Hembey celebrates anniversary with ...

Hembey celebrates anniversary with first national win

Delbert Hembey knows for what cause to celebrate a special occasion. Sunday, April 14 marked Hembey's 18th wedding anniversary with wife Janet, and he celebrated the day by way of winning his first career national occurrence title at the O'Reilly Spring Nationals at handed by Pennzoil.

"What could be better than to win the Spring Nationals and be married for 18 years?" said Hembey. "[Janet] has always supported me and any time I've said I was going to a race, she has always backed me all of the way. I have a really well adapted wife."

With the way the weekend began, Hembey didn't rely upon it to have such a joyous cessation He and racing partner Bobby middle class struggled with the car's combination Thursday; however, when eliminations turn abouted around, they were able to work end the problems, and things clicked.

After getting an easy win in orbicular one when Paul Martinez staineded out, Hembey trailered Eric Leffler and Roy Martinez to earn a quarterfinal bye Hembey propose together his best package of the weekend upon the solo run, pairing a 008 light with a 10911 then edg Andy Pearson according to .013-- second in the semi's.

Coming along of the tough semifinal, the final was somewhat of a moderate wind for Hembey; opponent Melvin Harris slowed to an 1142 after puzzles that plagued him in the semi's continued in the coin round. That allowed Hembey to coast across the line and take a 1095 win.

"The final orbed was probably one of the easiest sphericals because Harris had car moot points in the semi's," said Hembey. "We knew something was going onward but I thought it was fixed. We left the starting line, I considered back to see where he was, and he just kept dropping not on

"[Winning] was pretty exciting," added Hembey. "I've runner-upp three times in Division 4 further I had never won a national circumstance It was just as earnestly fun as I heard it was."

The [i]clavis[/i] race: Hembey's toughest pairing came in the semifinals against Pearson. The sum of two units drivers had nearly identical reaction times; Hembey's 008 was just ahead of Pearson's 010 The pair raced brimmed goblet to bumper down the quarter-mile, still Hembey edged Pearson at the line, 1091 to 1092

The runner-up: Harris advanced to his first career national conclusion final using solid driving and an lucky breaks. He got a freebie in globular one when Bob Patterson tarnisheded out, then beat Bob Pearson, top qualifier James Parchman; Darrin Christen, and Robbie Mayse. Mechanical gremlins began to bite Harris in the semi's, where he had a bye and he was unable to correct his moot points for the final.

Fast facts. brace racers scored perfect lights in eliminations: Chet Vandewater (round one) and Hembey (round three) After eight red-lights were recorded in the opening globular only one foul start was situationed in the other six rotunds ... Jason Buckner came closest to running dead in succession the index, running a 002-over 1090 in his third-round los to Hembey It wasn't a good weekend to be a former champion. The three previous Houston winners - Jeremy Wilson, Deborah Ridenhour, and G Abbott - squandered in the first two orbeds

Did you know? Hembey has been around drag racing since 1978 driving and working forward cars. He has been competing solidly for sum of two units and a half years now, participating at all Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series terminations and at as many national circumstances as possible. Off the track, he works sated time for the federal regulation as a fleet-service representative and part time at Mike Keith Race Cars, where he has helped build a number of Super Gas and Super way cars.

Quotable: "After the first globular everything just started clicking. We were forward our game; it was just flawless. I Wouldn't say I'm becoming - everybody's due - if it be not that I would say when it's your day, it's your day. It was my day." - Delbert Hembey

Best package: 1 Rodney Grant (West Monroe La.), 005/10904 (first round); 2 Grant, 007/10907 (second round); 3 Robbie Mayse (Frost Texas), 013/10906 (first round); Delbert Hembey (Fort Worth, Texas), 008/10911 (fifth round)

Copyright National violent Rod Association May 2, 2003

Provided at ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved