[asalmsmouth]

Mid-Michigan veteran, Butch Morence sets his sights on the 2007 Sportsmen Track Championship at the Spartan (MI) Speedway.
By Morence Motorsports/M.P.H. Promotions

Ovid, Michigan (04/17/2007): Butch Morence has been racing off and on since 1981, a time span of over 25 years. The Ovid, Michigan veteran has seen his class of cars, commonly known around the United States as Street Stocks, change and evolve over the years. Throughout those years, Morence has kept up with the times and has consistently been amongst the most reliable Street Stocks drivers in Mid-Michigan and hopes his 2007 season will show the same versatility as in years past.

For the 2007 season, Morence has his sights set on running the full schedule of events in the Sportsmen Division (Formally Street Stocks) at the Spartan (MI) Speedway in Mason, Michigan, near the Capital City of Lansing on Friday nights as well as the Sunday Sportsmen Slugfest Special Shows scattered throughout the 2007 season at the Mason, Michigan speed plant as well. In addition, Morence will also run select events on Saturday nights at the Owosso (MI) Speedway as well as the Springport (MI) Motor Speedway.

Morence spent most of the 2006 campaign building a new Sportsmen car in anticipation of the upcoming 2007 season. The 43-year-old did make two appearances late in 2006 season with both of those coming at the 0.250 Mile Semi-Banked Paved Oval of the Spartan Speedway in the tracks Street Stocks (Now Sportsmen) division.

“After Spartan switched their rules around last year, we decided to scrap the old car and build a new one from the ground up.” Explained the Ovid, Michigan veteran as he prepares for the 2007 season. “It took us awhile to get it done and we almost missed the whole season. But we got the car out for the Harvest and worked some bugs out of it during the Fun Night and now we’re ready to go after a championship this season.” Morence added.

In Morence’s two appearances during the 2006 season, the 43-year-old Great Lakes State veteran debuted the car during the Spartan Speedway’s prestigious, Harvest 250 Weekend, traditionally held over the Labor Day Holidays. A week later, Morence picked up his lone Top 10 finish, a solid sixth place showing on September 9, 2007 after winning his Heat Race earlier in the evening.

“The car is in good shape, we didn’t tear it up at all in the two races we ran last year, so we’re ready to go and waiting for Opening Night to get here.” Added Morence. Spartan Speedway’s 51st Racing Season begins on Friday April 27, 2007. “We fully expect to contend for the championship this season and I can’t wait to get the year started.” Morence ended.

Morence began his racing career in 1981 in the Flying Stocks division at the Owosso (MI) Speedway back when the track was both a ½ mile and 1/4 mile paved and later dirt ovals. After spending 1982-1988 in the military and then raising his family of four children, Morence resumed his racing career in 1996.

In that 1996 season, Morence ran a half of a season in Street Stocks at the current 0.375 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval of the Owosso Speedway in his hometown of Ovid, Michigan in preparation for a full run in 1997. That season, Morence recorded Perfect Attendance while finishing 13th in the final points standings. Morence also won two heat races and one B Feature.

The 1998 campaign saw Morence once again record Perfect Attendance in a strong field of Street Stocks back at Owosso that saw the car counts average in the upper 30s. Morence finished 14th in the points standings while picking up three heat race wins.

Morence once again ran at Owosso in 1999 and picked up a career high at the time, one Top five finish while racking up three heat race wins and he broke into the top 10 in the final points for the first time in his career with a Ninth place finish.

After taking 2000-2002 off from racing, Morence came back in 2003 once again in a Street Stock and made five total appearances in preparation for the 2004 season.

Amongst his appearances in 2003 included three events at the Spartan Speedway where he finished a season high sixth place and in that same race, he led laps in a feature for first time in his career. Morence also made two appearances back at the Owosso Speedway, both resulted in top 10 finishes of eighth and ninth.

The 2004 season saw Morence run full-time at Spartan were he enjoyed by far the most consistent season of his career! A career high fourth place showing in the final points standings in the very competitive Street Stocks division at the Mason, Michigan speed plant.

Morence’s accomplishments included; one Top Five finish, a career high third place showing after leading the first 23 laps of a 25-lap feature! Overall, an impressive five Top 10 finishes were accumulated during the season and the most memorable moment of the 2004 campaign came when Morence was awarded the tracks Sportsman of the Year Award as voted as by his fellow drivers for his first ever Post Season Award of his racing career of any type.

The 2005 season saw Morence run full-time at both Spartan and a new track to his resume, the 0.375 mile high-banked paved oval of the Springport (MI) Motor Speedway, in Springport, Michigan in both tracks’ Street Stocks divisions.

At Spartan, Morence’s consistency continued to shine through as he recorded an impressive 10 Top 10 finishes included an eighth place finish on four different occasions! He also picked up one heat race win and go on to finish sixth in the final points standings in the Street Stocks division at the Mason, Michigan speed plant and for the second year in a row, was voted the Sportsman of the Year by his peers!

Morence’s time spent at Springport proved to be very rewarding as the Ovid, Michigan veteran recorded Five Top Five finishes with a season high fourth place finish and another tribute to his consistent performances, Nine Top 10 showings to finish a solid Fifth in the final Street Stocks Points Standings.

For the 2007 season, Morence will carry sponsorship on the side of his Morence Motorsports machine from; A.T. Racing Engines, Long’s Transmissions, M.J.P. Tax Service, and M.P.H. Promotions.

To learn more about Butch Morence and his 2007 Racing Season and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities for the upcoming year, please e-mail the team at: mprieur@asalatemodels.com

[61SSracer]

Glad to see your comming back full-time this year Butch ! !

GOOD LUCK ! !

CHUCK (aka) SHAGGY