4/6/2012
Steve Caunt
Jason Meyers Elite Racing Final
What does John Elway, Steffi Graf, Barry Sanders, Sandy Koufax and the Elite Racing team have in common? They all left the sport while in their prime. This weekend the Elite Racing team packed up their trucks and drove to Merced Speedway for their last race together as a team and the end of the Allstar Appreciation Tour. With Jason Meyers leading the way, the team looked to leave the sport fulltime with a strong finish and they did.
Meyers raced from the 3rd starting position in the heat to finish 2nd locking him into the dash and then used a 5th place starting position in the dash to move up to 4th where he would start the final A main of his World of Outlaw career. Over the course of 40 laps on a narrow Merced Speedway Meyers battled with the 7s of Jason Sides for the majority of the race bringing the Allstar Performance #14 home in the 5th position.
“The ending of the Allstar Appreciation tour for us is bitter sweet,” explained the reigning World of Outlaws Champion. “It is the end of an era, but at the same time we are really excited by what is going to come in the future. We were really fortunate that we were able to put together the Allstar Appreciation Tour with the help of Allstar Performance, Tarlton and Son, KRC Safety, Dave Meyers Construction, Elite Landscaping, Craviotto Drums, Sharp Insurance, and all of our partners that have supported us over the years. We have had the luxury of working with some of the finest individuals in the industry over the years and made friendships that will last a life time. It was great to have them all back for the tour which gave us the opportunity to end on a positive note. On behalf of myself and my partner in Elite Racing and best friend Guy Stockbridge, I want to thank everyone who made this possible. We were able to enjoy time with our fans for one last west coast swing and visit the tracks where this all began.”
“Thank you to my teammates who stuck with me through these final races including my good friends Charlie Garret and the Kent family. They have truly become more than teammates, they have become part of our family. We are not only looking forward to our future, but also the great things our racing family is going to go on and achieve. I wish them all the best and know they will accomplish great things. I want to give a special thanks to my loving wife Robyn who has stood with me shoulder to shoulder over the past several years as we set out to accomplish our dreams. During that time we were married, built a company, built three homes, moved three times, won two championships and several races, started a family, and raised two kids while traveling over 500,000 miles not to mention several trips overseas. She is an amazing woman and I am very lucky to be able to call her my wife.”
“Thank you to the World of Outlaws for providing the series that we were fortunate enough to race in the past few years and giving sprint car racing a great home. I look forward to seeing who will step up and take over the championship role in 2012 and we wish everyone the best of luck. I want to thank Guy and Karlei (Stockbridge) for believing in me so many years ago. They had faith that Robyn and I could put this team together and over the past eight seasons we have accomplished a lot together. We were able to build Elite Racing into what we always dreamed it could be – A championship winning team.”
From the Desk of Elite Racing Co-Founder Guy Stockbridge:
Wow… it still hasn’t quite hit home that a decade of racing has come to an end!
Jason and I started this venture roughly 10 years ago. I wanted someone that could get in my car and possibly win the Trophy Cup. After being turned down by two of what I thought were the best drivers in California, my brother Eddie said, “you should ask that kid “Jason Meyers” to run your car. He is a pretty good driver.”With trust in the confidence Eddie had in this “kid,” I asked Jason if he would run one of my broken down, wore out, bailing wired together sprint cars. True to his desire to win, he could not refuse! That was the starting point of Elite Racing LLC, and most importantly the start of a friendship that has been tested true over the years. Oh and of course, impressive back to back World of Outlaws championships!
I can say this. It has had its ups and its downs throughout this decade of high intense racing with its associated demands on your minds, bodies, and of course our pocket books… but I would not change a single part of it.
This decade has seen the birth of both of Robyn and Jason’s daughters Delaney and Presley and has created memories for all of us to share for a lifetime. Our first win at Kings Speedway in a 360 sprint car has a story to it better than the first win. My wife Karlei sat in the stands 40 weeks pregnant with our 4th child Luke, to bring in our first ever win thanks to Jason. I would have to write a novel to speak of all the times this decade of racing has etched amazing memories in mine, Karlei’s, and all of our kids minds forever!
I will always look back on this time Jason and I spent together building this team and creating a dynasty all of us, and for that matter California, can be proud of.
In closing, life has blessed us beyond our wildest expectations. The ending of an amazing ride has finally come to an end. However, with every ending comes a new start and I am even more excited about what the next decade will bring!
Jason, thank you for the amazing memories and more importantly a friendship I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Always your partner,
Guy
Submitted By: Admin Account
