---

Despite the Sport Being in His Blood, Denmark’s Recent Triumphs Didn’t Come Overnight

By Chuck Corder

By now, Geno Denmark is a household name at Five Flags Speedway.

The Dauphin Island, Ala., native has seemingly enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top of the Butler U-Pull-It Bombers Series.

Along the way, Denmark’s newfound success has earned him new fans and a level of respect among his Pensacola peers.

But there’s someone in his household that isn’t over the moon with all of Denmark’s racing exploits.

“She’s not happy about it,� he said.

“She� is Diana Denmark, Geno’s older sister, who has to be the responsible sibling when her kid brother is having all the fun on Friday nights.

Island Rainbow, which serves up pizza and snowballs among other fare, on Dauphin Island is the Denmark’s family-run business.

And when Geno heads off in his orange-and-white No. 88 to chase checkered flags at the famed half-mile asphalt oval, his parents, Steven and Sharon, make the trip with him. Diana stays behind to ensure the Island Rainbow brings in a pot of gold.

“She’s gotta work when everybody else leaves,� Geno Demark explained.

Diana Denmark, of course, is not a hater. She’s proud of her baby brother, and does not begrudge any of the plaudits that come her brother’s way. It’s just a matter of missing out on all the fun.

She has missed quite a bit of fun recently. Geno Denmark, 21, has yet to lose in 2015 at Five Flags.

He hopes to extend his winning streak to three consecutive feature victories this Friday when the Bombers share the stage with the Super Stocks, Sportsman and the Allen Turner Pro Late Models, which will enjoy a 100-lap season debut Friday.

The gates open at 4 p.m. Friday. Denmark and the Bombers beginning qualifying at 6:45 p.m. with heat races beginning promptly at 8 p.m.

Admission is as follows: $15 for adults; $12 for seniors, students and military; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; and free for kids under 6.

With a father who boasts a Super Stocks Snowball Derby victory, Geno Denmark seemed ripe for racing. Looks can be deceiving, though.

“I didn’t really grow up around it,� Denmark said. “I heard stories all about it. But my dad had sold all of his racecar stuff by the time my sister was born, I think, and then I was born two years later.�

A few years ago, son told father he had a racing itch to scratch. Fellow Mobile-area driver B.J. Leytham had an additional racecar parked in a field outside his shop.

“My dad asked if I could drive it — that’s just how dad is. He’ll ask anybody anything,� Denmark said. “I borrowed B.J.’s car one time and that’s how I started racing.�

After Steve Denmark and friend Darrell Jackson bought the car, Geno purchased the tires and safety equipment and was ready to give the sport a shot.

Despite Denmark’s success in a little more than one season at Five Flags, his racing career begin with a bang. In a bad way.

“We missed half the races in 2013 because I tore the car up,� he admitted. “I rolled it four times in Mobile when I went off the backstretch. And, I put it into the wall in Pensacola.

“I had to realize to let the car drive itself and not overdrive it.�

Once that important racing truth was made clear, Denmark turned a page in his fledgling career.

Last September, he earned his first Bombers win at the Lee Fields Memorial, Mobile International Speedway’s version of the Snowball Derby.

“That was pretty neat,� Denmark said. “We got a belt for a trophy, and we got to outrun B.J. to do it.�

By then, Denmark and Leytham were teammates. The pair formed quite the unstoppable force between Mobile and Pensacola last year.

Denmark set and still owns the Bombers track record at Five Flags while Leytham had an unbeaten streak of close to 20 races before he lost.

Denmark’s first official win at Five Flags came in August 2014. Leytham crossed the start-finish line first, but had his victory thrown out in post-race technical inspection. Denmark, by virtue of his runner-up finish, was bumped up to the win.

He has added two more to the victory column in two chances this season.

“I always wanted to race Pensacola because my dad raced and won so much there,� Denmark said. “Everybody expects to win races, but I wanna win a lotta races, too. I’ve got some good car owners that give me a fast car.�

His drive and fascination with the same sport his father first fell in love with so many years ago has helped Geno strengthen what was already a close-knit bond with Steve.

“He’s over here every day,� Geno said of Steve. “We work it like it’s a second job.

“He, B.J., Mr. Darrell, they all talk to me, calm me down and coach me on how to drive it better. They’re a huge part of my success.�

It’s a family affair for the Denmarks.

Now, if only Geno could get his sister a night off. Diana could see what all this fuss is about.

Back to News