Legacy Award

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 100^th and what was thought to be his final sprint car race at Mercer, that the speedway was part of Jimmy Hawley’s 1999 tri-track championship season, Lou Blaney’s next-to-last lap pass of the great Billy Decker, the spectacular achievements of Alan Dellinger and Erin Crocker, and Tommy Kristyak’s 100^th career Mercer win and championship last season are all moments that legacies are built upon and the Legacy Award has honored.

This year’s Legacy is being awarded to a driver for an all-around performance.   His dominance and consistency was remarkable and hasn’t been seen in some time in a headlining division.

For starters he was the only local sprint car driver to race three nights a week.   He was the only driver to win at all three western Pennsylvania tracks.  He more than doubled the win total by his closest competitor and that was none other than Ed Lynch, Jr.   His 17 wins were the highest by any driver in any headlining division in the region.  He won his first ever Mercer championship, won for the third time in four years at Tri-City Speedway, and finished second in points to Lynch at Lernerville Speedway.  He charged from 15^th to 3^rd in the All Star race at Lernerville without the help of a single caution and was right on the winner and runner-up at the finish on a track that was nearly un-passable after a 50-lap late model feature.  He won his first ever prestigious Cavalcade Championship for his overall performance.  His 9 wins at Tri-City moved him to number one on the list with 37 victories. 

At Mercer, he never finished worse than 4^th all season!  He built up such a large point lead that he was able to take a week off and vacation with his family in Myrtle Beach.  That following night at Tri-City, his car raced to victory with Gary Rankin behind the wheel, giving him 18 wins as an owner for the season.  The last time he finished out of the top 9 at Mercer was back on June 12 of 2004, which was the last night of a run of three straight DNFs that cost him a shot at the 2004 championship.  Check out these numbers, in his 42 starts at Mercer since September 7, 2002, he has 7 wins, 31 top 5s, and 38 top 10s!   

Obviously you know we’re talking about Rod George.  He’s one of the good guys of the sport.  He’s raced and won with the All Stars and with the PA Posse in on the tough central Pa. circuit, but we’re glad to have him with us each Saturday night.  I think he’ll even tell you he’s developed a great camaraderie and friendship with our drivers.

Rod, it’s a pleasure to award you with the Legacy Award for your unbelievable season.