UNM alumnus Dominic Aragon has recently made headlines for his new book release in collaboration with NASCAR legend Geoff Bodine. The book, titled "All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story," has garnered praise and is now available in major retailers.
Aragon expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to work with Bodine, stating, "It has been a dream come true to have worked with my racing hero Geoff Bodine and to tell his story. It was an honor to work with the Bodine's. Of all the people he knows and could have picked, I am forever grateful he took a chance on a small-town kid from Grants, New Mexico to tell the story."
Describing the book's content, Aragon mentioned, "It is Bodine's tell-all story about his time on the racing circuit, his personal life, and his faith journey. I think it's a great book in the fact that it appeals to all: the die-hard race fan, the casual race fan, and the non-race fan. There's something in it for everybody."
The collaboration between Aragon and Bodine began during Aragon's time as a student at UNM, where he pitched the idea to Bodine. Reflecting on the process, Aragon shared, "He's experienced the highs and lows of professional motorsports, and life. I had gotten to know Bodine over the years with my work covering the sport of NASCAR and pitched my help to tell his story in a book while I was still at UNM. He agreed!"
Acknowledging the support he received during his academic journey, Aragon credited UNM Communication & Journalism Professor Michael Marcotte for his guidance. Marcotte praised Aragon, stating, "The Dominic I knew at UNM is still the Dominic I know today — curious, bright, respectful, and very hard-working! A professor’s dream!"
Expressing his delight at Aragon's success, Marcotte mentioned, "Professors don’t always get that kind of appreciation! It’s perhaps the ultimate reward for a teacher of reporting and writing to see a former student out in the world, successfully publishing their work."
Aragon, now the editor-in-chief of The Racing Expert, shared his excitement about the book's reception, saying, "It feels amazing to see this project from start to finish. It hasn't completely sunk in that the book is out. I've been amazed at the reception of the book from race fans, the media, and some of Geoff's former competitors. I wanted to make sure I helped Geoff tell his story as best as possible."