Morris considers new goal after second top-10 finish
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ASHLEIGH Morris extended her growing reputation on the Scottish motor racing scene after she ended her Scottish BMW Compact Championship season with another top- 10 finish.
The Reay driver finished her 2017 campaign in ninth overall after the final rounds of racing at Knockhill racing circuit in Fife earlier this month.
She said she was sad not to improve on her eighth position last year but that she could not have given it any more.
“I’m quite disappointed with this but, one thing I can assure everyone is that the whole team gave 110 per cent throughout 2017.
“We’ve lost tally of the sleepless nights, early mornings and literally, countless hours labouring on the car, and driving to and from events put in to making this past year work. We’re still very proud of this achievement, as I feel we ought to be. Not many people could do what we do, but we love doing it.”
Lee Elrick was crowned the Scottish BMW Compact champion after beating defending champion Gary Clark into second by nine points. David McNaughton was third.
Morris, who was the 2016 Scottish Motor Racing Club female driver of the year, finished ninth out of 19 drivers in the championship and was the top female.
She first got behind the wheel competitively in 2013 and has taken part in the Scottish BMW Compact Cup for the past four years.
She has competed under the team name Ashleigh Morris Racing, with her father Cammy Morris working as a mechanic during all her races and has received sponsorship from a number of businesses in Caithness to allow her to compete in all 16 rounds.
During the final weekend, the Dounreay health physics surveyor also competed as a guest entrant in the Celtic Speed Scottish Mini Cooper Cup where she finished in a respectable 15th position in her first race.
Morris said she enjoyed taking part in Mini racing and is now considering whether to stay in the BMW competition for next season or take part in another event.
“We have had a whale of a time, never gave up and wouldn’t have wanted to spend our time with anyone else than our racing family,” she said.
“But in 2018 there are big decisions to be made. Unfinished business in the BMWs or on to a new challenge? Watch this space.”
