one ▁in ▁his ▁left ▁arm , ▁which ▁was ▁pier ced ▁by ▁the ▁lever ▁of ▁the ▁fuel ▁shut - off ▁val ve . ▁It ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁last ▁race . ▁ ▁The ▁day ▁after ▁his ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁w reck , ▁Em ery ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁track ▁with ▁his ▁arm ▁in ▁a ▁cast , ▁and ▁was ▁offered ▁the ▁chance ▁to ▁t une ▁the ▁Blue ▁Max , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁left ▁l ane ▁the ▁day ▁before , ▁by ▁B ead le ; ▁Em ery ▁hes itated ▁to ▁accept , ▁having ▁only ▁ever ▁tun ed ▁his ▁own ▁cars ▁before ▁that . ▁When ▁B ead le ▁also ▁offered ▁to ▁let ▁Em ery ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁substitute ▁driver , ▁he ▁accepted . ▁He ▁eventually ▁joined ▁the ▁team ▁and , ▁working ▁with ▁Miller ▁and ▁G annt , ▁Em ery ▁drove ▁Blue ▁Max , ▁h ired ▁by ▁B ead le ▁( on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁car ▁owner ▁and ▁team ▁tun er ▁Harry ▁Schmidt ). ▁ ▁Em ery ▁transformed ▁the ▁trouble d ▁team ▁into ▁one ▁" that ▁domin ated ▁Fun ny ▁Car ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ". ▁▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁was ▁a ▁difficult ▁year ▁for ▁Em ery . ▁The ▁Blue ▁Max ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁top ▁ten ▁car ▁three ▁years ▁running ▁before ▁that , ▁but ▁suffered ▁persistent ▁fuel ▁system ▁difficulties , ▁keeping ▁the ▁car ▁from ▁even ▁doing ▁successful ▁burn outs , ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁a ▁year . ▁When ▁that ▁was ▁c ured ,