With plans being released daily from Late Model teams, there are going to be a lot of busy people across the province. Ray Morneau is among those, set to tackle the APC Auto Parts United Late Model Series schedule, as well as returning to Delaware Speedway on Friday nights.

“We are really excited as a team to get started this year,” he commented. “We have a very ambitious schedule for our team but we can’t wait to see how we will stack up this year.”

While he is no stranger to Delaware in being a track champion, it will be the first time seeing him full-time with the APC Series tour.

“It’s been very exciting seeing things come together to race APC,” he commented. “It has always been a dream for our team to run the full schedule in APC so to have it all come together through the winter is exciting and brings on a little more pressure to perform with the best of the best in Ontario.”

As he looks ahead to the 10-race campaign that will see him travel the province, Morneau says he is looking forward “to getting back to the most track” and most excited about getting to Sauble Speedway after running a race there four years ago and having fun.

Being able to the run full schedule is the perfect opportunity for Morneau after having won the Delaware track championship a couple years ago. It also comes after showing his potential in the 200-lap event at Delaware at the end of 2023.

“We had a very tough year with new car blues after building a new chassis and off the track losing my grandpa and to end the year with a good run finishing second to J.R. Fitzpatrick was like a win for us after the year that we had,” he commented.

For Morneau, his racing beginnings started by working on his uncle’s cars at the age of six.

“I’m very fortunate to have my parents and sister to lean on anytime as any racer knows through the summer can get stressful and you can get irritated pretty quick,” he commented. “I wouldn’t be able to do this if it wasn’t for their help through the year.”

The opportunity to get behind the wheel came a year later, with his father purchasing a micro sprint for him to race at Grand Bend Speedway.

“I think starting in the sprints at Grand Bend taught me just to be as smooth as possible,” he explained. “With the wheel the sprints if you made any jerk to the wheel it just scrubbed speed off and I feel like that helps moving up trying to be smooth with wheel inputs.”

With the success he had over the past couple years, Morneau says the best advice to those who admire him is to not get discouraged.

“This sport is incredibly hard especially when you are just getting started in it,” he commented. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid of the hard work it takes! Racing is the most fun thing to do but it doesn’t come without sacrifice our family has had to miss weddings and other gatherings but when racing is in your blood it has a hold of you!”