JEROMY MORSE

Biography

Birth Date:

December 6, 1972

Home Town:

American Fork, Utah

Current Residence:

West Jordan, Utah

Favorite NASCAR Driver:

First NASCAR Race Attended:

Jeremy Mayfield – Driver of the #70 HAAS/CNC Chevy

2004 Darlington Speedway

For Jeromy…well let’s back up. Jeromy is a.k.a “Jerry” as his family and long time friends call him. Don’t ask us why, but his parents named him Jeromy on 6 December 1972 and have called him Jerry since. He goes by both, so don’t hesitate to call him whichever comes easiest. (His wife, Dory, doesn’t like the name Jerry so he continues on with what is on his birth certificate.) For the purpose of this bio, lets call him Jer. There, we hope that straightens that all out.

For Jer it all started back in the mid 1970s. He grew up watching his dad, Jim Morse, and uncle, Randy Hardman race on an oval asphalt track called Suntana Speedway in Springville, Utah, which eventually closed it’s gates for good in the late 1990s. He loved the race track. He loved the smell, sound, speed, and yes, even the crashes at Suntana. He was too young to help his dad on the race car but he learned at an early age that racing was in his family and it was addicting. In the late 1970s his dad hung up his helmet but uncle Randy continued on. Not old enough to go into the pits, Jer was at the mercy of whoever would take him to the track. Not growing up with a lot of money, he would mow lawns during the week and often beg Grandpa Hardman to pay him a little extra to mow his lawn so that he could pay his way in to watch the Saturday night races. Every so often Aunt Carol Ann would pitch in and buy him a “Suntana Burger” too. Cousin Ricky Hardman (he now goes by Rick but lets not go over the whole name thing again) was always there with him. Both of their blood flowed racing. In between races, Rick and Jer would run in a full sprint to the restrooms making race car sounds and trying to be the first one there. Weaving in and out of “traffic” (spectators walking) was no problem for them. Yep, it was in their blood.

In 1988 Uncle Randy purchased a late model roll cage out of California and drug it back to Utah. It was finally Jer’s time to get his hands dirty and learn the ins and outs of circle track racing. Jer along with his Uncle Randy and Cousin Rick worked tirelessly to make that #4 late model the best it could. It was more than likely an odd scene to see a veteran racer like Randy and a crew of two sixteen year olds pull up to the track. However, this is where Jer cut his racing teeth and learned enormous amounts of information of what it takes to get a car to turn left and win races. During the week, Jer would get out of school, run home and change into his “grubby clothes” and race back to Randy’s to work on the car. For several years he traveled with Randy throughout several states in what was then known as the Intermountain Late Model Series. Yep, it was in his blood!

Following the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Jer decided to join the military. In 1991 he went off to Basic Training in South Carolina. Even then, he couldn’t get racing out of his mind. On a rare occasion to call home, he called Randy’s house and it just so happened Randy and Rick were working on the car. It didn’t take long before Randy started up the race car and held the phone close so Jer could hear the motor revving 3,200 miles away. Yep it was in his blood.

In 1992, he got his first chance to pilot a car around the track; Randy’s late model no less. It didn’t take long for him to realize that someday he wanted his own. Jer’s need for speed and adrenaline, and some career opportunities, found him flying helicopters for the Utah Army National Guard. Although he fell away from the Hardman Racing organization, he still managed to go to a race at Rocky Mountain Raceway from time to time to satisfy his quench for racing. All this did was make him want to get into a race car. Although he wasn’t on the Hardman Race Team any longer, a young man by the named of Scott Hardman was. In the mid 2000s Randy finally hung up his helmet after countless successful years of racing. Scott wasn’t ready to have racing leave him though. It possibly was in his blood too.

Heading out the door for his second tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Scott called Jer about this great racing down in Price, Utah….on dirt….in what they called “mini sprints”. After hearing all about Jer went off to war and stuck that information in the back of his mind. Upon returning home in 2006, with the help of Scott, Jer found him his first race car and with very little negotiation, transfer of some money, and the shake of a hand, Jer had a race car in his garage! Yep, it was still in his blood.

Rookie season 2007 proved to be a huge learning curve for Jer. Although he did win 3 heat races that year, he found himself on a couple of occasions staring at a broken, beat up car. With the help of Scott and Randy, Jer always managed to get it fixed and back to the track for race day. With his rookie season under his belt he brings more confidence and knowledge to the track. With the help of cousin and fellow competitor Scott and his wife Lee, Randy, and Scott’s brother-in-law Shawn again, 2008 promises to hold a lot of excitement and hopefully a nice 2008 Champion trophy in the end. Yep, it’s still in his blood.