By ohnson 
There were merely three weeks remaining in the big-block modified point season at the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, New York. For Tommy Meier, amidst his endeavors with both the big-block and small-block modified cars, the possibility of claiming two track titles within a single season was highly feasible.
As he fastened himself in, a routine he had carried out innumerable times throughout his career, the number-crunching came to a halt. The strategic approach of how to accumulate points vanished from his mind. Only the task at hand held significance as he depressed the clutch and began rolling onto the speedway surface.
If this night were a Hollywood script, the perspiration on his face would have pierced his visor; his gritted teeth would have been visible behind his helmet as he charged through the field with unwavering speed and indomitable determination. However, in reality, the pinion gear in the rear-end of his modified broke as soon as the green flag waved. His race was over before it even truly began.
There exist two kinds of people in racing; those who fix their gaze upon the aspect of failure and accept it, and those who confront it head-on and smile. Tommy Meir, a 30-year veteran, undoubtedly belongs to the latter category.
“We were leading the points when the pinion gear broke,” declared Meier. “We ended up being the first car out that night and that DNF dealt a significant blow to us.” Not to be discouraged, the driver of the notorious No. 331/3 returned the following week with a mission rather than on the brink of giving up.
“We actually went out and won the following week,” Meier continued. “We were aware that going into that last night with our big-block was a long shot and we knew that we would require those guys to encounter some difficulties to offer us a bit of assistance and lo and behold, they did.”
Heading into the final night, Meier comprehended that he could secure the second small-block title of his racing career as long as he completed the race. Nevertheless, it was the big-block title that remained highly uncertain and had the fans on the verge of their seats. It didn’t take long for the drama and anticipation to escalate.
“Our heat race couldn’t have gone more according to plan that night,” reflected Meier. “I ended up in a handicapped position and Jerry [Higbie] and Stewart [Friesen] fell short, which placed them further back in the field. That could have been the championship right there.” If the heat race was any indication, Meier rapidly began to believe in miracles as the odds suddenly started to shift in his favor.
During the initial few laps of the big-block modified feature that night, a colossal crash involved championship hopefuls Jerry Higbie and Stewart Friesen. Though both were capable of repairing the damage and persevere, Meier had no idea where anyone was in the field after that. The sole certainty was that he needed to pass as many cars as possible if he had any chance of achieving the championship in an unlikely manner.
“I saw the Halmar car in the second turn being towed off and I thought it was Stewart,” said Meier. “I thought to myself ‘man, we really have a shot now.’ It wasn’t him, it was Jimmy [Horton] but he [Friesen] was all bent up and struggling to race the vehicle and I made it through unscathed. I took more risks than I normally would that night and we definitely had luck on our side.”
Not only did Meier achieve an underdog big-block title, but he also succeeded in capturing the small-block title. Sweeping both of the top two divisions at Middletown is an accomplishment that only Chuck McKee and Brett Hearn have managed to achieve. Needless to say, Meier is now recorded in the history books alongside some highly impressive names.
“It’s quite remarkable to win both in one year,” He continued. “It’s not as if it came without a significant investment of time. Winning a championship requires an immense amount of effort and there are numerous unknowns such as when to make changes, how to make the correct decisions, not to mention the amount of work involved in operating two separate cars in two distinct divisions.”
Meier attributes the majority of his success not to himself, but to those who surround him on a weekly basis. “Anyone who races these cars is aware of the extent of the work involved,” stated Meier. “I was able to keep one car at Jeff’s [Behrent] and he took care of it in his workshop while we kept the small-block at my place. Splitting the labor as we did made it manageable. If we didn’t have two separate garages to house our cars, we could never have participated in two classes.”
With three decades of experience and memories under his belt, Meier looks back on the past 12-months with greater fondness than any other period in his career. “The past year has been the best for me, without a doubt,” He said. “Winning Eastern States in 2015 and then emerging strongly in 2016 and winning both championships has effortlessly made the past year or so the pinnacle of my career.”
As remarkable as his 2016 victories were, what’s even more astonishing is the unconventional manner in which they were achieved from a technical perspective. “We’ve been using the exact same setup for almost a year now,” stated Meier. “That’s almost unprecedented but it’s been working splendidly for us so we’re simply holding onto it and attempting to maintain everything in order.”
His year-old setup swiftly transformed from familiarity to comfort throughout the 2016 season and it’s something that both the fans and his competitors duly noted as the year progressed. “The chassis is a perfect fit,” He continued. “The shock package is precisely where it needs to be and we essentially leave it alone. I know how the car behaves, I like how the car feels and that in itself is a massive game-changer on the track.”
Luck played a significant role in his success last year off the track as much as it did on and to validate this statement, one only needs to consider the numerous proverbial bullets that were evaded throughout the year. “We knocked the front end off the car one week and needed a clip,” Meier recalled. “We returned and performed just as well which is nearly impossible. We measured everything that could be measured but sometimes you just can’t replicate it exactly but we were fortunate. So far, so good.”
From the very outset, racing has always been a team sport for Tommy Meier; in fact, it’s the only way he knows. “I don’t know if we’ll be back with both cars in 2017,” commented Meier. “We’ll continue racing as long as we are still deriving enjoyment from it and we have the personnel to assist us. I couldn’t accomplish all of this without them. Racing to be competitive and fast and racing for a championship are two completely different approaches. We’ll assess the risks and then decide.”
Apart from the company he keeps where drivers like McKee and Hearn are concerned, Meier is also in a class of his own in the history of the Orange County Fair Speedway in another aspect. As of 2017, he is the sole driver to have claimed a championship in every division offered at the Middletown facility, ranging from the street stocks all the way to the big-block modifieds. He has literally won in every category he has ever competed in. Not many drivers will ever be capable of matching such a feat.
As for whether or not time is on his side at the age of 51, Meier has no limitations when it comes to his future. “As long as there are people whom I enjoy racing with, I’ll continue racing,” He concluded. “It’s no fun doing it alone and currently, we have an excellent group of individuals all the time so we’ll simply keep going.”
And keep going along he will; known as the man who overcame the impossible to sweep both the top modified divisions at the place regarded as nothing more than ‘The Hard Clay.’
Matt Noles is a contributing writer to Dirt Track Digest, Racer’s Guide and Speedway Illustrated. He currently resides in Sprakers, New York and can be reached via e-mail at matt_noles@yahoo.com
Kim Forcellina is a contributing photographer to Race Pro Weekly and an aspiring writer. She currently resides in West Milford, New Jersey and can be reached via e-mail at kforcephotography@gmail.com