The MORR Sportsman Banquet saw nearly five hundred racers, friends, fans, and supporters pack the banquet hall at the Island Casino and Resort in Harris, Michigan (USA) this past Saturday night. The night began with the top drivers and all the class champions supported by MORR presented by Allstar Performance and Optima Batteries. The season a total of 208 Sportsman drivers complete in the series, a 20% increase from the 2016 season. Competitors represented eleven states including: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, California, Minnesota as well as Ontario, Canada.

The 2017 season saw Motor State Distributing become the presenting sponsor of the MORR group with two of its vendors Allstar Performance and Optima Batteries. MORR also added several partners as class naming sponsors which increased the year end payout to many of the classes. This included Londerville Steel Stock, Powersports1 Sportsman UTV, Rod End Supply Super Buggy, One Graphix Super Stock Truck, Quickcar 1600 Buggy, Poynette Iron Works, and Nick Holtger Construction/Cory's Crank and Nail Kids Karts.


Additional year end awards saw Super Stock Champion Nick Byng and 1600 Buggy Champion Bruce Fraley receive an Impact Racing helmet and driving suit. While top rookie Light Buggy points racer Hunter Tingley was awarded a vinyl wrap for his race buggy from One Off Graphix.

Each class champion received a personalized Allstar Performance Class Champions jacket. Each second place finisher in the year end points standings that attended the banquet received a Traxxas Slash R/C car.

Once again several companies participated in the MORR Contingency Program including: Allstar Performance, ARP, Aeroquip, Red Line Oil, BFGoodrich Tires, Auto Trans Design, Auto Meter, Optima Batteries, Walker Evans Racing, Rugged Radios, Rod End Supply, PDank, Weddle Industries, and Impact Racing/Mastercraft Safety.

The season saw all four race promoters, TORC, ERX, Bark River, and Crandon as well as Motor State Distributing add to the Sportsman payout as well.

Representatives from TORC, USAC and Bark River International Off-Road Raceway as well as Crandon International Off-Road Raceway. Off-Road Hall of Fame member Cliff Flannery and his team from "The Big House" were in attendance to hand out the World Championship Rings as well as to enjoy the evening among their Sportsman friends.

Representatives from Rod End Supply, One Off Graphix, Londerville Steel, Allstar Performance, Ehren's, and Quickcar had displays set-up in the banquet entrance as well.

The results of the MORR Board elections saw two new members, Nick Byng and Ryan Stingle garner enough votes fill the two of the three vacant positions as Dan Vandenheuvel was re-elected to another term.

Once all the awards were handed out the winning ticket numbers of the over 115 donated items and services for the MORR fundraiser were announced. Much of the funds raised during the night's festivities are used to support members of the MORR family that are in need.

Here are the 2017 Class Champions
 
Londerville Steel Stock Truck  

Diesel Shanak - Waupaca, WI
 
Powersports1 Sportsman UTV

Jacob Rosales - Bonaire, GA
 
Rod End Supply Super Buggy

Michael Meister - Hatley, WI
 
One Off Graphics Super Stock Truck

Nick Byng - Abrams, WI
 
Quickcar 1600 Buggy

Bruce Fraley - Las Vegas, NV
 
Poynette Iron Works Light Buggy

Jake Nelson - Rhinelander, WI
 
Nick Holtger Construction/Cory's Crank & Nail Kids Kart

Easton Sleaper - Tomahawk, WI
 
Formula 4x4

Ben Passa - Holman, WI
 
Classix

Dale Chestnut - Verona, WI

Sportsman World Champions

Kenny Platten - Super Stock Truck
Sterling Cling - Super Buggy
Trevor Bushmaker - Sportsman UTV
Greg Stingle - Light Buggy
JD Koran - 1600 Buggy
Ben Passa - Formula 4x4
Dale Chestnut - Classix
Diesel Shanak - Stock Truck
Braden Beauchamp - Kids kart
 
MORR Awards

Most Improved Driver: Colin Schulz - Light Buggy
Best Win: Kenny Platten - Super Stock Truck
Hard Charger Award: Joey Maciosek -Super Stock Truck
Best Team: Byng Motorsports -Super Stock Truck
Rookie of the Year: Ben Holtger - Super Stock Truck
Tough Luck Award: Cory Holtger - 1600 Buggy
Driver of the Year: Nick Byng
Farmer John Award: Charlie McCormick - AT Design

The goal of the Midwest Off Road Racing (MORR) group is to ensure affordable racing for the Midwest Sportsman Off Road Racer by uniting racers with a common voice. Maintaining affiliations with approved sanctioning bodies will allow the competitor and the enthusiast to enjoy off road racing now and in the future.

MIDWEST OFFROAD RACING

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