(Text by Bret Kepner – Photos by Bret Kepner, Jason Phillips and Kevin Corzine) 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”.
Wow! Kudos to all who helped, especially Gateway!
Thanks again to Gateway for allowing this to happen for the Garcia Family!! Total CLASS!!
Thanks Gateway for allowing that for the garcia family and friends of chris garcia aka hoppin julio . Total Class from Dave Coleman aka heavy d
This was amazing and so heart-warming. Thank you Gateway for such an amazing tribute to such an amazing man. R.I.P. Chris
W.T.G. GateWay!!!
Brian,
Thank you for writing such a great article about my Uncle Chris. It really is a wonderful tribute to him and you captured his love of racing along with his love of family.
Thank you again on behalf of the entire Garcia family.
This was a beautifully written article for Chris! Thank you to Gateway for doing this for him and his family. Just Awesome! Race in Peace, Chris, you will Never be forgotten!
To a great competitor who will be missed. RIP Chris !!!
I never got the chance to meet Chris, but it sounds like we have a lot of common friends. Godspeed!
And Kudos to Gateway for allowing this to happen. These are the types of things that build racer loyalty, as well!
R.I.P Chris. …I always loved watching you race. I know you are in heaven smiling down on everybody today. Great article and send off
Last pass! To bad the hauler didn’t smoke the hoops.
That was awesome. When I depart this world I would Like a send off like that. kudos to his family.
Beautiful
Now that is how you send out a drag racer. That is wonderful.
Amazing story! May Chris RIP.
Maybe they should have checked the hearse after they all went down the track, because I’m sure they would have seen a big ear to ear grin on Chris’s face !!!!! Great send off for a drag racer !!!!!
Yes, right on that’s cool as it gets I would not mind somthing like that even. A couple of top fuelis at the tent to make sure that every one gets a tear in there eye. Made freinds with an emt that lost his livewarning people about a tornado. A helicopter flew overhead at the end of his eulogy at the cementary. I don’t know if was planed but I know I still owe you a beer Mr Casey.
Thanks Gateway for doing this for Chris and his family. Only wish we would have known about it because we would have been there. What a guy. You guys are right he was a great racer and love to be at that track. He will truly be missed. Our condolence to his family. RIP and keep a watchful eye from heaven on the rest of the racers.
Monica and Neal Furlow
I know this final pass meant the world to the family. There is no doubt Chris had a huge smile. We were so sad to hear that he had passed.
Brandon and Missy Ray
Wow…I am Blown away. all i can say is “car people get it”….aways above and beyond what is expected. My familys thoughts and prayers to The Garcia family.
Well wrought and well writ story. Thanks for it.
Great story, great kids, great track.
Good bye my old Friend……
Total class by the gang at GMP!! May God comfort and always bless the Garcia family.
kudos 2 gateway for the great send off for Chris
That last pass was perfect. We could not have done any better in pulling that off. Thank you Gateway for letting us do this, it was his last wish to drive through the smoke of a burn out one last time. Being able to do that meant the world to us. I also want to thank all the racers who helped, it was more than we expected. Having you all there and doing a tribute of your own on the spot meant a lot and make everything more special than my brother, who worked hard to make sure this happened and I had planned. You guys gave our family a glimpse of what we do and showed them that racing is more than just a hobby, but a second family to us; our home away from home. And yes Julio is smiling from ear to ear
what a great send off too the ultimate race track in heaven. thanks to all who made this happen, my thoughts and prayers are with the Garcias
My prayers go out to the Garcia family, and I’ve seen Chris and his Nova at Gateway Motorsports Park racing,may you rest in peace Chris.
Thank you Gateway Motorsports Park for being such a class act and letting it happen.
CHRIS WAS A TRUE RACER….HE WAS IN THE SPORTSMAN CLASS WHEN I CAME FROM DETROIT….I HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH HIM DO HIS THING FOR YRS AT GATEWAY…THREE NITE WEEK BACK IN THE DAY….A CLASS ACT …..WE WERE THE FIRST IN LINE…LAST TO LEAVE THE TRACK …..TRUE RACER……DOCTOR DETROIT……WENDELL MCCOY,,,,,,MY FRIEND……..
Way to go Gateway Motorsports Park ..:)
You are a good guy Brian and you did a great job covering this story for this family.
Hats off to Chris Blair for doing with short notice. He knows how we RACERS all STICK TOGETHER. RIP HULIO
Real great send off have tears in my eyes just a great job .
Wow simply amazing respect for a great man.
I lost my dad in January… Our nearest track is about 2 hours away so I couldnt what was done above, but with the help of the local police, We had the road in front of the church blocked off and had all the local racers and car clubs line up in honor of him. The hurst led the way to his final resting spot while i followed in our drag vega and my cousin in there drag nova… Best way I could think of to honor my dad… Miss you pops
the world was lost a great man, thank you gate way for a great send off to the other side.
I was shocked and saddened to hear the news just now about Chris. We truly have lost a sportsman copetitor, but more importantly, a friend who loved his family.
I would like to echo Bret’s accurate workds: one Saturday night, Chris and I were under the tower as Jesse was preparing to make a pass, Chris said sharing time his kids race meant more to him than anything else.
Having a daughter who began her drag racing career this summer in the High School program, I can relate to Chris’ insight.
God Speed, Chris. All our Love to you, Kristina and Jesse.
Years ago my husband and friends raced at Gateway and it was a special place for all of us. This is truly amazing what was done for the Garcia family at Gateway, a real family racetrack, showing the world that drag racing is truly a family affair, and all people belong to the same family, regardless of their name when it comes to drag racing. Thank you for the memories that GNR has given to the Garcia family.