Dan Tomlin Jr.

The sprawling North Dallas site of Tomlin Investments houses more than just Tomlin’s land investment and development company; it’s also home to 6,000-square-foot warehouse for his free-wheeling passion (Team Dan Tomlin).

“This is the best of both worlds for me,” says Tomlin, who first entered the land investment and brokerage business with his father in the 1970s. Today, he runs the company with his son, Dan Tomlin III.

“I love what I do for a living, but the real blessing is, when I’ve had about all I can take of the real estate business, all I have to do is walk through that door.”

 

On the other side of the door is a completely different world that requires a four-man staff and includes office space for the other side of Tomlin’s life. The racing trophies and plaques lining the walls serve as confirmation of Tomlin’s passion, and a rack of racing suits stands waiting for the weekend. In the garage area, the adornments on the walls include the crumpled front end of Tomlin’s Formula Mazda, mounted as proof of the carbon fiber shell’s durability even after hitting a wall head-on at high speed.

“I have loved cars ever since I was a kid,” he confesses. “When I was three years old, I told my mother I was going to buy a car, and I started saving every penny I could.”

At fifteen, he bought a 1956 Chevrolet, then bought a 1934 Chevrolet that “was in so many pieces it came in a box.” He convinced his father to turn over the garage to him, and spent his senior year putting that car together. By then, he was completely hooked on all things automotive, although it certainly wasn’t inherited. His father, he recalls, “couldn’t turn a screwdriver” and he has vivid, humorous memories of the elder Tomlin’s single, disastrous foray into mechanics – an attempt to add antifreeze to his car, which somehow resulted in a broken radiator.

Genetics notwithstanding, Tomlin endured, although he put his passion for cars on the sidelines as he went to college, got married and started a family. By the time Dan Tomlin III came of age, business was good and Tomlin was ready to get back under the hood.

“When he came along, we started building cars together,” Tomlin says with a smile. “He had a ’75 Trans Am that we built a big block Chevy engine for and put a blower on it. He was the only kid in school with a blower sticking out of the hood of his car.”

Today, father and son continue sharing that interest, although now they have moved beyond rebuilding Trans Ams. At the moment, the Tomlin fleet includes a 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago, a 2005 Ford GT and a 2006 Dodge Viper. The newest acquisition is a 2006 Flying Spur Bentley.

“I can’t do as much with them as I used to, but I love cleaning them, caring for them and polishing them,” Tomlin says. “I’ve got all kinds of tools in my garage at home, but I don’t get to use them like I used to.”

"I love these cars. I love to drive them. Even just driving from here to home. These ae great cars. They weren't made to sit in the garage."

All of his cars have been modified in assorted ways but with the same purpose – to boost their power.

“I’ve always been a horsepower freak,” he admits. “I was drag-racing cars in high school.”

A half-dozen motorcycles, including two Bourgets, a customized Buell and Pat Kennedy’s “Alien” bike, which has been featured in numerous magazines and on television, join his cars.

The motorcycles were a hobby he and his son shared before turning their attention back to cars; the main difference between the cars and the bikes is that the bikes were bought more for showing than for riding.

“We did that for four or five years, then kind of transitioned out of that into racing.”

Most of the attention being lavished on cars in the garage goes to the four Formula Mazdas. He and his son began dabbling in the racing world about seven years ago; at the time MotorSport Ranch was still relatively new and Tomlin would accompany his son, who took his Ferrari to the course. That only fueled a passion and they started with a couple of shifter cars before graduating to the Mazdas. Tomlin’s car bears the number 58 – his age at the time he got his license. His son’s car is number 56, the same number he wore playing football in high school.

The two men race in the Pro Series, which was designed to develop new racing talent. The series is the support race for the American Le Mans Series, and that lucky happenstance provided Tomlin with one of his finest moments as a driver.

“Normally when we’re racing, there’s nobody there,” he recalls. “But last year at Montreal, the crowd comes out and stays for everything. So we’re racing and the stands are full. About halfway through the race, there’s this hairpin turn, and I got pushed out of the turn, hit the wall and bent my suspension.”

Angry at himself, he pulled his car into the grass and yanked the helmet from his head. Gradually, he became aware of the noise coming from the stands, and looked up to see the crowd of 15,000 on its feet, cheering him like an athlete leaving the field after an injury.

“I’ll never forget that moment,” he says with a grin. “It was unbelievable!”

The two other racecars in Team Tomlin are hot pink Formula Mazdas driven by Tomlin’s daughter, Dena, and his goddaughter, Lindsey Adams. Dena and Lindsey race in the SCCA’s Regional Formula Mazda Series. The cars are maintained at Tomlin’s garage, and he said that is the extent of his fleet for the moment.

“It kind of depends on what Dan wants to do,” he says. “I’m hoping I’ve got a few more years to go. Most of the guys out there on the track are about sixteen to twenty-two, then you’ve got a few guys in their thirties and forties. Maybe a couple guys in their early fifties, and then there’s me. It’s tough! But it’s fun.”

When he isn’t behind the wheel of his race car, Tomlin divides his time between the other cars, making sure each of them get driven at least once a week.

“I know guys who’ve had Ferraris for three years and have less than 1,000 miles on them, and they look at me like I’m crazy,” he says. “But I love these cars. I love to drive them. Even just driving from here to home. These are great cars. They weren’t made to sit in the garage.”

Words Paula Felps, and Photos Glenn Zanotti

More About Dan Tomlin Jr. and the Star Mazda Series

The Star Mazda racing series was created to develop new racing talent by offering events allowing for drivers to race on the same tracks that are used for major races.  The cars have been designed to have the same modifications found on more expensive autos, and the event has been developed to support the top achievers with speed and consistency.

The motors are all created by one builder, and each is certified to produce the specified power, and discourage outside modification.  Drivers typically go years between rebuilds. There are currently over 300 cars in the field.

About Team Tomlin

Team Tomlin is composed of Star Mazda drivers Dan Tomlin Jr., and Dan Tomlin III. The team also includes Danny Rendon, Anthony Riggs, Matt Lively, and Jim Cahall.  Team biographies c o m i n g  s o o n:

Danny Rendon
Anthony Riggs
Matt Lively
Jim Cahall

List of Dan Tomlin web sites:

Team Tomlin Blog - The Team Tomlin blog features updates and the latest news on Dan Tomlin Jr and III’s racing adventures.  Check the  site frequently for updates, or subscribe to the blog via RSS/XML feed.  RSS feeds allow you to read the latest Team Tomlin news in a custom feed reader like Feedburner, or blog plugin such as Sage for Firefox.  You can even use RSS feeds on customized home pages like Google.  Look for the RS feed link at the bottom of the page on the blog.

http://dantomlin.wordpress.com

Team Tomlin Photos on Flickr - We have been posting a lot of the new Dan Tomlin racing photos on the Flickr site.  Flickr has a nice layout for viewing galleries of pictures, and we invite you to leave comments on individual photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84575486@N00/

Dan Tomlin Jr’s Texas Driver Magazine Interview - Texas Driver Magazine interviewed Dan and published the article in the print version in May/June 2006.  This was an extensive article, and covered everything from his lifelong passion for cars and racing, to his success in the real estate business with Tomlin Investments.  The interview also highlights some of the finer points of Dan’s collection, which includes a 2006 Flying Spur Bentley, a 2005 Ford GT, a 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago, and a 2006 Dodge Viper.

4265 Kellway Circle | Addison, Texas 75001

Press contact: Dena Tomlin-Smithson (Land Advisors) 972-239-0707

More news:

Dan Tomlin Jr. Wins Masters Division at Sebring, and Marco Di Leo Declared Winner

Dan Tomlin Jr. took the Masters Division of the Star Mazda Series, at Sebring International Raceway and Marco Di Leo was declared the winner  Friday afternoon in the No. 21 Maxwell Paper Products Ross Smith Racing Pro Formula Mazda, after it was determined by race officials that the No. 7 Easternauts car, driven by James Davison of Velocity Motorsports, who first crossed the finish line, did not return the positions gained after going off course during the opening caution laps. 

The No. 20 car, driven by Daniel Di Leo finished second, followed by Davison, pole-winner Dane Cameron, driving the No. 19 Mockett.com/Ocean Tomo car and Lorenzo Mandarino in the No. 23.

Cameron broke Jeager's track record, posting a qualifying time of 1:59.986. The race commenced at 4:15PM EST, with a 30-minute limit.

With two laps to go, Dan Di Leo lost his 2nd post position to Marco Di Leo in Turn 13, and the two ran hard for the place behind Davison, who had a substantial lead on the field.

Davison went off track during the cool-down lap, and had to be pulled into the circle, where he was awarded first place, along with the Racing for Kids award.

During the awarding of the trophy, officials confirmed that Davison had left the track into a puddle at the start of the race on the 2nd caution lap, losing and then recapturing 2 spots. Since he never gave up the 2 spots, he was penalized, officially giving Marco Di Leo the win, putting Davison in 3rd place. Phil Fogg Jr. also won the Expert Division in the No. 29 Consonus for Northwest Autosport.

The next Star Mazda Championship will run in Houston, Texas on April 22nd.

More about Formula Mazda Specifications

Dry weight 1140 pounds,racing 5-speed plus reverse transaxle, Weber 48 DCOE carbeurator, 95 inch wheelbase, 59 inch front track, 58 inch rear track, brakes are 4-wheel spec discs & calipers, front wheels 8x13 BBS, rear wheels 10x13 BBS. Other features include adjustable shocks, sway bars, brake bias and wing angles. The constructor is Star Race Cars on 10639 Glenoaks Blvd, Pacoima, CA 91331,(818) 686-3350.