Roger Mauro was a Colorado native and highly respected auto dealer. He became interested in auto racing after his brother, Johnny, finished eighth in the 1948 Indianapolis 500. He purchased his first midget race car in 1970, which driver, Dave Strickland, raced to third place in the United States Auto Club National Championship Auto Racing Series. In 1973, his car won the Rocky Mountain Midget Auto Racing Championship, which was the beginning of winning four straight championships in the RMMA Series, with Dave Strickland behind the wheel of three of the championships and Steve Troxell behind the wheel for one. In 1986, Mauro teamed with Frank Peterson, to field a car that Dave Strickland, Jr. drove to yet another championship. As a promoter, he brought USAC National Midget Auto Racing to Denver and the Roger Mauro Mile High Classic became a nationally recognized midget auto racing event.