Most of the year there are good chances you will find the Meyers busy working on their farm 17 miles southwest of Wahpeton, N.D. And if they aren’t busy farming in the summer months, well, they are probably at a racetrack.
The Meyer racing team consists of Greg Meyer, his son Casey Meyer, and Greg’s nephew Shawn Meyer. The three race Wissota Late Models weekly at I-94 Sure Step Speedway in Fergus Falls and at other tracks in the eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota regions. In addition Greg’s brother — and Shawn’s father — Rob has been the wrencher for the race teams for decades.
Greg drives the #3M car, Casey the #03 car and Shawn the #18X machine. Including Rob as the crew chief, and you’ve got one racing family.
“Those two (Greg and Rob) have been involved in racing for over 30 years now,” Shawn said. “They’ve never really been away from it.”
“If it wasn’t for them two and our sponsors, we wouldn’t be doing this,” Casey Meyer said.
Greg’s racing career dates back to the 1970s. At 61, while he’s scaled back his racing, he still competes with his son and nephew at I-94. He has 62 career feature wins and in 2017, was second in the points at I-94. He still loves the “thrill of it.”
“Every decade, I’ve raced,” Greg said. “It’s fun competing with these guys.”
Casey, 31, started racing in 2008, hopping right into the late models. He was the rookie of the year that season at Red River Valley Speedway. He’s finished second in the late model points three times at I-94 and once at Viking Speedway. Greg has served as a mentor to his son but has also let him learn on his own.
“Say we come in from a heat race, and he watches you, he’ll give you some pointers,” Casey said. “And sometimes he lets you figure it out on your own.”
Shawn, 27, finished second in points in 2019 at I-94 with four top five finishes. He was third in 2018. Since 2017, both Casey and Shawn have three wins each in a very competitive class.
“It’s definitely the best class around,” Casey said. “Al the classes are strong competitors, but I feel like this (Class), you’ve got to be really on point and got to have a good notebook.”
All three Meyers drive different chassis — Casey drives a Victory Circle, Shawn an MB Customs and Greg a Black Diamond.
“We’re all different chassis, we’re all running on different shock programs,” Casey said.
“This new car, it’s definitely a learning experience,” Shawn said. “But I definitely like it a lot.”
Shawn has five top fives this season, finishing a season-best third twice. Casey four top fives this season.
Shawn is fourth in the points at I-94 while Casey is fifth.
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the Meyers. On June 26 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, Shawn hit the wall coming out of turn four and rolled his car; Casey had nowhere to go but into the #18x machine, and both cars were heavily damaged. Shawn’s car looked to endure the worst, but he was able to work at it to get the car ready for the next week at I-94.
“It happened to be a good time of year where we weren’t really doing much on the farm,” Shawn said. “I was able to plug away when I could…I hammered away at it for two good days.”
Shawn and Casey travel together in the same hauler on longer trips, and that’s included trips to Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Norman County Speedway and Brown County Speedway. Greg’s car stays home although he comes along to help.
“When we go further away it’s easier to put two in here instead of running two rigs,” Greg said. “I enjoy watching too. It doesn’t bother me to watch. I don’t feel like I have to be on the track.”
Shawn and Casey both would like to get a win before the end of 2020.
“We’ve been running all over the place. We are learning a lot,” Casey said. “We’d like to get a win. And to finish in the top five — there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“A win,” Shawn said of a goal for 2020, “and then we’ll move onto the next one.”
Even if the nights don’t go great, like the one in Grand Forks, the Meyers still love being on the track.
“We’ve got a pretty good rapport,” Shawn Meyer said. “That definitely helps. Everyone’s working on everyone’s car. We’ve got a sweet setup in the shop so we’ve got all three cars lined up. Someone’s usually tinkering on something.”
“It’s been fun,” Casey said. “I wouldn’t want to be in any other class. It’s been a blast.”
Driver Profiles
Casey Meyer
#03 Wissota Late Model
Residence: Wahpeton, N.D.
Age: 31
Sponsors: Smith Motors, Valley Beet Service, Southern Valley Cenex, Centrol, Ag Tech Drainage, Howco Trailers, Minn-Kota Ag Products, Butler Cat, Polaris Hi-Way Service, Speedwerx, MM2 Farms, M&M Farms, Berger’s Body and Glass, Winning Edge Graphics, Luxury Limo Bus, Line-X, Jawaski Glass and Repair, M&T Repair, Casey’s Bar, Goerger Seed, Pioneer Onchuck Seed, Valley Fab and Repair, Prochnow Farms, Wilbur Ellis,
Shawn Meyer
#18x Wissota Late Model
Residence: Wahpeton, N.D.
Age: 27
Sponsors: Butler Cat, M&T Repair, Luxury Limo Bus, Valley Fab and Repair, Smith Motors, Prochnow Farms, Pops Bulk Candy, Meyers Garage, Southern Valley Cenex, Minn-Kota Ag Products, Ag Tech Drainage, Berger’s Body and Glass, M&M Farms, Casey’s Bar, Pioneer Onchuck Seed, Howco Trailers, Driftwood Lounge, Goerger Seed, Wilbur Ellis, Winning Edge Graphics,
Greg Meyer
#3M Wissota Late Model
Residence: Wahpeton, N.D.
Age: 61
Sponsors: Butler Cat, Minn-Kota Ag Products, Centrol, Meyers Garage, Wilbur Ellis, Smith Motors, Prochnow Farms, Valley Beet Service and Manufacturing, Southern Valley Cenex, Goerger Seed, Pioneer Onchuck Seed, The Truck Shop, Valley Beet Service, MM2 Farms, M&M Farms, Polaris Hi-Way Service, Valley Fab and Repair
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