Regardless of the type—be it NASCAR, dirt racing, or any other motorsport genre—they all share a common thread: the pursuit of speed. Often, drivers cross disciplines for a refreshing change and to test their mettle. Indeed, numerous NASCAR drivers have roots in dirt car racing or Supercar Championships, making a successful transition to stock car racing.

Yet, the kinship between these sports transcends mere speed and thrilling crashes. Many dirt car racers look up to NASCAR icons as mentors or role models, perhaps harboring dreams of joining the NASCAR league someday. But at its core, racing remains the same across platforms. The sentiment was recently echoed by a Midget Series driver who looks up to the iconic NASCAR figure, Dale Earnhardt Jr., not just for his on-track prowess but also as a personal beacon.

The enthusiast of Dale Earnhardt Jr. sends a stern caution to his RMS Racing teammate, Justin Grant

When fortune knocked at the door, Justin Grant promptly responded, seizing victory in the Driven to Save Lives BC39 on Saturday night at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s dirt track. Trailing just behind his RMS Racing teammate in second place through Turn 4 on Lap 31 of the 39-lap race, a sudden opportunity emerged. As Thomas Meseraull’s No. 7X vehicle collided with the cushion near the wall, causing his car to mount and briefly ride atop the wall, Grant adeptly avoided the entanglement, claiming a lead he would steadfastly hold onto.

The Californian affirmed his mettle, mirroring his previous night’s triumphs by securing victory in Saturday night’s A-Main. Grant made history, becoming the sole driver in the five-year chronicle of the esteemed Driven 2 Save Lives BC39 to initiate all five A-Main features and the fifth unique winner in as many attempts, propelling his No. 2 Honda to an exhilarating triumph at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Owing to the close-knit contest, when questioned about the intense rivalry with his teammate, Meseraull didn’t mince words. “I mean, Justin’s fierce. But I wanted to win this. And I’d crash my grandma. I’d definitely crash Justin Grant to win it. I was giving him no room. Maybe even I am running him dirty. But that’s okay. That’s part of it.”

Yet beyond Meseraull’s tenacious track presence and fiercely competitive spirit lies a lesser-known facet. His admiration for Dale Earnhardt Jr. not only fuels his racing aspirations but also shapes his personal life, an intimate revelation that he candidly shared after winning the Thursday race.

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Thomas Meseraull attributes his trackside gesture to Dale Jr.’s influence

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Thursday night was unmistakably about Meseraull, as he clinched a dominant win in the preliminary feature race for the Driven to Save Lives BC39 at the dirt track inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Despite the triumph, the race wasn’t without its share of last-minute upheaval.

Regardless of the on-track incidents, including a close encounter with the wall at Turn 4 in the No. 7X RMS Racing machine with just a little over three laps remaining, Meseraull openly cited his children as his lucky charm. He openly admitted that the heartfelt sentiment was inspired by Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast, where the esteemed NASCAR driver reminisced about his cherished childhood memories at the racetrack with his father.

Moved by Earnhardt’s recollections, Meseraull decided to bring his own children to the racetrack, allowing them to be a part of his racing journey. The gesture highlights the softer side of even the most hardened racers, revealing a tenderness often overshadowed by their fiercely competitive nature on the track.

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