Morneau makes name for himself on winning NASCAR team

Motorsports racing is one of the biggest sports in Maine but only a handful of guys from Maine have made it to the premier level: NASCAR. Whether you’re a racecar driver or just a pit crew member making it to NASCAR is a dream come true.

32 year old Michael Morneau of Oxford, has been working in NASCAR for 14 years, 10 of them being for Stewart Haas racing in the cup series. As a member of Kevin Harvick’s pit crew he helped them win this year’s All-star race in May.

Morneau grew up in Oxford attending races at Oxford Plains Speedway just down the road from where he lived.

“Racing was something I enjoyed watching as a kid and I enjoyed working on cars”

As a teenager with the help from his father, grandfather, and uncle he raced in the Wednesday night Runnin’ Rebels division with his friend Charlie Hall who today still races at Oxford. When Oxford changed their age limit it ended his racing career and he began changing his focus.

Michael attended Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School where he ended up taking automotive technology with Mitch Green.

“He was a good kid your average teenager, all around good kid to have in your class. He sort of knew what he wanted to do towards his junior year and he worked pretty hard for it.” Green said about Michael’s time in his class.

 Green retired from teaching in 2008 is now the owner of Crazy Horse Racing in South Paris. It was in that class that Michael decided he wanted to pursue a career in motorsports.

“He had racecars in the shop every once in a while, we’d build strictly stock motors and I’d help Mitch and Mickey (Green) on their pro stock which was something I really enjoyed doing.” Morneau explained.

During his senior year of high school Morneau had a setback when he was in a severe snowmobile accident where he had to spend some time in the hospital.

“When he got into a snowmobile accident his senior year and it set him back he was worried he wouldn’t be able to graduate, being a teacher I was able to find a way to help him find a get through it. We became close during the process and I told him it would take some work but we’d figure it out, and we’ve been close friends ever since.” Green said.

He overcame the odds with lots encouragement from family and Green and was able to graduate high school with his class in 2003.

After high school he took a huge risk and moved down to North Carolina where he attended UTI NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina. Education is something Michael thinks is one of the most important things you need if you want to pursue a career in motorsports.

“You have to be willing to take a gamble and move south where the racing teams are along with going to a school like Ohio tech or UTI NASCAR technical institute.”

Though NASCAR was his goal he knew that going to college gave him other options if a job in NASCAR didn’t pan out such as working for dealerships like Ford, Audi, Jaguars, etc.

“You always got to have a dream, the pieces lined up just right for me. The industry was booming and teams were hiring so I was fortunate to make it in the following year.”

Michael’s first NASCAR job was working for Haas CNC on the Jason Leffler #00 Nationwide car. He was a crew member for that car until 2009 when he became a crew member for Tony Stewart when he became co-owner of Stewart Haas racing. With Stewart he won his first race the 2009 all-star race and was part of his championship in 2011. He stayed with Stewart’s 14 car until the last 10 races of 2014 when there was a crew member switch and he became Kevin Harvick’s tire carrier. Harvick ended up winning a championship in 2014.

“Mike was always one that once he got his teeth into something he worked hard to get what he wanted, I had no doubt if racing was his sincere interest he would find his way there. “Green explained.

10 years and 34 cup wins later, his journey in NASCAR came full circle when he won the 2018 all-star race with Harvick.

“Winning that race was pretty cool, since my first ever win was the 2009 all-star race with Tony Stewart. The first time we won my wife, mother and grandmother attended and my wife came to victory lane with me, this year when we won I was able to bring my wife and my oldest son Griffin with me to victory lane.” He said about the special moment with his family.

Something that has stuck with Morneau and really helped him in school and during his career in NASCAR is a motto his parents use to tell him “work smarter, not harder.”

“I helped by encouraging and helping him find the avenue to do it what he wanted to do. We talked a lot along the way about pitfalls to stay away from in the motorsports world.” Green said about giving advice to Morneau even after he was no longer his student.

Michael Morneau now calls North Carolina home with his wife and two sons but still has roots here in Maine, His mother is the owner of Polly’s Variety in Oxford, and his cousin is former Ops street stock champion David Whittier whose car Michael actually owned in 2017.

“The thing I like about him is he’s still just Mikey, sometimes people who get to that level change because of the limelight but Mikey is still just Oxford Maine Boy. He’s very respectful to people and I think he genuinely appreciates what he’s got and doesn’t take it for granted.” Mitch Green said about his former student who has managed to stay humble.

“It’s neat being a local from Oxford, like it shows that you can make it in a sport such as racing even coming from a small track like Oxford, it’s been a fun ride.”

Michael learned a lot in his high school auto tech class but most importantly he got a lifelong mentor and friend in Mitch Green who helped him get where he is today pursuing his passion in NASCAR.