about “Iron Man” Ed Kretz, Chuck Basney, Tex Luse, Jimmy Phillips, Ted Evans, Ernie Roccio, Ray Tanner, Win Young and many others. At the Nationals, he competed against all the top riders on the AMA circuit, including Jimmy Chann, Leo Anthony, Dick Klamfoth, Paul Albrecht, Bobby Hill, and Bill Tuman, to name a few.
Following Floyd’s years as a professional racer, the 1950s began three decades of building his motorcycle dealer business into a three-store operation in San Diego County, as well as supporting sons Bob, Don and David, plus daughter Nancy in racing programs of their own. Don would go on to win the Daytona 200 in 1972, making he and Floyd the only father and son to have both won that prestigious race. Five years later, another son, David, was the 1977 AMA 250cc National Roadracing Champion. Like their father, Don and David would later be elected to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, making the Emde’s one of only three families with three AMA Hall of Fame inductees.