GRANT TO CHASE USAC MIDGET TITLE WITH RMS IN 2021
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana (November 29, 2020)………Justin Grant, one of USAC’s premier drivers over the past decade, has signed on to compete with RMS Racing for the full USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship trail in 2021.
The Ione, Calif. native, fresh off a 2020 USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series driving title, will pilot the car, which will be numbered 2x and carry primary sponsorship from NOS Energy Drink. Teaming with Grant will be fellow driver Thomas Meseraull in the RMS No. 7x as they both pursue the complete series schedule.
“I think it’s going to be really good,” Grant said. “(RMS Racing) has definitely had speed this year and Thomas (Meseraull) and those guys have got the team going really well. I’m really looking forward to going racing with them.”
Grant competed on a part-time basis during the 2020 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget season for both RAMS Racing and Petry Motorsports. With RAMS, Grant was victorious in the series debut at Port City Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. back in May for his lone victory of the year. Grant ended the year with three top-fives and 15 top-tens in 22 starts, finishing 8th in the standings.
“I haven’t done the full tour in a couple years, which was kind of by choice,” explained Grant, the owner of five career USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature wins. “I raced with Rick Young and Jeff Taylor of RAMS Racing and we did a limited schedule over the last couple of years and had success. Things just lined up and the timing seemed right to go after a full tour again and see we can compete for a championship.”
RMS Racing is coming off a strong conclusion to its 2020 season with Meseraull driving the team to its first two USAC feature wins, first in October at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. then once more in the first ever USAC event at Merced (Calif.) Speedway in November, and look to build upon that success in a major way in the coming season.
“We were looking for an experienced driver, and actually, Thomas (Meseraull) was the one who recommended Justin to us,” RMS Racing owner Dave Estep said. “We wanted that experience so that they could bounce ideas off each other. That’s the main reason. We want to win, and with those two, we have a very good opportunity. I think we’re going to have a very good team.”
Meanwhile, Grant and Meseraull were also confirmed as part of RMS Racing’s “Dream Team” lineup for the 35th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl presented by General Tire January 11-16, 2021 at the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla. Those two will join two-time NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint Car champion Brad Sweet, 2017 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget champion Spencer Bayston and 2019 Knoxville Nationals winner David Gravel.
The 2021 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget season begins on Thursday, February 4, with a practice night for the series, followed by two-straight nights of complete shows at the 3/8-mile D-shaped Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, February 5, and Saturday night’s finale on February 6 in which the winner’s share will be $5,000.