Bi-Racing Morris returns to V8 fold
28/1/2000 12:13 (Jason Whittaker) - Experienced Australian Touring Car racer, Paul Morris, has this week announced his intentions to compete in both of Australia's top Touring Car Championships, including making a welcome return to the V8 Supercar fold.
The 32-year-old will continue to compete in the 2-Litre Super Touring category in his privately-entered BMW, but will next year expand his racing commitments to include a full-season of V8 Holden and Ford racing.
Morris, the reigning BOC Gasses Australian Super Touring Champion, will campaign a Holden Commodore in the 13-round Shell Championship Series.
"This is a logical step because I've always been keen to expand my racing, whether in Australia or overseas," Morris said.
"The two championships (Super Touring and V8) combined will involve more than 20 weekends of racing, but I did both series in '94 so I know what to expect."
Morris drove for the Factory Holden team alongside Mark Skaife in last year's two season-ending endurance events at Queensland Raceway and Bathurst. At the FAI 1000, Morris put in two impressive driving stints around the Mountain to claim a podium position with co-driver Skaife.
"I enjoyed racing with the Holden team at Bathurst this year so now seems like a good time to go and do the whole V8 championship," he said.
The Gold Coast-residing owner/driver was touted as the likely replacement for Craig Lowndes at the Factory Holden outfit, however after Lowndes rejected an overseas offer in favour of his HRT seat, Morris was forced to go-it-alone for an assault on this year's V8 Championship.
Morris, who ventured overseas for an assault on the Indy Lights circuit in 1998, remains one of the all-time Australian Super Touring greats, with a record three titles under his belt, the first two as part of BMW's factory team.
In a 5-Litre machine, Morris has been just as impressive in his all too-brief V8 outings, with a Sandown 500 and two Bathurst class-wins to his name.
Morris' small Gold Coast team will build a VT Commodore in-house before the opening round of the Shell Championship Series at Phillip Island on February 11-13. The new-look TOCA Super Touring Summer Series begins on May 28 at Oran Park Raceway, and will continue though until early 2001.
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