Thomas Meseraull will run the full 2026 USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship season in the Tim Engler-owned No. 7x, the parties announced, marking Meseraull’s return to full-time USAC competition. The campaign is scheduled to begin at the Kokomo Grand Prix on April 24-25 at Kokomo Speedway. While multiple outlets identified the car as the Engler-owned No. 7x, an official USAC release framed the news as a personnel/partnership update and did not include a full roster, race schedule, sponsorship details, car number or contract length, nor did it specify Engler’s exact role in the operation.

Meseraull brings extensive USAC experience to the partnership, with a career that began in 1999 and now includes 205 USAC National Midget starts, 10 wins, 40 top-five finishes and 87 top-10 finishes. He ran part time in 2025, making nine series starts with a season-best runner-up finish at Belleville’s Short Track.

The move continues a collaboration between Meseraull and owner Tim Engler that has developed around Engler’s EA Stealth Ford midget engine. Meseraull first ran the modernized pushrod Gaerte-based EA Stealth Ford package — fitted with a NASCAR cylinder head and originally conceived with input from Chase Briscoe — in 2023 and used it to win a BC39 preliminary-night feature. Engler’s program has expanded to four cars and six motors, with EA Stealth Ford engines made available to other teams; Meseraull said the package has steadily improved and is “so close” to competing with Toyota-powered entries.

Sources