Morse follows father’s lead into racing life

Jack Morse was a household name in Spokane stock car circles in the 1960s.

Described by some as Spokane’s best-loved race car driver, Morse won about every class that competed at the old Fairgrounds Speedway. Among them, the C-Class (now the modifieds), and that era’s version of the superstock, the A-Class.

Morse won a C-Class championship in 1969 and also snared a superstock title or two.

“He was my hero,” said veteran driver Ed Hudson. “He was a great man.”

Now Morse’s son, Jack Jr., is behind the wheel and bringing the family name back to the track after a 30-year absence. Morse’s 2000 Windermere/Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Monte Carlo will be in the field for Saturday’s Windermere 100, for the NAPA Late Model Series at Stateline Speedway. Time trials begin at 6 p.m.

Even at a young age, Morse recalls his dad being a great influence. The elder Morse retired from racing in 1974 when Jack Jr. was 6 years old. Morse died 10 years ago.

At 36, Jack Jr. is starting a racing career at the same age his dad was ending his.

“I’m chasing my dream,” said Morse, who worked behind the scenes in racing for many years, including on the pit crew for Kirk Rogers as a young man out of high school.

While Morse is technically in his second season in the car, he’s still considered a rookie. He first set foot in competition last June and ran four races in 2003.

Morse had hoped to have his dad’s No. 21 on the side of his car, but because of his late start, another driver — former Spokane Chief Jeff Fenton — already had the number. Word soon reached Fenton that the number had sentimental value to Morse.

“Jeff called me and gave up his old hockey number,” Morse said. “You don’t know how much that means.”

Morse put his dream on the back burner while he spent the last 15 years building a successful real estate career. Morse was the 2002 Spokane Board of Realtors president.

Morse helped convince Windermere Real Estate and franchise owners John and Marianne Becker to get involved in racing, on a personal level with his race car and as points fund sponsors with the growing late-model series.

Morse chose to enter a high level of racing and never raced in any other stepping-stone classes. He attended the Finish-Line Racing School in Daytona, Fla., and after that felt he had what it took to do real racing.

“We came home and bought Todd Witham’s car,” Morse said.

Morse has had several good races. He’s finished second in a B-Main and sixth or seventh in most of his main events. He’s currently sixth in points.

Family roots are still strong in the Morse team. His brother Sam and cousin Dave Morse work on his crew. Daryl Hauenstein, son of a former old-time racer, Don Hauenstein, is also on the crew.

As busy as Morse is with a real estate career and driving a race car, he finds time to be a volunteer fire fighter and a Big Brother.

Morse strives to be known as a respected and clean driver, like his dad.

Hydro field shapes up

What was predicted to be the smallest field of unlimited hydroplanes in Columbia Cup history is shaping up to be at least on par with recent years.

The Columbia Cup bolted from the Hydro-Prop sanctioning body a few weeks ago and it was thought that some boats might not compete in what was termed an “outlaw” race.

Gold Cup winner, the U-10 Miss Emcor, driven by Steve David, and Miss Budweiser, racing its last Columbia Cup, lead the field. Defending Columbia Cup champ, the U-8 LLumar Window Films, driven by J.W. Myers, and the U-16 Miss E-Lam Plus, driven by Terry Troxell, are also expected.

Twelve unlimiteds, five vintage hydros and upward of 15 unlimited lights will be in the pits along the shores of the Columbia River.

The lineup from the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum includes the 1956 Hawaii Kai III; the 1960 Miss Burien; the 1975 Oh Boy! Oberto; and the 1980 Rolls Royce Griffon-powered Miss Budweiser. The Slo Mo Shun V will also be on display.

Unlimited time trials begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday and 11:50 Saturday. The first heat for the unlimited is at 2:55 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday’s racing begins with Heat 2 A at 11:15 a.m., with the Budweiser Columbia Cup Championship race at 4:10 p.m.

Pit stops

Spokane Raceway Park hosts bracket drags and imports Saturday, while local classes compete on the oval. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 7.

•Yakima Speedway hosts the Frank’s Chevrolet 125 in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Northwest Series, beginning at 8:45 p.m.

Streaks and stats

Ephrata’s Christian Roeder scored a 1.71-second victory over Wenatchee’s Shane Mitchell in the 14th annual Montana 200 last Saturday at Kalispell Raceway Park. Hayden’s Darrin Rupinski was fifth while John Gamble of Otis Orchards was seventh and Dave Garber of Spokane 10th.

•Joe Kopp’s second-place finish last Saturday at Davenport, Iowa, allowed him to pull within 10 points of AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship point leader Chris Carr, who finished fifth.