Who is team owner Mike Dinubilo?

Before graduating high school, Mike was a three-time champion in three different sports (bowling, baseball and tennis), won two high school class pins in Auto Mechanics and Drama set design, earned a leadership award in boy scouts and voted most inspirational player award for tennis.  Don’t forget, a CIF pin for 3.85 GPA.

Mike’s love for racing is lifetime as his father was a 30-year working crew member for numerous Indy car teams, including long-time family friend Bill Vukovich, Johnny Boyd, Al Pombo and Billy Vukovich, Jr.  Not surprising, Mike started racing one weekend at a local autocross parking lot event.  In his sister’s Toyota, he finished third in SS-B Sedan against bigger more powerful cars.

After graduating from Universal Technical Institute (UTI) and adding on to his training at Fresno State College (finishing with a Liberal Arts Degree), Mike opened his own business in 1977  called Auto Tech.  Later that year, Auto Tech Racing was created.  Off road racing is where things went to the professional level.  Co-owning with Don Grimm, they raced together for two years before Mike stepped out on his own in 1980, and after a crash totaled his car.  A friend, Don Kennedy, sold Mike a new bare frame to rebuild his car.  In 1981, Mike went on to win the AMSA open single seat national championship as a driver, car owner and engine builder finishing every race in the top three, including one win.  That same year, Brad Gattie offered Mike a ride in his asphalt modified in which they won five races, including the owner’s championship for Gattie.  Mike finished second by two points in the driver championship.

In the off season, Mike stayed in shape playing in a local broomball league winning the league championship that winter.  Gattie and Mike moved up to a super modified in 1982, but poor car performance and a big crash caused a spilt and Mike again went out on his own racing in the super modified class.  Under funded, Mike worked more on R&D than on racing for a championship.  When the class out priced itself, Mike made a move to 410 sprint cars.  After a year, he stepped down to 360 sprint cars and for two years finished in the top three in points and returned to the winners’ circle.  Mike’s love for asphalt was strong, so Mike moved his team trading cars with Fred Edde for his late model, and returned to the asphalt.  Mike ran the next seven years in late model and tour races finishing in the top five in points every year with multiple wins over this time period.

Mike closed his business in April 1990 because of carpal tunnel in his right hand and started a new career as an auto shop instructor.  Still in racing building his own cars and motors, then driving them to wins was a fulfilling time in Mike’s life. With his wife, two kids (son David and daughter Sara) growing up fast, and the death of his father, brother and sponsor in a matter of three years, Mike moved to part-time racing his own cars and driving others from time to time, winning a few races.  

Not to stand still, Mike started coaching tennis and led the school team to its first championship in 13 years with an undefeated season.  In 1998, Mike felt that driving full time had passed and now his true skills were leading him down a new path.  Mike worked for Team Liberty Racing at Indianapolis and was noticed by Team Coulson’s owner Corey Coulson who asked Mike to be the crew chief for his 1999 Indy team effort.  The two worked on plans, equipment needs and sponsorship for the 1999 Indy 500.  A lesson Mike will not soon forget--under funded for ‘99, the team’s older car failed to make qualifying speeds and Corey and Mike reset for 2000.  In 2000, less was more--less people, but more money, better planning and trust.  Corey made better deals and Mike found some experienced workers.  With the adding of a great driver in Davey Jones, in three days the team put together a car and found a speed of 215.2 miles an hour for four laps, qualifying for the Indy 500. Mike, knowing it’s not over until the gun fires at 6:00 pm, watched as their car was bumped from the race with less than five minutes to go. Later that year, they ran the car at Kentucky.  They started 28th and moved up to 14th, but an oil line broke under the tub and they finished 23rd.

After Indy, Mike worked as crew chief for a local late model/Southwest tour team.  A divorce and a job offer to teach in Northern California, Mike relocated to Pollock Pines, California.  In 2002, Corey again felt he had an Indy deal and asked Mike to help.  Corey worked very hard, but nothing came together in time for the 2002 Indy.

Mike helps his school’s Drama department and has won two Ellys for set design.  Always keeping in touch with racing friends and helping out when he could, Mike worked on getting back into racing.  For his 50th birthday, long-time friend, Tommy Rotella, ask Mike to help him with his daughter’s late model and drive a 4-cylinder modified to help sell the car.  After leading most of the laps, Mike missed a shift on a restart and finished second.  The drive started a new fire.  In 2007, Mike met his wife, Jan, whose encouragement helped Mike set forth plans to build a new race team.  This time he will be the owner, build the best cars he can and give life to a young driver, keeping the soul of a life long racer alive!

That is Mike Dinubilo.