The Scoop
“MR. EXCITEMENT” TERRY CASEY BACK IN LOCAL ACTION
Posted on: Tuesday June 2, 2026
New London’s Terry Casey poses next to his car at Outagamie Speedway in May, 2026.
Terry Casey is racing in what many could call a “dartboard” tour in 2026.
The 57-year-old New London, Wisconsin dirt late model racer is back in the game in 2026, albeit on a part-time basis. And, he’s racing whenever and wherever he feels like going racing.
“I haven’t a clue as to when or where I will race this year,” Casey admitted, on opening night at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour in May. “Whenever we feel like going racing, we’ll go racing. But there is no real plan or timetable setup at all. Seymour sometimes. Dirt Kings once in awhile and maybe a show or two down at Plymouth.”
Nicknamed “Mr. Excitement” for his aggressive, hard-charging driving style, Casey has “been there” and “done that” during his DLM career over the years. Casey earned a WISSOTA late model championship at Shawano Speedway. Some years later, Casey hitched his wagon with the late Arnie Raanta. Raanta supported Casey’s three-year run in the Lucas OIls Dirt Late Model Series. Casey earned three wins in the series.
Terry Casey found victory lane three times chasing the Lucas Oil late model series. Here is Casey after a win at East Bay in Florida. (submitted photo)
In 2008, Casey earned rookie-of-the-year honors in the Lucas Oil Series. “I did quit my job back then to chase that deal,” Casey recalled. “”When I was home from the tour, I’d go work. The company I worked for back then was pretty good about that. Looking at the costs of everything these days, I’d say we cashed out at a pretty good time. I worry about this sport, I really do. The costs. Tires are $250 apiece. We used to get 100 tires at a clip when the tires cost $95. Not sure how long many late model teams can afford to this much longer. I mean, even at $1,000-to-win for a weekly show, you can’t even break even anymore, even when you win.”
Unlike driving for Raanta as a hired gun, these days Casey owns all of his own equipment – including a motorhome. “I own everything, including this brand new Longhorn chassis we have,” Casey pointed out. “I just paid 58 grand for a brand new Clements motor. Racing here at Seymour, I’ve got it pretty choked down with the restrictor plate I have to run for shows here and the Dirt Kings.”
Casey and his wife Lori have six grandchildren, with one of those grandkids racing karts. “It’s fun to go watch them do that,” Casey admitted. “My daughter Nicole has sort of pushed me back into racing a little bit. They are all into the racing thing. Heck, years ago I’d race seven nights a week if I could have back then.”
When Casey ran locally, he was running against a trio of local dirt late model legends – M.J. McBride, Pete Parker and Terry Anvelink, among others. “M.J. has passed on, and Pete and Terry have been retired for a bit now,” Casey said. “I guess I’m 57 now, so I may be in their shoes retired one of these days soon. I’d like to say I always raced those three guys with respect. I’d hope they’d think the same of me, Heck, I’d seem to trade paint with Pete all the time.”
“It was sort of funny because when we’d run at Antigo (Langlade County Speedway) on Friday nights, the fans up there seemed to love me. The following Saturday night at Shawano, I’d hear mostly boos. I’m not sure how that happened. But when Seymour’s track was the Tri-Oval, I didn’t mind running that one at all, either.”
“Mr. Excitement” Terry Casey in action. (C Marq)
Although Casey chased the Antigo-Shawano-Seymour circuit for some years, he also enjoyed slinging clay at some other ovals in the Badger state. “I honestly learned alot by going north and racing at Superior on Friday nights, and then traveling west to Cedar Lake Speedway on Saturdays. I feel the competition against those guys was overall a little tougher back then. I learned alot more, too. But if I had to pick one of my favorite tracks, I’d have to say East Bay down in Florida. And now it’s gone. Speedweeks in Florida was always a blast.”
Casey’s racing operation in 2026 is truly a family deal. His wife and kids and grandkids all chip in in some way as a pit crew. And looking down the road, Casey plans on continuing to “take it to the limit” so to speak. “I don’t plan on taking (any money) with me, and I don’t plan on leaving it for my kids, either,” Casey confessed. “If I plan this out right, I should be able to bounce my last check on the day I die.”
Casey’s team of marketing partners includes Casey’s Truck & Equipment Repair, S & S Excavating and Septic, Casey Excavating and Longhorn Chassis.