A legacy is a gift from a predecessor or the past. This award holds special meaning to the Emig Family, as it is put in place to honor and remember the late Bill Emig. It is his love of racing and people in general that has now laid the foundation that is now in place at Mercer Raceway Park.
To know that Bob Felmlee won his 100th and final sprint car race at Mercer Raceway Park, that the speedway was part of Jimmy Hawley’s 1999 tri-track championship season, and Lou Blaney next-to-last lap pass of Billy Decker are all moments that legacies are built upon and the Legacy Award has honored.
As everyone knows, Bill Emig enjoyed his racing. Over the years several great drivers filled the seat of the familiar #1, many of which had not yet made a name for themselves, but whom Bill believed if given a chance in a good piece of equipment could get the job done.
Sitting in the grandstands in the early 80s, Bill Emig had his eye on another young talent. At the time, this driver campaigned his own street stock and Bill not only enjoyed watching him masterfully defeat the competition, he enjoyed the fact that he did it in a Chrysler product.
Although this driver and Bill never got the opportunity to race together, ironically 20 years later on the Bill Emig Memorial, this young talent would win his first career big-block modified race in just his third start.
Months later, this driver would debut a brand new late model and raced to victory to become the first driver in the history to win in four different divisions at what is now Bill’s legacy- Mercer Raceway Park. This driver is also Mercer’s all-time stock car and e-mod winner.
Don’t you agree that Bill certainly knew how to pick ‘em? We present you Alan Dellinger- the 2002 Legacy Award winner.