You never know where a good lunch might lead.
For Emerson Axsom, one led him to Victory Lane at the highest level of Sprint Car racing.
Rewind to late 2023. The then 19-year-old Axsom encountered an early career crossroads. He was fresh off back-to-back top five points finishes in USAC National Sprint Car competition with Clauson Marshall Racing. But the two sides went separate ways as Axsom aimed for an avenue to shift his focus to Wing Sprint Cars.
Conversations between Axsom and family friend Dale Klaasmeyer laid the foundation. A friendly meal between them and Axsom’s former Midget owner Scott Petry put the rest of the bricks in place.
“Dale and I became family friends, we became really good buddies just through racing and being around each other,” Axsom explained. “He ended up sponsoring me a little bit, sponsored me some motors while I was at Clauson Marshall Racing. Then, whenever Clauson Marshall and I separated, I kind of told Dale that I was looking to go Wing racing and asked if he had any interest in being a part of it. He said he did.
“Then, we randomly just went and got lunch as friends with Scott Petry one day, and he asked what I was doing since Clauson Marshall and I went separate ways. We told him that we were building a Wing program. Basically, he just said he wanted to be a part of it.”
Klaasmeyer-Petry Motorsports was born ahead of 2024. Both Klaasmeyer and Petry knew Axsom was the right kid to build around. For Petry, the confidence came from his introduction to Axsom when a legend of the sport praised the up-and-coming racer.
“Jerry Coons Jr. was driving a Midget for me,” Petry said. “He said, ‘You need to look at this kid.’ He said, ‘This kid has as much talent as anybody I’ve seen coming up through the Micros.’ And so, we met with Joe (Emerson’s father) and Emerson.”
Klaasmeyer’s connection to the Franklin, IN driver also went back a handful of years. They became acquainted via Dale’s son Tucker’s racing. The human and the wheelman that Axsom proved to be impressed Klaasmeyer enough to invest in his career.
“He was just a genuinely good person, a good kid,” Klaasmeyer said. “But also, his ability to focus under pressure watching him run the (Tulsa) Shootout. Those are high intensity races that didn’t seem to faze him a bit.”
After two years of a pick and choose schedule, Axsom and the team decided to hit the road full-time with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2026. That choice was rewarded with Axsom’s first Series win at Huset’s Speedway over the weekend as he held off Buddy Kofoid, David Gravel, and Carson Macedo for $25,000. Axsom’s crew chief? His father Joe. An unforgettable night for all involved on the No. 27 team.
“I think I probably did 20 laps around my house on the outside watching the race because I couldn’t sit still,” Petry said. “Every time a yellow would come out. But it was just great to see and the emotion Emerson had when he won. The first thing he did was ask for his dad. What better story can you write? A father and son out on the road working their butts off against the toughest guys in the world.”
“It was pretty amazing,” Klaasmeyer agreed. “The way he’s progressed driving is unreal. You know, Carson (Macedo) talking about how great his car was that night, same with Gravel, and Emerson seemed to handle them just fine. I was a nervous wreck to say the least. I felt like Tucker was out there driving. All the cautions and the red flags. You just expect something not to go quite right, but man, he did a great job.”
The entire team soaked in the celebration as much as they could, but they also understand this is only the start of something special. They want the Huset’s triumph to be the first of many checkered flags as they continue to work toward the ultimate goal – a World of Outlaws title. They’re committed to each other for the long haul. That pivotal lunch and Huset’s are behind them. A promising future awaits.
“I know Dale’s dream is to be a World of Outlaws championship owner,” Axsom said. “I feel like we still have a long way to go of course, but to be making progress toward that end goal feels great and get everyone’s spirits up and everyone excited to do this.”
“This is a long-term deal between me and Dale,” Petry said. “We’re going to do this and whatever it takes we’re going to get it done. We want to be doing it 20 years, and hopefully Emerson’s driving for us all of them.”
“It’s always been kind of a dream of ours, for sure mine,” Klaasmeyer said of being with the World of Outlaws. “I can’t even describe how happy I am and excited for Emerson and us. I mean, I hope this is the beginning of several years of us racing together. It’s pretty special. I grew up around the World of Outlaws, racing and all that. I’ve never been in a car, never even fired one off, just always been a huge fan, always wanted to be a part of it.”
Axsom’s rookie campaign with Klaasmeyer-Petry Motorsports continues Saturday, Sept. 12 at Kansas’ Dodge City Raceway Park and on Monday, Sept. 14 at Colorado’s El Paso County Raceway. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.
Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.