For the other team in which Mallory ran the race, see Mark & Mallory.
Gary Ervin and Mallory Ervin are a Father/Daughter team on the 17th season of The Amazing Race and the Unfinished Business 18th season of The Amazing Race.
Favorite hobbies: Triathlon, scuba diving and hunting/fishing
Achievements: Building a company from the ground up with my family to become one of the largest in the industry; getting my commercial pilots license and logging over 5000 hours; and, I wrestled and coached for University of Central Missouri and Union County High School.
Lifelong to do list: Be a better husband, father and friend
What scares you most about traveling? Being out of the country if something were to happen to my family
What excites you most about traveling? Learning about different people and cultures
If I could switch places with someone: No one - I'm not perfect, but I'm happy with who I am.
Role model/hero: My parents - I still strive to make them proud of me.
What are you passionate about? My family, work, faith and fitness
What would you do if you won the million dollars? If I were to win the million dollars I would help as many people with it as I could.
People would be surprised to learn: I ran 13 marathons and a half Ironman triathlon after I turned 45.
Favorite place you have ever visited: Ngoro Ngoro crater in Tanzania
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: The biggest obstacle of running the Race will be living up to our family's expectation that we are going to win.
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I would like to win for my family and community. I hope to represent both well so that they will be proud of my effort.
Pet peeve about your teammate: My daughter has a stubborn streak—a lot like me.
Mallory
Age: 24
Hometown: Lexington, Ky.
Connection to your Teammate: Daughter
Current occupation: Miss Kentucky 2009
Favorite hobbies: Performing, spending time with my family on our farm and thrill seeking activities like skydiving and bungee jumping
Achievements: I was very proud of being selected as 4th runner up at Miss America. It was something that I have worked and prepared for my entire life.
Lifelong to do list: Perform on Broadway! I also love motivational speaking and would love to find a way to continue this throughout my life. Lastly, I want to make my family proud.
What scares you most about traveling? Being out of the country if something was to happen to my family
What excites you most about traveling? I love diving blindly into new cultures and cities - the food, the language and the general attitude toward life. I also love that feeling that I have when I return home and realize all the good things that I have right here.
If I could switch places with someone: Phil, because he gets to do The Amazing Race every season.
Role model/hero: My dad
What are you passionate about? My family, singing and helping others find joy in life
What would you do if you won the million dollars? I would give some of it to the organizations that helped me along my way to achieve my dreams—the Miss America and Miss Kentucky Organization, Autism Awareness as well as the Catholic grade school and public high school I attended. I would save or invest the rest. My father will probably disagree.
People would be surprised to learn: I've already made a million dollars - for charity. When I was Miss Kentucky I sold a country ham for 1.3 million dollars and all the money went to local charities in my state.
Favorite place you have ever visited: Rome, Italy
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: We're both very stubborn so we will have to learn how to give a little. We also need to work on trusting each other.
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I hope to have the adventure of a lifetime and an experience to share with my Dad. He is a huge fan and has never missed an episode. It would mean a lot to him to be able to run the Race together.
Pet peeve about your teammate: Biggest pet peeve about my dad is that he never thinks about himself.[1]
Gary
Age: 53
Hometown: Morganfield, Ky.
Connection to your Teammate: Father
Current Occupation: Owner of Ervin Cable Construction
Previous Season/Result: Season 17/6th Place
Biggest mistake you made in your previous season: Getting lost in Oman.
Most memorable moment from your first Race: It was very memorable getting second three legs in a row. It was nice in Norway and Sweden because we had a comfortable lead and could relax a little and look around.
Favorite place you visited on your first season: St. Petersburg, Russia. It was a beautiful city with great people. Plus, it wasn't 100 degrees outside.
Why do you want to run the Race again? All of the same reasons as before except we want to win this time.
How have you changed since the last time you competed? I'm better prepared physically and mentally.
What are you passionate about? My family, my work, my faith, fitness and now, The Amazing Race!
People would be surprised to learn: I ran 13 marathons and a half Ironman triathlon after I turned 45.
One location that you hope to go on this adventure: Australia, I've never been and I like the spirit of the people that I have met from there.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: To relax and enjoy the moment and not miss the beauty of what we are running through.
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race again (other than winning one million dollars): Meet new people, see new places and be the last team standing.
Pet peeve about your teammate: She talks too much.
What would you do if you won the million dollars? Give it away.
Any strategic changes you will make heading into this Race: Let Mallory drive more. She is a more aggressive driver and I am a better navigator. We are also only going to bring one backpack with less than twenty pounds for both of us.
=Mallory
Age: 25
Hometown: Morganfield, Ky.
Connection to your Teammate: Daughter
Current Occupation: Entertainer
Previous Season/Result: Season 17/6th place
Biggest mistake you made in your previous season: Not turning around earlier in Oman.
Most memorable moment from your first Race: Finishing the bicycle rim challenge in Ghana and moving from last place to second place.
Favorite place you visited on your first season: I loved the Arctic Circle, especially the first half in Sweden. We were so hot and tired after racing two legs in Ghana, so the weather was perfect. I loved the snow.
Why do you want to run the Race again? I want to continue what we started last season and make it to the end. I also want to be the first parent-child team to win.
How have you changed since the last time you competed? It hasn't been that long, but my occupation has changed. I was the reigning Miss Kentucky during the last race, but my year of service has ended so things aren't as crazy and hectic this time. I am able to focus more on the Race and I've grown even more excited about it this time.
What are you passionate about? Performing, my family, my faith and striving to be a positive role model.
One location that you hope to go on this adventure: Australia! I've never been, but I know I would love it there. I think my dad and I would fit right in with the people there.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: To enjoy it more than we did last time. That will be a challenge because we loved it so much. We also need to work on our patience with each other.
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race again (other than winning one million dollars): I hope to see my dad standing proud and fulfilled at the finish line.
Pet peeve about your teammate: My dad is laid back and moves a little slower than me. My pet peeve is when he takes a long time to get his thoughts out and I'm already onto the next thing.
What would you do if you won the million dollars? I would give some of it to the Catholic school that I attended growing up. I would use the rest of the money to begin my life and career.
Any strategic changes you will make heading into this Race: I need to let my dad navigate more. He's definitely better at that. We also need to remember how strong we are.
⋐ The team that used the second slot of the "Double U-Turn" ⋑ Recipient of a second U-Turn due to the "Double U-Turn" twist
Notes:
1: Gary & Mallory incurred a 30-minute penalty for possessing and using maps which was explicitly prohibited in the clue. Already in last place, they were eliminated without the penalty being applied.
⋐ The team that used the second slot of the "Double U-Turn" ⋑ Recipient of a second U-Turn due to the "Double U-Turn" twist
∪ This team was penalized with an automatic "U-Turn"
Notes:
2: Gary & Mallory used the Express Pass to bypass the Roadblock in Leg 5. Before using the Express Pass, Gary elected to perform the Roadblock, and this is reflected in the total Roadblock count.
3: Leg 12 had two Roadblocks and no Detour. The team member who sat out the first Roadblock was required to perform the second one.
Post-Race Life
In 2016, Gary and a team attempted to to climb Mount Everest. He came within 200 steps of the summit.[2]
Trivia
First team to be eliminated in Oman.
Gary & Mallory placed 9th on the second leg and last (6th) on the 8th leg of both seasons they participated in together.
Highest average placing father/daughter team, at 3.25.
First parent/child team to reach the Final Three in their second season.
Oldest team to be the highest average placing team in a season, 39.
Mallory later raced again in Season 24 with Mark Jackson of Bopper & Mark from Season 20, after Mark's original partner, William "Bopper" Minton, was dissuaded by his doctor to enter the race. (see Mark & Mallory)
Mallory's Wikipedia page: Mallory Ervin
Gary's Facebook: /GErvin2