Home of Morsillo Motorsports
Plans and updates - 2015 and beyond
January 10, 2015
The Quad4 Dirt Midget is For Sale, since down in Charlotte, there isn't a lot of Quad4 midget action. So, this year, on to 305 Sprints!
Website Hiatus - Back to it in2014
December, 2014
During 2012 and 2013, we did a lot of kart racing all over New England (Granite State at Loudon, Indoors at Providence, Pomfret, NEPS at Waterford, Route 106, Twin State Speedway and more, but hardly any of it was written up here.
We might try to fill in the gaps, but re-doing the site will be more interesting - look for that in 2015.
2014 was interesting - moved up to Dirt Midget Racing at Bear Ridge Speedway in Vermont and Legion Raceway in New Hampshire. It was fun for the driver and very educational for Morsillo Motorsports.
In addition, Driver Stephen started working as helmet builder for HMS Motorsports and you can see helmets he built on the heads of many NASCAR drivers.
A Long Weekend in Woodstock
September 4, 2011
Two karts, four days of racing, and lot's of broken parts. There were so many wrecks - kart's literally driving over ours. At one point (wreck) we needed to get another driver to pull off a huge piece of bodywork (Thanks Mike) in order to continue racing. Saving the best for last, on Monday, our fearless driver lead most of the Heavy race - the only thing that slowed him down was when the brake pedal came off about halfway through the race. On the last lap, some slipped by and we bagged a second place. It seemed fitting to display the bodywork that was ripped off (and then signed by other drivers) at the Howling Wolf
.
Howling Wolf Taqueria, our 2011 Sponsor!
August 20, 2011
When you are in Salem MA, you simply MUST stop for some mexican food at the Howling Wolf Taqueria on Derby St. (across from the fire station). They are making it possible for Morsillo Motorsports to compete in the four (4) day long event in Woodstock CT. And to compete the rest of the season.We'll bring the show, you bring the burritos.
Long day in Pomfret
May 22, 2011
Money races are always crazy, so why not race in BOTH classes that have payouts! The good news? The karts came back in mostly one piece. The bad news? No money. We arrived with work to do - mostly on the heavy. So, no practices.
Time Trials for the Heavy. We had a spiffy loaner motor from 3D engines, which was making nice power - but we ran into a small glitch during the time trial. (All I can say is look down the intake and the throat of the carb when you remove paper towels from the carb to make sure they are all out...)
Luckily there was a consi race and the 7x placed into the field for the feature. The race was the wreckfest you'd expect for a money race (as you can see here). Worked up through the field on each restart, but the long run at the end didn't work out.
For the Sr. Champ the race was another where you wanted to make sure you were packed with fuel, because it was going to run to the time limit. We placed 7th, just outside the money. Again, the kart was good on short runs, and tightend up on long runs. It was a very long day.
Thanks to Julie and Anthony for Crew Work!
2nd at Route 106
May 14, 2011
After capturing 2nd in an exciting heat race - and then getting put at the back for being underweight, the strategy was to try not to let Dylan Duhaime get too far out front. Making it to second before the tenth lap was not enough to reel in the 17.
3rd at Route 106 racepark
May 5, 2011
On a day which looked like there would be no racing,the rain held off. Stephen captured a 3rd after starting at the back of the pack.
Win at Pomfret!
May 1, 2011
After a long cold, raceless winter, putting a mark in the win column is a great way to start.
Feature: Bent parts to start
May 16, 2009
The day's race program features two heats and a feature.The first heat is last weeks rain-out. After playing with the setup, the kart chattered and the tires whined, starting from the back we racked up a third place finish. The second heat is preceded by dark and ominous skies. So the entire field is put into a single heat. We seemed to have gotten the setup mailed by the time of the second heat. There were a lot of spins and crashes, one of which collected the 42 - both sides of the front got knocked around. That pretty much ruined the perfect setup and gave us a tight, hopping kart, with a wheel rub. Finished the heat and then fevereshly started trying to figure out which problems to solve to make the feature. Moved out the right front to keep it from rubbing. At this point the race was in the drivers hands. Those hands didn't stop moving the whole race - sawing back and forth coaxing the kart to turn. Moved from 8th place to finish in third.
Rained out
May 9, 2009
The Junior Champ Heavy qualifier was rained out (along with all the features).
Second place after struggling in qualifier.
May 2, 2009
The qualifier was disappointing - an accident bent the right nerf bar, which dragged on the ground the rest of the race. For the feature, we started at the back of the pack and by tenth lap, the 42 kart had moved up to third place among the eight kart field. As the leader approached the start/finish line, a spin-out set up a green-white-checkered finish. Stephen pressed the leader while holding off a challenge for second. Congratulations to Dube racing for their stong finish.
Season opens at Rt. 106 Racepark!
April 25, 2009
Win! The 2009 season has started for Morsillo Motorports - happily with a win! The day before, the #42 Junior Champ kart was spread across the garage floor and there were "quite a lot of parts" that accompanied the new Animal Motor. Luckily most of the paint was dry and we set to work - Dan on the carb, Dad on the throttle linkage, Stephen on the rear axle. Read more about the ridiculous way this came together in the 'Observations'. Thanks to the Kennedys! Trish, thank you for the garage & parking. Dan - well, you know...
Promo Video is here!
August 23, 2008
Thanks to Eileen KennedyHere's a really cool video from our winning day at Sugar Hill Speedway.
Another Win!
July 27, 2008
Yes! After a few disappointing weeks with ignition problems, a second, a third and a fourth, a DNF and a DQ, coming from the last position at the start, Stephen ended as the first over the line.
Thanks to Sean, Bruce, Matt and all the folks who've been helpful in the pits. And congratulations to Danny and Smokeler for the excellent wrenching and scraping. Check back to see videos of this exciting race!
Back to Sugar Hill for an exciting event
May 25, 2008
A Crash! After the halfway point of the race, there was a restart after a caution. After the restart was a crash. Britany Burant and our #42 got tangled between turns 1 & 2 - Stephen down on the inside and the other up on the outside. Side by side and close... too close. Burant went around, and the 42 coasted to the infield! The crew was helpless as they saw the chain off the kart for the second time that day. The driver unbuckled and climbed out. It looks like the day is over. And the driver turns mechanic, bends over the chain and fiddles, talks to flagman Russ and before the crew's eyes, the rest of the race is saved as the kart is fired up and back out in the line-up with all systems go. After that point there was some fierce battles over second - first place had checked out (we're thinking about the solution to the animal engine problem). After it all, our driver secured a 3rd place finish which keeps us in second in points even missing a week for the NE Pavement series.
Running in the NE Pavement Series
May 18, 2008
In it for real! Welcome to Pomfret The weather barely held off to allow getting the Junior Champ event in. In the second race in Junior Champ at a track entirely new to Morsillo Motorsports, crew chief Dan Kennedy worked through gearing issues to bring the kart into competitive trim just in time for the feature race. The practice runs had the motor lugging and the time trial qualifier had the team fighting a tight kart. For the main feature, it was the drivers game as he learned the track quickly, posting a run solidly mid-pack. And it was a fun day - look for video soon!
Victory! Welcome to the 2008 season opener
May 11, 2008
Excellent first outing in the Junior Champ Heavy. We have a new kart and a new class and another trophy. No complaints about how the kart ran, the weather or Dan Kennedy the new crew chief. Won both the heat and the feature. If every day goes this way, it'll be an amazing season.
Victory in the Coca Cola 100
September 30, 2007
"Patience is a virtue" This old adage was made true by the driver of the #42
as he stayed on the bumper of the #51 (driven by Russell Wood) from lap 64 until lap 99, where
he made his move on the last lap to win his third consecutive Coca Cola event at Sugar Hill Speedway
in the #42 Junior Oulaw.
Last points race of the season disappointing.
September 23, 2007
That is the mildest way to describe a day which started off promising. On a gloriously sunny day, not too hot, not too cold, everything clicked for the heat race. Stephen worked his way from fourth on the start to second by lap 11. On the last lap he made his move to the front to finish first by a little over one-tenth of a second.
Looking good for the feature. Dropped to third after the first lap, but running with the leaders. Up through lap seven. In lap five though, there was white plume near the motor. Not the blueish tinge of oil, but...fuel, alcohol splashing out of the uncapped gas tank. The gas cap had come off. A caution on lap 7 allowed replacing the gas cap which was found on the track. The 42 was moved back to seventh for the restart. He was back up to fifth place by lap 14...when he ran out of fuel. The pit crew/team owner was the last hand on the gas cap and has been upbraided for deriliction and shall henceforth be burdened by the memory of this incident.
The overall raw points after this debacle had Stephen in 3rd place for the season. A nice comeback from the basement earlier in the year. But fate, math and the dropped race policy made for a tie at third place. But there can be no ties, sayeth the rule book. Thus the finish of the last race decides the matter. So we will settle with a fourth place finish for the year.
September 30, 2007
Stephen Morsillo featured in Salem Gazette
September 7, 2007
This week's salem gazette featured an excellent article on Stephen, his recent win and his desire to race. it had some great pictures and quotes. Go Speed Racer!
#42 Captures second place
September 2, 2007
The #42 captured the pole position by winning the qualifier by a mere 0.007 seconds. The gave him excellent track position for most of the race. He made sure he was in striking distance (second place) when the white flag flew. He worked against a hopping kart through turns 1 and 2, then nearly completed the cross over when coming out turn 4, but T.J. Jeski kept the #1 spot to get his first Junior Outlaw win - congratulations T.J. !
Win! First win for 2007!
August 25, 2007
After a series of races that ended with the driver of the 42 watching from the infield, Stephen achieved his first wins of the 2007 season. In celebration of his victory, he held fast to a what he'd said to some other drivers "If I win, I'll climb the fence!" He stopped his kart at the flagstand, got out and with his helmet on scaled to the top of the fence between the track and the spectators. Bob Stanhope - manager of Sugarhill speedway appreciated the gesture, but nearly fainted at the site of the driver swaying with the top of the fence. It ended well and there's another large trophy in Stephen's room.
