports. Curb recently scored his 1205th victory and 72nd championship in over 50 different motorsports series.

For Mike Curb, the roar of a car engine called to mind something more than a quest for speed. It was inextricably tied to qualities such as drive, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. It's no coincidence that these very values have guided Mike's business endeavors, public service, and philanthropy.

Racing Toward Excellence and Purpose

Mike Curb first became involved in racing as a young boy growing up in the 1950s in the Los Angeles area, attending races at local racetracks. In the 1970s, as a team owner and sponsor, he recognized the value of teamwork, risk-taking, and innovation, all of which were integral to his other successful pursuits. He then began to own race cars and sponsor drivers through Curb Records and eventually Curb Racing, seeking out talented individuals who shared those characteristics.

A Defining Partnership with a Legend

One of Mike's earliest achievements was becoming the owner of the car driven by the "King of NASCAR," Richard Petty. Their relationship was cemented in 1984 when Petty won his 200th career race at Daytona, driving a car owned by Mike Curb. Curb was instrumental in arranging for his mentor, President Ronald Reagan, to attend the event, and the President inducted the car into the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

To Mike, the win wasn't just a branding victory. It was a testament to the power of joining forces with like-minded people who were just as committed to excellence and determination.

In subsequent years, Curb Racing became a name respected by NASCAR, IndyCar, USAC, World of Outlaws, High Limit, IMSA, and other sanctioning bodies. Mike's early partnerships in auto racing were in Sprint cars at the legendary Ascot Speedway in Los Angeles with drivers such as Walt Kennedy and multi-year CRA Champion Brad Noffsinger. In 1980, Curb partnered with the legendary Dale Earnhardt to win the NASCAR National Championship, which marked the beginning of one of the most incredible auto racing careers of all time.

After winning the NASCAR Championship with Earnhardt and winning at NASCAR's most prestigious track, Daytona, with Richard Petty, Curb and his partner, Cary Agajanian, began entering cars in the Indianapolis 500. They have continued to enter cars for over 40 years, resulting in three Indianapolis 500 victories, including the 100th Anniversary win with Dan Wheldon and the 100th Indianapolis 500 race victory with Alexander Rossi, and continuing with Helio Castroneves, seeking his historic fifth Indy 500 win in 2026 in partnership with Meyer Shank.

Curb's racing partnership with Andretti/Herta has resulted in major victories by driver Colton Herta in the Indianapolis Grand Prix, Long Beach Grand Prix, Florida Grand Prix, Monterey Grand Prix, and the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix victory in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Herta partnership with the premier American Sports Car series, IMSA, has produced six championships in the TCR Division, including victories at Daytona and Indianapolis.

The Curb-Agajanian partnership with Meyer/Shank has resulted in three overall Rolex Daytona 24 Hour victories and three national championships.

In United States open-wheel racing, the Curb-Agajanian team has won 17 championships, including 4 in the Silver Crown Series (including the Hoosier Hundred victory with Levi Jones), 2 in the Sprint Car Series with Bryan Clauson, and 11 in the Midget Series (including 3 victories, in the Indianapolis BC39 with Cannon McIntosh and Buddy Kofoid and 6 victories in the Turkey Night Grand Prix with Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Tanner Thorson).

The Curb-Agajanian team has partnered with Tony Stewart for over 20 years in the World of Outlaw Series, resulting in four national championships and victories in the prestigious Knoxville Nationals, all with driver Donny Schatz. The 20-year partnership with Kasey Kahne has also produced six championships in the World of Outlaw Series with drivers Brad Sweet and Daryn Pittman and two consecutive High Limit Sprint Car Championships in 2024 and 2025 with Brad Sweet and Rico Abreu.

The various Curb racing teams have partnered in 13 victories in the Chili Bowl, which has become the biggest open-wheel race in the world. Those victories have included 4 victories with Kevin Swindell, 3 victories with Christopher Bell, 2 victories with Rico Abreu, 2 victories with Logan Seavey, 1 victory with Emerson Axsom, and an historic victory with Bryan Clauson.

Curb is the only car owner who has won in all 10 NASCAR divisions. Drivers who have driven for Curb include NASCAR Cup (with Richard Petty, Michael McDowell, Dale Jarrett and Austin Dillon), Xfinity (now O'Reilly Auto Parts) (with Johnny Sauter, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, and Greg Biffle), Truck (with 2024 Champion Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Grant Enfinger and Johnny Sauter), ARCA (with Kevin Swindell, and Erik Jones), IMSA (with Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, A.J. Allmendinger, Justin Wilson, Renger Van Der Zande, and Nick Yelloly), Modifieds (with Bobby Santos, Ryan Preece, and Ryan Newman with Gary Putnam), and Late Model (with Kyle Larson).

All in all, Curb has over 1,200 victories and 72 championships, including 2024 NASCAR (Ty Majeski) and Open Wheel (Brad Sweet, Cannon McIntosh, and Rico Abreu).

For Mike Curb, motorsports is much more than entertainment. It is also a business that has the potential to demonstrate teamwork, responsibility, advancement, and wonderful marketing opportunities for Curb Records. He often stresses how the same values that inform his political and personal views—accountability, preparation, and consideration for others—are also crucial in high-performance racing.

Beyond the Finish Line

Mike's influence extended beyond the racetrack. He was also committed to developing young talent, providing up-and-coming drivers with opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have access to. With him at the helm, Curb Racing was as much about mentoring as it was about competition. His method was based on the conviction that leadership involved opening doors for others, whether it involved sports, learning, or community life. Young drivers who started out with Kunz/Curb-Agajanian partnerships include Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Rico Abreu, Kevin Swindell, Cannon McIntosh, and Buddy Kofoid. Kyle Larson's first Daytona victory at the Battle of the Beach occurred in a Curb-owner/entrant car, this year's (2026) NASCAR Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick had his first NASCAR victory in a Curb-owner/entrant car at Rockingham, NC, and nine-time IndyCar winner Colton Herta has been part of the Herta/Curb-Agajanian team at every step of his career. He is currently moving to European Formula 2, and Kyle Kirkwood has taken his place driving for the Andretti/Herta/Curb-Agajanian team.