race , Charles Myers had visions of one day staging up against Pro Stock ’ s best . As he started to get older , though , Myers realized his dream wasn ’ t just to race , it was to make a difference in the sport .

The goal of simply making a difference in drag racing has carried Myers through almost 10 years of professional experiences from coast to coast . After racing Jr . Dragsters , he hosted a racing-themed show on the UNC Charlotte college radio station at 19 . He dabbled in the media world , which led to a media and PR role at GALOT Motorsports Park in his native North Carolina . He later moved out to California , where he held management and marketing positions at Irwindale Dragstrip and Auto Club Famoso Raceway .

In 2018 , he traveled the country as a marketing services manager at NHRA , where he managed the NHRA Legends Tour program , rubbing elbows with some of the sport ’ s most iconic drivers . That ’ s how he met the late Tom “ The Mongoose ” McEwen . McEwen introduced Myers to nitrous oxide innovator Mike Thermos , and it was Thermos who Myers called on for a new opportunity in late 2019 . Myers signed on as the business development manager for Thermos ’ company ,

Nitrous Supply , in January earlier this year .

“ Everybody asks why I ’ ve shifted around , and the bottom line is I wasn ’ t happy where I was ,” says Myers , who appeared on the 30 Under 30 list in 2018 . “ I wasn ’ t making a difference . Now I ’ m in a spot where I ’ m making a difference and helping the racers .”

Working with Thermos , Myers is tasked with expanding Nitrous Supply from a small hobby shop to a recognizable brand that can compete on a national level . In addition to building relationships with distributors around the country , Myers has worked to raise brand awareness through sponsorship of events like the NMCA World Street Finals and the Street Car Super Nationals , as well as racers like nitrous Pro Modified pioneer Charles Carpenter .

“ I love seeing the manufacturer side because I can be around the races when I want to be , but I don ’ t have to be ,” Myers , 28 , says . “ I can benefit the racer by giving them the parts and the customer service , and it allows me to make a difference . That ’ s all I ’ ve wanted since day one : to be able to make a difference .”

Sales have increased substantially this year , even with the massive hit that the industry took during the COVID-19 shutdown . Myers and Thermos have even more growth in mind , including working with Jeff Prock and Prock Performance to establish an East Coast presence for the Huntington Beach , California-based business .

Still , the duo doesn ’ t want to grow too big or too fast . Thermos experienced that with his first company , Nitrous Oxide Systems , often known as simply “ NOS .” It became one of the most recognizable high performance brands in the world , gaining mainstream recognition through the Fast and Furious movies . Thermos sold the company to Holley in 1999 before launching Nitrous Supply several years later .

Now , Myers is right where he wants to be . He has a chance to make a difference , working with a legend of the industry to sustainably build up a brand that has the potential to make its own mark .

“ We ’ ve been a big fish in a small pond because there ’ s not many nitrous companies out here [ in California ],” Myers says . “ Do we want to be what NOS was ? No , not really . Mike and I have had many long talks about the future and the goal is to get back down to making nitrous affordable for everybody again and have the same great parts that can compete with the turbos and superchargers of the world .” – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI

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