Joe with Big Al Liebmann , car owner's,Rocky Pirrone & crew at Raceway Park .
Joe Morrison from Warren, New Jersey wears many hats,he is a successful businessman running his own landscaping company full time. He also plays guitar in a rock band and he also drives a string of Nostalgia Drag Racing Cars . As of 2020 he is the NHRA's newest Top Fuel driver for Team Leverich.
In the beginning of January we had a great conversation where we discussed how Joe got started in Drag Racing , who his hero's were growing up,who helped him along the way and of course the great cars he got to drive on the way up to Top Fuel status .
Joe said he was going to the Drag Races since before he was born. Really! His mom was working in the timing tower at Island
Dragway while she was pregnant with him,and his Dad worked the starting line
when he wasn’t racing in Jr. Stock, Stock Eliminator or Super Stock.He
kept going to the track as a family even after his dad had to stop
racing for financial reasons. Joe stated he grew up watching drivers like “The
Snake,” Force, “Mongoose,” Garlits, Muldowney & Manzo. As a young
child,his most favorite driver was “Jungle” Jim,and he knew that driving a fuel
car had to be the coolest thing ever and from then on Joe knew he wanted to be a race
car driver.
After some experience racing my four-speed Chevelle street car and a 10
year break from racing to chase a music career as a rock guitar player, I
had an amazing opportunity to drive a wild seven-second Fiat Altered
with a great group of racers in a nostalgia club called the North East
Timing Organization. From 2007-2013 we consistently finished in the top
10, won a class championship in 2011 and finished second (by just one
round!) in 2012. While I loved racing with the NETO organization, I knew
it was time to begin seriously working toward my goal of becoming a Top
Fuel or Funny Car driver.
Joe is the driver of The Super Camaro crewed by Rocky Pirrone.
Photo's by : Mike Salemme 2019
Joe racing against the Winged Express at Bakersfield
In 2014, thanks to some help from his friend and local legend Paul Gold
a.k.a. “Goldy” and a recommendation from Jim and Jon Oberhofer’s dad
(Dave O) He had the opportunity to go to Bakersfield and license in
Jerry Darien’s A/Fuel dragster. Jerry was an amazing teacher! Over the
course of two days Joe said he made five runs.
The final run earned his Top
Alcohol license,at that time the quickest and fastest run the car
had ever made! Thanks to that success and the recommendation of friends
Goldy and nostalgia funny car driver Bob Toth,he began driving Ted
Brine’s #134 Fuel Coupe AA/Fuel Altered and the Frantic Ford
nostalgia Nitro Funny Car.
Joe is grateful for the experiences
and the friendships he forged while match racing from 2015 through last
year. In the #134 we raced a few Hot Rod Reunions as well as some great
match races,including running against Mike Boyd in the “Winged
Express”. In the Frantic Ford there were plenty of great match up's, but
the most memorable were the times I got to race NHRA champ Bruce
Larson. He can’t believe he's been lucky enough to race with these
legendary drivers!
Photo by: Mike Salemme 2010 at the York US 30 Reunion
Video by : Mike Salemme 2016
Throughout all these experiences, I have consistently worked hard to
find a way to work my way up to driving a Fuel car on the Camping World series. Not having a wealthy family or a last name like Force, Schumacher
or Kalitta has made it a challenge for sure. To be clear,I admire those
teams and families. I'm not
one to complain, but there have definitely been dark times during my
journey.Thankfully, there has also been help and support by many
friends and colleagues.
Now, thanks to Bob,Gary and Dan Leverich, I finally have the
opportunity I have wanted for as long as I can remember. I am excited to
go through the license upgrade process, make runs and get out there and
race! I hope you will follow along with my journey as I prepare for my
rookie year as a Top Fuel driver.
Even more, come out to the track, stop
by and say hi!
Photo by : Mike Salemme 2019
This is Joe's personal Injected Altered that he still runs when he has the time,it is now being upgraded with a larger supercharged combination. Joe uses the car to help spread the word of his organization Right 2 Breathe,which helps people suffering from COPD.
Right2Breathe was founded on the
powerful idea that people can overcome difficult obstacles when they
allow their passions in life to inspire them. The old adage, “When you
do what you love,you don’t work a day in your life” applies to much
more than just one’s career choices.
We believe that the world is a better
place when people use their gifts and talents to follow their dreams.Our mission is to inspire, educate,and empower people living with lung
disease to rekindle the fire for their passions while providing the
information necessary for them to take action. This will help them renew
their commitment to their own wellness while inspiring other members of
the respiratory patient community.In addition to the patient
community,we provide education for caregivers who support them and the
clinicians who treat people living with respiratory disease.
We achieve our mission through Lung Health initiatives, multiple outreach and educational programs.
If you or someone you know needs help please contact Joe Morrison at :
https://right2breathe.org/contact/
https://right2breathe.org
Thanks Joe for sharing your story and cause with us and we wish you luck with the Top Fuel team.
Photo's not by the author are courtesy of Joe Morrison 2021.
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