Wed, 9 Jun 2010, 11:34 PM Standing Out

By Kelly Wade Photo copyright 2010 Auto Imagery, Inc.

Gary Emmons Photo by Kelly Wade

The Emmons brothers are strikingly similar in more than a few ways; the four boys - triplets Jerry, Gary, and Terry, and older brother Harvey III - each possess wide and welcoming grins and fall easily into conversation marked by friendly Texas inflection. They are all exceptionally respectful and incredibly kind, but their most common thread is likely their desire to absolutely rip it up on the race track, and Gary carried the torch for the family at the recent United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago, when he scored his second Super Stock Wally and notched the eighth national event win of his career.

The trip north to Route 66 Raceway from his home near Pasadena, Texas, was a big one for Gary. The 2009 Stock and Super Stock champion in the South Central Division had accumulated enough points to qualify for the prestigious Allstars race, the annual competition held within the Chicago Full Throttle Series event that pits the best drivers in each of the NHRA's seven divisions against one another to battle for top honors. The invitation to participate was especially meaningful to Gary, whose brothers each hold Allstars titles.

Gary Emmons vs. Brad Plourd in Super Stock final.

"The level of competition has risen so high that anytime you can qualify for the Allstars event, that alone is an accomplishment," said Gary prior to eliminations. "You're racing with guys from all across the country who have earned the same right that you have, and it's a lot of fun, but it's a lot of pressure. You want to come out here, do your very best, and be able to live up to the Allstars standard. For me, coming from a family where everyone has had a tremendous amount of success at the Allstars, this is my chance to fall in with them."

Gary won the first round of the Allstars in a double-breakout affair with Mike Crutchfield and advanced to the semifinals, where - despite a very respectable package - his title hopes were dashed by Justin Jenkins. Though the loss was disappointing, Gary refocused and concentrated on wheeling his SS/JA '96 Firebird to round wins in the national event competition, defeating former world champ Gary Stinnett in the first round and then coming face to face with brother Terry in round two.

With all four of the siblings competing in the doorslammer categories, racing one another is a fairly common occurrence and one that the siblings choose to view as beneficial rather than detrimental. The Emmons boys aren't big on bragging rights.

Emmons vs. Justin Jenkins in round two of Allstars.

"When you know you're going to run each other, it's funny because there is absolutely no pressure at that point," said Gary. "I've been to the final at national and divisional events with my brother Jerry quite a few times, and when you win the semifinals and see the other one has won, you know what the final round date is going to be like. You still want to win, but there is no pressure because you know that no matter what, you'll have good exposure for our sponsor, Lucas Oil, and it's just a good feeling to have a double-Emmons final.

"Probably the most tricky part of it is knowing each other's driving style. Against other competitors, we're all guilty of mixing it up - I ran Gary Stinnett in round one, and we always have a bloodbath of a race. Gary is a very smart driver and he is very capable of mixing up his driving style just to keep you guessing. That's what we do, it's like playing poker, but when my brothers and I run, we have an agreement that there are no games. We'll say, 'this is what I could have run before, this is what I'm dialing, I'm going to hit the tree and try to be double-oh on you.' We have too much respect for each other to play games amongst the family. We just make the best race we can."

Gary was the winner in his second-round match with Terry in Chicago, and he tucked away victories over David Bogner and Bo Butner en route to the final, where he defeated multi-category standout Brad Plourd with a perfect triple-zero reaction and 10.050 on his 10.03 dial to his opponent's nine-thousandths too quick 8.741 (8.75).

Emmons family celebrate Gary's win.

A win for one is a win for all in the Emmons household, where the prevalent theme is "team," and every person is critical to the success of the others.

"We have such a great bond," said Gary. "It's synergy, really. Everybody is a piece of the puzzle. Every member of the family is responsible for a contribution. That's what gets you through the rough spots, and that's what our family and our team is all about. Everybody wants the others to succeed, and we don't have any animosity."

Harvey, who is known as Speedy, is five years older than the triplets and was instrumental to the development of their interest in drag racing. The boys would accompany their brother to the races when he began driving as a teenager, but it all began with their father, Harvey Jr., who has been a drag racer for literally all of their lives. He still owns the '69 Chevelle that he drove to his first win at a Division 4 event in the mid-1970s when the triplets were just toddlers.

It would almost seem that there wasn't actually a choice when it came to racing for the Emmons brothers.

Gary with brothers Jerry and Terry after Super Stock win in Topeka last season.

"It's just something we've always done," said Gary. "It was very interesting to me, being able to go and help my brother and my dad. Any kid would love that. You get to go out of town, travel, go to the races. It was a lot of fun, and the natural progression was for us to get into a car when we were old enough to drive. My parents never made an issue of it, it wasn't asked, it was just a natural progression. If I would have said it wasn't something I was interested in, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But it was certainly very welcomed, and my heart was in it and I had the passion to do it, just like everybody else."

Gary's passion for the sport is represented by his seven division championships, a slew of divisional victories, and eight wins in 12 final rounds that began with a runner-up in Stock at the 1988 Cajun Nationals to Speedy. Gary, then 15, became the youngest national event finalist in the history of the sport.

Three years later, he earned his first national event title when he defeated veteran racer John Calvert in Stock at the 1991 World Finals, and in each of the following three seasons, Gary pocketed the gold (Houston 1992, Gainesville 1993, Columbus 1994). He scored again in Columbus in 1998 and then runner-upped there in 2000, and in 2001, he finished second at the fall Las Vegas event.

Gary vs. Jerry Emmons in Stock final at Belle Rose in 2007.

A bit of a final-round drought was rectified in 2007, when he drove his Stocker to a win over Jerry at the Cajun SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose. After a runner-up at the track nestled in the bayou in 2008, Gary returned to the winner's circle last season with a triumph in Topeka, and momentum continues with his recent Chicago victory.

"Last season was really fun," he recalled. "Winning the Division 4 Super Stock and Stock championships in the same season and finishing No. 3 (in the world) in Super Stock, just a couple of rounds out of the No. 2 position, is an accomplishment that I'm very proud of, especially because the two guys who finished ahead of me - Jimmy DeFrank and Anthony Bertozzi - are two of the nation's best.

Gary in his Stocker at the 2003 U.S. Nationals.

"I've gotten close to winning the national championship a lot of times, and I've probably finished every number but No. 1 in the world, and that's what I really want to do now. If I don't ever do that before my career is over, it would just feel like it's all been in vain."

Whether or not this is a championship year for the driven racer, putting a national event win on the board is an excellent addition to any season, and with the Allstars points being reset, Gary, encouraged by the infallible support of his family, is in a position to go after a chance to compete in the venerable playoff race again if he so chooses. Either way, he has already established himself as a standout competitor as well as a big-time team player.