I saw this the other day an thought it was awesome that Gateway Motorsports Park opened the track for this...





Chris Garcia was the very definition of the term, “hardcore drag racer”. The news of the 52 year-old’s sudden passing on Christmas Eve rocked the tight knit drag racing community within the greater metropolitan area of St. Louis, Missouri, and his wake on Friday, December 27, was attended by hundreds of members of his drag racing “family”. However, Chris Garcia was no ordinary individual and plans were quickly formulated to give him a send-off like no other.
Chris coming off the GIR starting line wheels up.

Considered one of the true “good guys” who seldom missed an event at local tracks, Garcia was the consummate drag racing sportsman who was often the last to leave the pit area after a race. Win, lose or rainout, the man known as “Hoppin’ Julio” always had a smile and plenty of conversation for both friends and opponents. Garcia brought his son, Jesse, and daughter, Kristina, into the sport and molded both into formidable drag racers capable of winning any round. It was Garcia’s children who put into action a plan devised during the wake to honor their father in a most amazing way.
Racing regularly at Gateway Motorsports Park in nearby Madison, Illinois, Kristina campaigns her father’s eleven-second blue ‘79 Camaro while Jesse wheels the family’s ten-second yellow ‘78 Nova. Although Garcia still climbed into the driver’s seat on occasion, he found no greater joy than tuning the cars and watching the win light illuminate for one of his kids. Jesse and Kristina knew exactly what their father would’ve wanted but they needed the help of Garcia’s racing “family” to make it happen.
Once the basic premise was conceived during the wake, the idea was discussed and (amazingly) agreed upon by the directors of the funeral home. Fellow racers made the sacrifice to make certain both the Camaro and the Nova were ready to race and could be transported. Word of the plan spread quickly on social media but the key to its implementation rested squarely on the shoulders of Gateway Motorsports Park General Manager Chris Blair who was awakened near midnight by a phone call in which the Garcia kids asked the simple question, “Can you open the racetrack for our Dad tomorrow?”.
Chris watching the Camaro come of the GIR starting line (he’s the dude in the wristband).

Incredibly, Blair obliged without hesitation. On Saturday morning, December 28, 2013, Blair put his crew into action to open the facility which had been shuttered for the season seven weeks earlier. Friends and fellow competitors arrived three hours prior to the 2:00 PM event and awaited the approaching funeral procession. When the caravan arrived at the track, more racers assisted in organizing over one hundred procession vehicles in the staging lanes while the Nova, the Camaro and the hearse were lined up in front of the timing tower. Hundreds more folks parked and found a seat in the grandstands before a brief eulogy was presented over the public address system. After a moment of silence, the “plan” was unleashed.

First, Kristina fired the blue Camaro and rolled to the starting line. As she waited, Jesse lit the yellow Nova and moved into position in the water box. At that point, the driver of the hearse cranked the ignition and put the gold Lincoln into gear. With a quick signal, Kristina launched off the starting line as Jesse performed a blazing burnout producing a wall of white smoke…through which the hearse came blasting through with “Julio” on board!



With the rest of the immediate family in the dignitary car, the four machines began one last parade to the finish line for Chris Garcia. Each of the one hundred procession vehicles was permitted to follow after performing an obligatory burnout (editor’s note - even the author!) to the cheers of the assemblage. After everything from minivans to fast street machines had covered the GMP quarter-mile, the massive group was reassembled in the pit area for the traditional drive to the cemetery.
In just twelve short hours, the staff of Gateway Motorsports Park and the members of Chris “Julio” Garcia’s family, (both actual and “racing”), made history with one of drag racing’s most unique farewell celebrations.
Chances are good nobody enjoyed it more than “Julio”.

 

That is truly a sign of respect

 

this is one of the best story's ive read in a long time.... i guess there is still some people in this world with a heart

 

That's awesome.

 

Very unique. A year and a half ago I attended a dragway wedding, but never a funeral. Terrible time of year to pass, but sounds like everyone made the most of it. He must have been quite an important man for all these folks to be able to free up the busy holiday time for the occasion...

 

I thought it was awesome that Gateway Motorsports Park opened the track . Hat's off to Gateway Motorsports Park for doing this..