Furniture Row Racing president and general manager Joe Garone has been elected for induction into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame, the team announced Thursday.
Garone will be formally inducted on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 14 at The Vehicle Vault in Parker, Colo.
“The Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame is committed to honoring and preserving the achievements of individuals and organizations that have left an indelible mark on motorsports in Colorado and beyond,” according to a Hall statement.
“This is a humbling honor to be recognized by your home state,” Garone said. “I never expected to reach this pinnacle while growing up and competing on the Colorado short tracks.
“For me, it has always been working hard and pushing myself to do my best. My Dad told me as a child the key to happiness was to treat others like you would want to be treated, work hard and work smart. Everything else in life would follow.”
Garone’s parents, Joseph and Beverly, both raced in the Denver area, particularly in Modifieds. Beverly won several races and championships during her time behind the wheel.
“My parents gave me the foundation to pursue a successful career whether it be in motorsports or another profession,” Garone said. “I wish they were still here to be with me for this prestigious event. But they’ll be just as proud of their son watching the ceremony from a different location.”
A native of Denver, Garone oversees the only major Sprint Cup Series team located west of the Mississippi River.
He’s also an accomplished former racer and crew chief himself, including teaming with Arvada, Colo., racer Rick Carelli in NASCAR’s Southwest and Winston West Tour circuits and the NASCAR Truck Series.
Together, the pair won more than 100 races and two championships during the six-year period. Garone then joined Bill Elliott Racing as a suspension specialist in 1995, eventually advancing to become Elliott’s crew chief.
From 2001 to 2003, Garone worked for NASCAR and was a key principle in the planning and construction of the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C.
After stints as NASCAR’s director of officiating and director of competition for Michael Waltrip Racing, Garone returned to his native Colorado in 2005 to oversee the formation of Furniture Row Racing, owned by Denver businessman Barney Visser.
FRR is the first single-car team to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, reaching the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.
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