Episode 106
May 15, 2016
ASPIRE Racing Team celebrating driver Spencer Morse’s first Super Late Model feature race win at Oxford Plains Speedway Saturday night. l to r Alex Moore, William Perrault, Spencer Morse, Sullivan Polland, and Luke Mowatt. Spencer Morse Racing photo
ASPIRE Wins It’s First Feature Race
It was a dream of Crazy Horse Racing’s Mitch Green to utilize stock car racing as a means of improving student retention and learning at Oxford Hills Middle School. As reported in an earlier episode of UpNorth Motorsports the students interviewed driver candidates to step into the unique role of driver, mentor, teacher, and role model.
After a rigorous process the student’s had their candidate, Spencer Morse from Waterford. He got his start racing karts at Oxford in 2003 and worked his way up to the Street Stocks for the 2012-2014 seasons.
Their decision was a good one as the team took their first 50 lap feature race Saturday night at Oxford Plains Speedway. More than that however has been the attention that Morse has paid to the students involved in this unique learning experience. He takes the time to meet and greet each and every member of the 58 member team.
This is how Morse described his first feature win in the Super Late Models,”We were really bad in practice. After a few panic runs to the Crazy Horse Racing parts trailer, we were okay for the last practice and made a pretty big swing for the heat.”
“I started 9th in my heat and ended up finishing third right behind my teammate Denis Spencer in the #46.”
“With the new starting order I started 3rd in the feature. On lap two, I was second. After a lap 12 caution for a Tim Brackett spin, I restarted on the outside of the #64 of Ryan Dean. After two laps, I finally cleared him and got to the bottom of the track and it was smooth sailing until 10 laps to go.”
“All of a sudden Tracy Gordon in the #41 was closing fast. He caught me with 3 laps to go but couldn’t do anything with me and I sailed to victory lane!”
Spencer Morse of Waterford displays his first Super Late Model feature race trophy at Crazy Horse Racing where the ASPIRE Team concept began. Judy Green photo
May Day Play Day at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School
The day before his first feature win Spencer Morse and crew were part of the May Day Play Day sponsored by the Oxford Rotary Club and Norway Paris Kiwanis Club.
Spencer Morse on left and Motor Moose with some of the kids at May Day Play Day at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School. Spencer Morse Racing photo
Morse said, “The event had a bike rodeo, along with a mechanical check for the bikes. Any kid that showed up with a bicycle received a free helmet.”
“They also had ropes courses for the kids as well as free food. A great time was had by all.”
“I was parked next to Norway Fire Department’s ladder truck. As big of a thrill as the fire truck was, my 410 horsepower hot rod stole the show.”
“We signed autographs, gave away some 5 Star Bodies stickers, and let the kids sit in the car. We even let some of them start it up! ”
“Crazy Horse Racing also assisted in getting Oxford Plains Speedway to raffle off two tickets to the Hood Oxford 250, as well as letting Motor Moose out to play.”
This is part of what makes ASPIRE Racing and Spencer Morse assets in their community.
WAR Takes Time Out For the Prom Before PASS 150
Wyatt Alexander took the time to go to the Senior prom with his girlfriend Lindsey Walker the night before the PASS 150 race at Speedway 95. The young man not only went to the prom but was selected “King of the Prom” by attendees.
Every high school student wants unique wheels for the Prom ,whether it be in an Aroostook Limousines limo or this lifted Bronco that Wyatt Alexander and date Lindsey Walker made their appearance in. Jenn Alexander/WAR photo
The Alexander family with Lindsey Walker posing before the Senior Prom. WAR photo
A racer at heart, Wyatt Alexander had to have checkered flag socks for the Prom. Jenn Alexander?WAR photo
And Now the Race
The long anticipated PASS 150 at Speedway 95 in Bangor was run under threatening rain conditions all day. The decision to get a race in with that type of weather is always a gamble. After four hour delay the race got underway and was won by Garrett Hall of Scarborough.
WAR # 96 leads the 7L Glen Luce car at the PASS 150 at Speedway 95 in Hermon. WAR photo
The WAR team was having a decent day in the Dan Colby Racing #96 until a blown engine put them out of the race.. Crew Chief Bobby Alexander explains, “We saw smoke on decel in practice but found the oil level to be high and drained some off. In hindsight the high level was probably due to a coolant leakage issue causing coolant to enter the crankcase. ”
“It was Dan’s call to leave him on the track, knowing that the low oil pressure indicator was flashing. ‘He is running too good for me to take him off the track’, said Dan.”
And he was running and handling very well. It was a tough track to figure out. Today as normally, the outside lane is the fastest at 95. Today the car worked better on the inside and it took about 100 laps for that fact to become evident. Once Wyatt discovered this, he started to advance back to the front. We feel that we had a top 5 car if we could have continued.”
“Dan plans to purchase a new ” 604″ crate motor and have the car ready to race at Monadnock in the Granite State Pro Stock Series in two weeks. Neither car will be finished in time for either the PASS race at Star Speedway or the GSPS race at White Mountain this coming weekend.”
Austin Theriault Back In the Truck Friday
Austins Theriault on right is back in the Brad Keselowski Racing Ford 150 next Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. BKR photo
Fort Kent’s Austin Theriault will back in the #2 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford F150 for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday the 20th. The 134 lap race can be seen on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 8:30 pm and heard on MRN Radio.
The BKR #2 Ford driven by Austin Cidric failed to qualify for the Dover race. Daniel Hemric in the #29 finished the race in 9th place and team mate Tyler Reddick finished 7th.
One of Spud Speedway’s most loyal race fans and a big fan of my #10 HTF Motorsports Champ kart is Joe Thibodeau of Stockholm. He celebrated the graduation of oldest daughter Elsa Thibodeau from the University of Maine @ Orono Saturday. Left to right Joe, Irene, Elsa, Anna Thibodeau, grandmother (Mor Mor) Elaine Anderson and Joe’s wife Lisa Anderson. Thibodeau family photo
Future race kart driver, 11 month old Grayden Williams, son of sponsor Darick and Whitney Williams, in the #10 HTF Motorsports kart at the Aroostook Centre Mall Show earlier this spring. Grayden’s Dad and Mom own Aroostook Limousines and ACE Auto Rental located in Presque Isle. DW Photo
Arson fire destroyed the new pit entrance building at Spud Speedway Friday evening. The building, valued at $3500, served as the sign-in spot for racers entering the pit area. A $500 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons who did the deed. Spud Speedway photo.
Let’s go racing,
Tom Hale
Soli Deo Gloria
