By PAUL BEITLER
Sports Editor
FORT WAYNE ” From the time he was 6 years old until he graduated from Norwell High School in 2001, Justin Meriwether’s main interest was the sport of wrestling.
But over the last year and a half Meriwether has filled part of his spare time with stock car racing.
A few years ago Meriwether’s father, Bob, bought a race car from one of his employees, Cory Nuttle, who had raced stock cars for five seasons at Baer Field Speedway in Fort Wayne.
Originally, the car was purchased so Justin and his older brother, Rory, could race it. However, the car sat idle for about 18 months.
Then Nuttle, from Yoder, finally talked Justin into driving the car.
Justin, 22, began racing the Ford car in the mini stock class about midway into the 2004 racing season for Walter Racing, which is headed up by former street stock track champion Pat Walter.
Nuttle, who raced for three seasons in the mini stock, wasn’t surprised by the way Justin adapted to racing.
“He took right to it,” said Nuttle. “He’s always been into dirt bikes and cars. He’s a little crazy and definitely has the (nerve) to drive.
“I think that’s what makes him so good. He just seems to have no fear. Sometimes that can bite you and sometimes it can help you,” Nuttle added.
In 2005, Justin’s first full season, he has won three feature races and two heat races.
Meriwether has been a good student. It didn’t take him long to understand what Nuttle was teaching him about driving and racing the car.
“I had to explain to him how to tell me what the car is doing on the track. Then once he got that down, he can pretty much tell me what I need to know,” said Nuttle.
“He can go out there one time and tell me what it’s doing and I can fix the car and it’s good the next time out,” Nuttle related.
Meriwether, who grew up in Craigville, also is helped at the track by his friend Jake Hinton (a 2005 Norwell graduate) and Josh Smekens.
On Friday nights at Baer Field Speedway, Meriwether also is joined by his mother, Diane, his sister, Heidi, and other supporters.
Meriwether, who started wrestling for Norwell in the 103-pound class and finished up in the 125-pound class, has become fond of racing.
“Until I started racing, I didn’t really have anything where I felt that I was accomplishing anything,” said Meriwether.
Racing has helped to fill the void left from wrestling ” to a certain point.
“It’s definitely a big rush. It’s a hobby to do. I was used to wrestling where it took up a lot of your time and when you did something good it made you feel good about yourself,” explained Meriwether.
“It’s not quite the same as wrestling,” Meriwether continued.
“Wrestling will never compare to anything else. It’s a thrill like nothing else.”
Racing comes close, but it’s just not the same to Meriwether.
Wrestling was a way of life, like being a part of a big family.
Maybe some day he will feel more that way about auto racing ” maybe.
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