With the calendar flipping to 2023, Joel Myers Jr. can look back and reflect on a stout 2022 campaign.
When it was all said and done, the 16-year-old had a season to remember as he scored his first 360ci and 410ci winged sprint car feature event wins.
“2022 was a great year,” Meyers said. “I had a great opportunity to start the year with Vertullo Motorsports, and I was thankful they gave me a chance. I was also fortunate to run with Doug Rutz on occasion and had a blast working with him. I am also extremely thankful that my family continued to support me, and we had a memorable run to cap the season in the No. 46jr.”
Competing 59 times this season, the Sebastopol, Calif. driver netted 2 feature event wins, 17 Top-5’s and 26 Top-10’s. Running with the KWS/NARC Series, the Sprint Car Challenge Tour as well as weekly events at Placerville Speedway, Ocean Speedway, Silver Dollar Speedway, and in New Zealand, Myers was also able to make his long waited debut with the World of Outlaws Series, and racked strong results with each.
Making his debut with ‘The Greatest Show on Dirt’ over the Labor Day weekend in Alger, Wash., Myers Jr. made noise as he made all three features, and tabulated a career-best finish with the series as he ran fourth in only his second start with the series at Skagit Speedway.
Not only did Myers Jr. have success with the Outlaws at Skagit Speedway, but the youngster also flexed his muscle at the Super Dirt Cup in June and earned Hard Charger Honors at the prestigious event as he charged from 21st to tally a ninth-place finish in the feature event.
Myers Jr. would put together a slew of podium runs including podiums at the Howard Kaeding Classic with KWS/NARC as well as the SCCT portion of the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial to go along with a trio of podiums during his first ever visit to New Zealand.
Still searching for his first career win, Myers Jr. checked into his hometown track, Petaluma Speedway, in late September for the track’s biggest event of the year, the Adobe Cup.
In front of a slew of family and friends, ‘Jr’ went toe-to-toe with some of California’s best and broke through to pick up his first career sprint car win.
Ending his year on a high, Myers Jr. then turned his attention to closing the calendar year out in New Zealand as he teamed up with car owner, Daniel Anderson. Picking up a pair of podiums in his first two starts, the third race out would prove to be the charm for the Californian as he raced to the win, marking his first ever win with a 410ci powered power plant.
For good measure, Myers Jr then proceeded to open 2023 in victory lane as he scored another win at Central Motor Speedway in Cromwell, New Zeeland.
“To finally get a win was huge,” Myers Jr said. “We were fast all year, and to pull it off at home was special. I had a ton of great people in my corner, and it was a great year. Luckily it looks like we will be able to build with that same core group and it has me really excited for 2023 back home. Being in New Zealand to close out 2022 and open 2023 has been great as well. The Anderson’s have given be a great opportunity and it is only going to help us hit the 2023 season full steam ahead.”