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11th April 2017
Morrison suffers Somerset Stages woe
George Morrison gets season underway in Minehead, but is forced to retire on opening stage
George Morrison suffered a cruel blow to the start of his Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series campaign when he was forced to retire his MG ZR on the opening stage of last weekend’s Somerset Stages Rally.
The Cottesmore driver headed to the Minehead based event to open his assault on the 1400C class, MGZR Challenge and Army Stage Rally Championship but his event was over before it really began, retiring after the very first test when a driveshaft snapped on the MG.
The HM Forces Mechanic is joined once again this season by co-driver Jon Quintrell and the event was the scene of Quintrell’s first ever rally back in 2016. Some 12 months on, the duo returned to kick start their season and were hoping to secure a decent points haul to get their campaign off to the perfect start.
Having finished an impressive second in the mixed surface BTRDA Challenge last season, Morrison is no stranger to both asphalt and gravel and the Somerset Stages is one event in the calendar which incorporates both surfaces. Morrison was looking forward to the 14 stage rally and getting stuck into the Porlock Toll Road stage which splits the event at the halfway point.
But any hopes of a podium were dashed on the very first stage when the MG snapped a driveshaft in the Knowle test and with five more stages to contest; Morrison was forced to retire on the road section to the next stage.
“I was changing down a gear into a hairpin and as I selected second and released the clutch I heard a loud bang” explained Morrison. “I instantly knew that the driveshaft had snapped and backed right off as it really could have caused some serious damage if we continued”.
Morrison nursed the car to the end of the stage but without the opportunity to change the offending item, was forced to pull up. “It made it even more frustrating that we recorded fourth fastest 1400C and 63rd overall from 95 starters even with one wheel drive. If we had continued like that for the rest of the day I’d say we were on for a good result but I guess that’s rallying and we have to concentrate on the next event now and make sure we bag some points”.
The Plains Rally forms round three of the series and takes place in Welshpool during May.
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4th April 2017
Morrison back to BTRDA at Somerset Stages
George Morrison returns to the sport with an assault on Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, beginning with this weekend’s Somerset Stages.
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will kick off his 2017 assault on the Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series with this weekend’s Somerset Stages Rally (8th April).
After contesting the BTRDA Rally Challenge last season, Morrison and co-driver Jon Quintrell finished an impressive second in the series and will once again use their 1400cc MG ZR to tackle the all-gravel championship.
The HM Forces Mechanic has had to delay his first outing this year due to work commitments but will head to the Minehead based event in a bid to make up for lost time and missing out on the opening round in Cumbria.
Morrison is no stranger to the championship and contested the BTRDA series in 2016 which encompassed the MG ZR Challenge, but victory eluded him in the close-fought championship. This year, Morrison has set his sights on a class win during the season and is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel in Somerset.
“It feels like it’s been a very long time since I was last out competitively, the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire was September last year so I hope I can remember what to do” says Morrison.
“We had quite a lot to get used to last year and the mixed surface events were a great challenge but pretty hard going. Jon had never co-driven before either so he had to learn everything from scratch. It was tough for the first few events but he picked it up really quickly and we began getting some decent results”.
But Morrison is aware it will be tough to bag a podium in the 1400C class this season.
“There are some pretty experienced people doing the championship this year so we do have to take each event as it comes. I can’t expect to jump right in after seven months out of the car and get a win or podium; it will take a few events to bed in. But I really can’t wait to get going again, I’ve certainly missed it.
The Somerset Stages is also a round of the Army Stage Rally Championship and Morrison will return to the series to defend the title he won last year. Despite Morrison’s win, co-driver Quintrell lost out on the series win and finished third.
“It was a great achievement to win the Championship last season as it was pretty hotly contested and only decided on the last round, but I`m gutted Jon couldn’t quite get the title. Hopefully this year we can both be at the top of the standings at the end of the year!”
The Somerset Stages Rally takes place on Saturday 8th April and consists of around 40 competitive miles of action in the forest around Exmoor.
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1st October 2016
Perfect podium for Morrison at Rally Yorkshire
George Morrison rounds of his BTRDA Rally Challenge assault with third at Trackrod Rally Yorkshire
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison had the perfect end to his season by taking third in the 1400C class on the final round of the series, Trackrod Rally Yorkshire. Morrison had a trouble free run in his MG ZR to score his best result of the season and provisionally take the final podium spot in the championship.
Morrison with co-driver Jon Quintrell have enjoyed a confidence boosting season in the mixed surface championship and his solid bag of points have already awarded him the Class 2 spoils in the series. Tackling both asphalt and gravel surface events, Morrison has piloted the MG through some of the toughest events in the British rally calendar as the season reaches its climax in the Yorkshire forests.
After Morrison’s last outing in August on the sealed surface Tyneside Stages, the Cottesmore ace would understandably have to ease into the super quick gravel roads of Dalby. But the HM Forces Mechanic found himself on the edge of the podium spot in fourth after the opening test and he showed no sign of needing to gain confidence as he edged back into a loose surface in the MG.
Just one stage later, Morrison vaulted into the top three in the 1400C class and headed into the mid-point service halt with comfortable cushion over his chasing rivals. As the stage miles passed, Morrison’s confidence grew and he enjoyed a trouble free run over the final stages to take his best result of the year.
“It just all seemed to come together for us this weekend and everything went perfectly” said Morrison. “After an early scare on Friday when our tow vehicle broke, we thought lady luck was on holiday again but our times on the stages were really positive and to take a podium on the final round of the championship makes this season all worthwhile”.
His result could have ramifications in the BTRDA Rally Challenge too. “We need to wait for the organisers to confirm the points on the event but we think we may have snatched third overall in the series too. That would have been unthinkable at the start of the year, we have overcome many difficulties along the way and it would be a perfect end to the season. Either way, I have to say a huge thanks to the team and sponsors for all their hard work. Also thanks to Jon who has completed he first year in the sport and really has picked everything up so quickly. It’s been a fantastic year.”
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
Morrison aiming for Rally Yorkshire glory
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison heads to the final round this weekend, Rally Yorkshire
Cottesmore rally ace George Morrison heads to the final round of the BTRDA Rally Challenge this weekend as he returns to the forests for the season finale’ Rally Yorkshire.
After contesting the mixed surface championship throughout the season, Morrison has already taken the Class 2 spoils in his 1400cc MG and will look to end the season with another solid points haul to lift him from fifth in the overall standings.
With several events in the series offering a first-time visit for Morrison, the HM Forces Mechanic has had to adapt quickly to the new events in the championship on both gravel and asphalt surfaces.
Co-driver Jon Quintrell is enjoying his inaugural season in the sport and the duo have been pleased with their progress in 2016.
Now, the championship draws to a close in the Yorkshire forests and Morrison is looking forward to ending the year on a high. “Aside from our non-finish on the Nicky Grist Stages in the summer we have had a pretty good run of form this year” says Morrison. “We have managed to finish all the other events we have contested, including the notoriously difficult Manx Rally so hopefully we can emulate that this weekend.”
Morrison last competed on Rally Yorkshire back in 2010 as part of the BRC Challenge and will be pleased if he can equal his result of third in class from that year. “The stages are incredibly fast in Dalby forest and that doesn’t really suit the MG but it more than makes up for it in its handling and braking capabilities. It would be nice to think we can be fighting for a class podium on my return to the event and as we have already won our class in the BTRDA Challenge, the pressure is off a little.”
But there is a championship podium at stake for Morrison as well. “The final positions in the overall BTRDA Challenge are still open wide so would be nice to see if we can try and make it onto the podium too. That would be a great achievement considering the pedigree of the guys ahead of us so we will be keeping one eye on the leader board at the weekend too”.
Morrison tames the Tyneside
MG ZR pilot George Morrison secures BTRDA Challenge points haul in Northumberland
MG ZR rally driver George Morrison banished the memories of a last minute non-finish at the Nicky Grist Stages, by securing a solid result on the Tyneside Stages last weekend. Based at the all-asphalt Otterburn Military Ranges in Northumberland, Morrison would tackle the tricky venue for the very first time but secured a confidence boosting finish to help his BTRDA Rally Challenge campaign.
Heading to the fifth round of the series, Morrison was sitting comfortably in third overall but with powerful four wheel drive machinery out in front, it would be a tall order to remain in a podium spot after the tough 60 mile event. Hoping to right the wrongs of his retirement on the last round of the championship in Wales, Morrison with regular co-driver Jon Quintrell would be looking for a decent points haul to keep his season hope alive.
Having only ever been to the bleak Military Ranges during his HM Forces training many years ago, Cottesmore based Morrison had his first taste of the roads during the pre-event recce and would look to opt for a finish rather than heroics over the weekend. The 12 stage event would provide a challenge for every one of the crews and its reputation for its unforgiving roads can catch out even the most experienced of drivers.
Stage one would get underway with the longest test of the day at just over 12 miles long and it wouldn’t pass trouble free for Morrison. A brush with a chicane would re-arrange the MG bodywork and this early wakeup call focused the mind for the remaining loop during the morning. That focus, lasted just one stage however when a high speed spin on stage three meant Morrison dropped more time to his rivals.
The MG struggled to cope with the high speed nature of the ranges and would spend more than enough time at maximum speed, Morrison unable to wring any more from the 1400cc power plant. Deciding not to take too many risks Morrison looked to consolidate his position for the remainder of the day and despite an over exuberant spin on a hairpin on the penultimate stage, recovered to take 62nd overall from 87 starters.
“The aim today was certainly just to get round and I’m really pleased we managed to do that without too many drama’s” said Morrison. “It’s a really amazing place but you do have to treat it with a lot of respect so we didn’t push our luck too much today. We spent too much time on the rev limiter which would have held us back against the more powerful cars in our class, but we simply did our own thing and grabbing some more points was the only aim this weekend. It’s given us a good insight into driving on the ranges and with the next round on Epynt in Wales at the end of the month, we are hoping for more of the same there too”.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
4th August 2016
Morrison back on tar at the Tyneside Stages
MG ZR pilot George Morrison resumes his BTRDA Challenge season in Northumberland
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will continue his BTRDA Rally Challenge campaign this weekend as he heads to Northumberland to contest the Tyneside Stages Rally (7th August). After cruelly retiring from the Nicky Grist stages on the run back to the finish ramp of the event, Morrison is hoping for a change of luck to get his title aspirations back on track
Currently sitting third overall in the BTRDA Rally Challenge, Morrison and regular co-driver Jon Quintrell will take their MG ZR to the closed asphalt roads of Otterburn Military ranges as they contest a sealed surface event for the first time since the Manx Rally back in May. Enjoying a second place in the series on the Isle of Man event, Morrison is hoping to repeat his result as the series enters the second half of the season.
Morrison has been as had a spell in the lead of in the mixed surface championship but last month’s retirement in the forests of Wales put paid to him being able to hold on to the runner up spot. Confident that he has fully repaired the issues which robbed the HM Forces Mechanic of another decent rally finish, Morrison is looking forward to heading back to an asphalt event once again.
“We could do with a little luck on our side as the Nicky Grist retirement was pretty gutting” says Morrison. “But the roads were pretty rough at the back of the field so I perhaps wasn’t that surprised that we retired that way. We certainly won’t have those problems this weekend as we head back onto tar again.”
“I’ve heard a lot about Otterburn, and we are both heading there with a little trepidation” he says. “But the Manx Rally is probably one of the toughest closed road events there is and we did really well there earlier in the year so I’m sure once we get a few stages out of the way, we will settle in nicely. It’s a fairly short event at only 60 miles so it’s more of a sprint that the Manx, but we will be keeping one eye on the championship points throughout the weekend and that should focus the mind a little.”
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
9th July 2016
Heart breaking Nicky Grist Stages for Morrison
BTRDA Challenge contender George Morrison retires just miles from the finish of the NG Stages
MG ZR rally ace George Morrison was dealt the cruellest of blows to his BTRDA Rally Challenge assault last weekend as he retired from the Nicky Grist Stages just miles from the ceremonial finish. After completing over 40 gruelling miles in the forests around the Epynt Military Ranges, the MG suffered a snapped shock absorber on the final stage, forcing the Cottesmore pilot to retire on the road section back to the finish.
Morrison and regular co-driver Jon Quintrell had endured a fraught few months in preparation for the fourth round of the BTRDA Rally Challenge after a fractured wrist brought about a withdrawal of their entry to the third round in Cumbria. But despite his non-score, Morrison headed to the Builth Wells based event second in the championship and would look to build on his decent points haul so far this year.
Heavy rain would make the opening loop of stages trickier than usual and thanks to the MSA British Rally Championship joining the event Morrison would suffer from a lowly seeding position. Having to negotiate the rough forest tracks and ruts, he managed to weave his way through the opening four stages to make it back to the service halt in sixth place in the 1400C class after ending the first test in ninth.
More of the same was planned for the second loop of the day and Morrison was on course to bag more points to add to his tally, when just 450 metres from the end of the final stage, the front shock absorber snapped in two on the rough terrain. He managed to nurse the limping MG across the finish line to record a time, hoping to affect some roadside repairs and make it back to the finish ramp. But despite the pairings best efforts, they could go no further and retired from the event just miles from the end.
“I’m devastated” said Morrison. “I know rallying can be a cruel sport sometimes but to end an event like this is as bad as it gets. I think it makes it worse that we completed all of the stages but simply couldn’t make it the 12 miles back to the finish ramp. I feel really sorry for the team too who worked so hard to get us here and keep us going on one of the toughest rallies of the year. I’m sure I`ll be able to laugh at this moment in a few weeks’ time but it’s a hard pill to swallow right now”.
The championship returns to asphalt for the next round in August, the Tyneside Stages across the Otterburn Military Ranges.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
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5th July 2016
Morrison back in action at Nicky Grist Stages
MGZR pilot George Morrison returns to the BTRDA Challenge on the fourth round in Wales
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will resume his BTRDA Challenge assault this weekend as he heads to Builth Wells in Wales for the Nicky Grist Stages. Having successfully completed the tough all-asphalt Manx Rally in May, Morrison was forced to skip the Carlisle Stages due to a fractured wrist but returns to the series in his MG ZR for the fourth round on Saturday 9th July.
With two solid finishes from two starts, Morrison finds himself second overall in the mixed surface championship and will start the gravel event with one eye on remaining in a podium position. Joined for this event by the MSA British Rally Championship, the BTRDA runners have found themselves nudged down the start order and Morrison will need to carefully guide his 1400cc MG through the ruts if he is to build on his championship position.
Morrison is guided by fellow HM Forces Mechanic Jon Quintrell who is enjoying his first ever year as a co-driver. Learning quickly, the newly formed duo have gelled well in the car this season and are pleased with their one hundred percent finished record in 2016. Their plan for this weekend’s event is most certainly to continue their run of form in the forests of Chrychan, Halfway and Route 60 which are famous for their inclusion in the final round of the World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB in the past.
Now fully recovered from a mountain bike accident which ruled him out of the third round of the series, Morrison is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel again. “I haven’t done a gravel rally since April now so I`m under no illusion that we will take a few stages to settle into the event this weekend” says Morrison. “We had a really successful Manx rally on the closed public roads of the Isle of Man and that has certainly buoyed our championship chances but this is the halfway point of the season and there is a long way to go”.
Morrison is not too concerned about running at car 155 either. “It’s a huge entry and I’m sure the roads will be fairly cut up by the time we get to cross them, but the MG is a sturdy car and we will just have to pick our way through the rocks. It’s the same for all of us towards the tail end of the field so we will do our very best to stay out of trouble and bag more points for our championship.”
The Nicky Grist Stages offers over 40 miles of competitive action in the forests surrounding the Builth Wells rally base.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
8th May 2016
Morrison pleased with result after tough Manx outing
MG ZR pilot George Morrison bags successful outing on the Isle of Man in tricky conditions.
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison overcame tricky conditions on the Isle of Man to take fourth in class B9 at last weekend’s Manx National Rally in his MG ZR. His result on the island marks his second finish of the year in the mixed surface series and his successful outing netted the Cottesmore rally driver second BTRDA class B9 challenger home.
The second round of the series took place across the Irish Sea and saw crews tackle over 100 miles of special stages across the closed public roads on the island. The two day event marked a surface change to asphalt having kicked off the year with the forest based Somerset Stages and Morrison was looking forward to returning to the Manx after his last outing in 2010.
Morrison is joined this year by new co-driver and fellow HM Forces Mechanic Jon Quintrell, and he was mindful that a finish would be the only real option if he was to stand any chance of climbing up the championship leader board. Settling into the first loop of stages on Friday afternoon, the duo would find their feet quickly and used the daylight to adapt to the unique roads found on the event. By the time night time fell, they had managed to settle into a comfortable pace and ended the day under the cover of darkness, pleased with their own progress.
Despite day two dawning over cast, it wasn’t long before the rain descended on the Island which made for exceptionally difficult conditions for the crews still running in the event. But Morrison stayed out of trouble to cross the finish ramp at the TT Grandstand in Douglas without a mark on the car.
“It’s been a fantastic weekend all round and we have both really enjoyed the event” said Morrison. “We had a good recce last week and Jon really did well on his first closed road event too which gave me a lot of confidence, especially at night time which was a real challenge for us both really.”
It wasn’t without drama however. “We had a bit of a scare on the fourth stage of the rally when the map light failed meaning Jon couldn’t see to read the pace notes” explained Morrison. “Luckily he managed to use a head torch which wasn’t ideal but it got us round! It’s a big achievement to finish any event on the Isle of Man so I’m really pleased with how we performed together. I’m really looking forward to the next round which is back in the forests”.
The next round of the series is the DMACK Carlisle Stages which takes place in the Kielder forest along the Scottish Borders on Saturday 11th June.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
4th May 2016
Morrison in search of Isle of Man finish
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison heads to the Manx National Rally looking for another solid result.
After a solid finish at last month’s Somerset Stages Rally, Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will head across the Irish Sea this week to contest the second round of the BTRDA Rally Challenge, the Manx National Rally. He will make the trip to the Isle of Man to contest the two day event which sees the BTRDA series change to an asphalt surface for the first time this season.
Morrison kicked off his 2016 rally campaign with a twelfth in class in the Exmoor forests back in April despite new co-driver Jon Quintrell using the event to learn the ropes for the first time. Several timing penalties meant the new duo would slump down the leader board but the aim was simply to finish after heavy rain had made the forest stages treacherous for the 130 crews.
Using his familiar MG ZR, the HM Forces Mechanic has turned to the mixed surface BTRDA Rally Challenge this year which offers the opportunity to contest both forest and sealed surface events across the UK. After a season in forests last year, Morrison admitted to missing the asphalt and looked to the Challenge which would enable him to use his MG on both surfaces. After a pre-season test at the Rockingham Stages at the end of 2015, Morrison could confirm his plans to tackle the series.
The second round of the season will see Morrison head to the Isle of Man which is famous for hosting the TT races every year. Much like the world famous bike race, the Manx National rally takes place across closed public roads on the island and provides over 100 miles of special stages. Split over two days, the event provides a tough challenge for even the most experienced competitor. Morrison is no stranger to the island having competed there back in 2010 but is under no illusion of the task ahead.
“The Isle of Man is known the world over for its roads and to be retuning there with the MG is really exciting” says Morrison. “Jon (Quintrell) and I had a good Somerset and once he settled in our pace really began to improve, it was only his first event after all. So the Manx should be an equally big challenge and it will be important to get another decent result for our championship.”
And his previous experience on the Island won’t offer much assistance “Last time I was there it was in the Peugeot 205 and I had a podium on each leg of the event” he says. “But the MG is completely different to the 205 and it’s a long rally so we will take each stage as it comes. If we can improve as much as we did on the Somerset throughout the weekend, then I`ll be happy.”
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
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20th April 2016
Morrison pleased with Somerset performance
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison records solid finish at the Somerset Stages Rally
In only his first gravel event since July last year, rally driver George Morrison netted a solid finish at last weekend’s Somerset Stages Rally to kick start his BTRDA Rally Challenge assault. The Cottesmore based HM Forces Mechanic took his MG ZR to twelfth in class at the Minehead event which was held in tricky conditions across the Exmoor forests.
Joined by first-time co-driver and fellow Corp Engineer Jon Quintrell, the newly formed duo headed to the South West to contest the opening round of the mixed surface BTRDA series. Having had some asphalt outings earlier in the year, Morrison was keen to return to the gravel in his MG ZR and sited the Rally Challenge as a fantastic opportunity to gain experience of a wider range of events. The Somerset Stages provided an additional challenge this year thanks to heavy rain in the preceding week which could make the stages treacherous and extremely slippery for the some 130 crews.
Morrison felt right at home in the MG from the very first stage and despite getting a little out of sorts with the notes; the duo would complete the first loop of stages without any major dramas. With the event using 13 stages to provide 37 miles of competition, there was no room for error and Morrison would have his sights firmly affixed on a finish at the seaside resort. But as the rally progressed, Morrison settled back into his gravel rhythm and picked up the pace as the stages dried in the afternoon sunshine.
Despite a timing penalty setback, Morrison was pleased with how the day had gone.
“The car has been faultless and Jon really learned fast in the co-driver’s seat today so by the closing stages we were starting to push on” he said. “Sadly he made a booking in error on one stage which meant we developed a five minute penalty. This dropped us down the order and without that we would have been knocking on the door of the MG ZR Challenge podium. But he is still learning so it’s all part of the process”.
“It’s been a really satisfying end to the day and I’m so pleased to have made it round” he said. We did have a few moments this morning in the mud, but I’m pretty sure everyone did out there today. Tackling the asphalt Porlock Toll Road on gravel tyres was a new experience though and a little hairy, but I guess it’s all good experience for the next round on the Isle of Man!”
Round two of the BTRDA Rally Challenge takes crews to the Manx National Rally in May which takes place across the closed public roads on the Isle of Man.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
11th April 2016
Morrison all set for new rally challenge in Somerset
MG ZR rally driver George Morrison kicks off his 2016 season at the Somerset Stages Rally
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will head to Minehead this weekend to begin his assault on the 2016 BTRDA Rally Challenge at the Somerset Stages Rally (16th April). The HM Forces Engineer will once again use his familiar MG ZR to contest the series which offers a mixture of loose surface and asphalt rallies in seven rounds across the UK.
Morrison contested the loose surface BTRDA series in 2015 which encompassed the MG ZR Challenge, yet a victory eluded him in the close-fought championship. But with a new co-driver and change of direction, Morrison has set his sights on a class win during the season which will be a new challenge for the newly formed duo. He will be joined by fellow Corp Engineer Jon Quintrell for the year ahead and Morrison is looking forward to starting a mixed surface championship for the first time.
“I’ve done a few years in the BTRDA gravel series now and whilst I do enjoy the forestry, I was looking for a new challenge” says Morrison. “The mixed surface series offers the best of both worlds and the MG is a great car on the asphalt. It also means I get to contest the Manx rally next month which has to be right up there with one of the best closed road events in the world”.
The series kicks off with the Somerset Stages this weekend and takes in almost 40 miles of action, packed in to thirteen stages. Morrison believes it’s a good event to start the year with as he gets used to the new partnership in the car. “It will be great to have a fellow colleague (Jon Quintrell) in the car with me this year and whilst we will both need some time to adjust, the Somerset Stages is a good starting point” he says. “There are lots of stages there so it’s good for Jon to learn the ropes as we will really need to be on the ball when we head to the Isle of Man next month. The stages can be tricky though so the main aim is to get some points on the board to start the year off well. I can’t wait to get going now”.
The event is based in Minehead on the North Somerset coast and over 150 crews will tackle stages across Exmoor National Park on Saturday with the lucky finishers celebrating at the ceremonial finish on the seafront in the town later that afternoon.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
6th December 2015
Part of the winning team
This year saw the birth of the Coningham Cup which is an Army v RAF competition.
The Rockingham stages rally was the battleground for the first ever showdown of the Coningham cup between the Army and RAF. The Rockingham stages rally was a 2 day event. The first day was not the best of days with George ending the first stage with a burst brake pipe, during a frantic service to get the car repaired George and Emma made it out of service on time to carry on with the rest of the stages for the day. With the rest of the day running without any major problems George and Emma headed into the night stages part of the event. George was a bit anxious prior to the night stages, and after the first stage in the dark George returned to service with a leaking radiator and cracked lamp pod following a collison with a tyre wall. This however did not dampen George's spirits and he went back out to finish the first day of the event. At the end of the day there was no clear leader in the Army/RAF competition that was battling away in the background.
The second day of the event saw George come out the box running, pulling time back from other competitors that he had lost to during the night stages. Also the first part of the day saw the RAF take the lead in the Coningham Cup. With dark clouds looming over Rockingham this eventually lead to rain, which started to turn in the Army's favour for the Coningham Cup. With a tight battle between the two services the rest of the day made for good watching, but at the end the Army pipped the post for the win.
With our finish and 6th in class George has secured 3rd in the inaugural Army Stage Rally Championship and Emma 2nd.
Now time to strip the car for some bodywork tlc and to get ready for 2016 and new co-driver Jon.
Many thanks to all those who have helped us a long the way!
12th July 2015
Morrison keeps his cool as engine expires over rally finish
George Morrison records Nicky Grist Stages as the MG ZR engine fails over finish ramp
Tidworth based HM Forces Mechanic George Morrison recorded his second finish of the year last weekend as he took his MG ZR to seventh in the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series 1400c class at the Nicky Grist Stages in Builth Wells. Co-driven by new-to-the-team Sion Cunniff, the duo endured a tough day at the rear of the 180 car field, but returned to the Royal Welsh Showground finish podium with a solid result, just before the engine expired as they loaded the car onto the trailer to return home.
After a confidence boosting first finish of the year in Carlisle last month, Morrison would head to the Welsh event in the hope of scoring more points for his MG ZR Challenge Championship aspirations. The event was based across the forest tracks surround Epynt Military Ranges and would provide over 44 stages miles during the day. Starting at car 174 meant Morrison would endure some rougher than normal roads during the day, but picked his way through the rock strewn tracks to return to the mid-way service halt in good spirits and no dramas to report.
The afternoon loop meant a re-run of the four stages used earlier and Morrison would work hard to nurse the MG through the stages. However with no warning signs on the dashboard, Morrison was unaware that a small coolant hose had burst through the final stage of the day and all the coolant required to keep the engine at the correct temperature would disappear. As he drove through the finish ramp back at Builth Wells, the engine was minutes from expiring and duly did so as the team loaded it onto the trailer.
“We were so, so lucky today” said a relived Morrison. “The temperature gauge was reading ok and nothing really gave us any indication there was a problem until we got back to the finish as I noticed a bit of smoke and a rather hot smell from the car. I’m really glad it lasted until we got back as I really needed to finish today. The stages were great and I’ve always wanted to do the Route 60 test as it was used on Wales Rally GB a few years back. Hopefully I can get seeded a little higher on the next event so we won’t have to dodge too many rocks this time.”
The next round of the series is the Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages Rally which takes place on the 5th September in Ludlow, Shropshire.
7th July 2015
Morrison aims for confidence boosting finish in Wales
BTRDA driver George Morrison looks for solid result on Nicky Grist Stages
Fresh from his first finish of the year at the Carlisle Stages last month, MG ZR pilot George Morrison will make the trip to Wales next weekend as he contests the sixth round of the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Nicky Grist Stages. After a torrid start to the season which saw Morrison retire on the opening two events, he secured a much needed result on the last round of the championship to put his MGZR Challenge aspirations back on track.
The Tidworth based HM Forces Mechanic acquired the MG late in 2014 with an eye on the competitive one make series which follows the Kick Start 1400 championship across the UK. Failing to finish both the Wyedean and Malcom Wilson Stages, Morrison received a confidence boost in Carlisle meaning he sits just one point shy of a top seven position in the championship.
Joining Morrison for the Saturday 11th July event, is Bangor based co-driver Sion Cunniff who joins the team with local knowledge of the stages. Using a similar route to that once utilised for the final round of the World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB, the stages are some of the most challenging in the country but Morrison is looking forward to the challenge.
“It will be great to be back in Wales and compete across these amazing stages in the MG” said Morrison. “The car is really solid and handles so well and thanks to the input from AB Motorsport recently, is now as reliable as it ever could be. I think the Grist will be a different animal to Carlisle as we really had to pick our way round the rocks in Kielder. I’m hoping the stages will be a little smoother so we can push on a bit, even though we don’t have a great seeding sadly”.
Morrison is starting to enjoy his rallying again after his early season blip. “It was a great feeling to finish the Carlisle stages after two retirements and I really enjoyed the event as a whole so it would be great to think we can do the same in Wales. I`ll need to keep my concentration levels up as the stages can really catch you out, but I`m in a confident mood so hopefully we can reach the end again”.
The Nicky Grist Stages is based in Builth Wells and sees over 44 stage miles in the Crychan, Halfway and Monument forests. Centring on the Epynt Military Ranges, crews will carry out central servicing at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth during the day, before returning later that afternoon for the podium finish.
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Morrison records first finish of the year in tough Carlisle rally
MG ZR pilot George Morrison finishes the Carlisle Stages in season comeback.
With two non-finishes to his name in 2015 thanks to a series of mechanical misfortunes, George Morrison took his MG ZR to its first finish of the year in one of the toughest events in the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series calendar, the DMACK Carlisle Stages. Based entirely in the Kielder forest complex, the stages are renowned for catching the unwary but Morrsion took it all in his stride, nursing the MG around the rough stages to reach the Longtown finish ninth in the 1400C class.
The HM Forces Mechanic from Tidworth in Wiltshire was all set to have co-driving wife Emma in the passenger seat for the first time on the event, but a back injury during the week meant a replacement would need to be sought. Welshman Unum Pila stepped in to assist in a bid to rejuvenate Morrison’s MGZR Challenge and Kick Start 1400 championship aspirations.
With new runner order regulations, Morrison would start the event towards the tail end of the field and would almost certainly encounter tricky conditions in the stages thanks to the passage of over 130 cars ahead of him. But Morrison was keen to ensure a finish was on the cards in the Borders and settled into a pace that would be comfortable enough to manage the conditions safely. Returning to the first service of the day, Morrison’s only complaint was a twisted shock absorber and the team quickly corrected the issue.
The second loop would prove a little more troublesome as halfway through the fourth stage of the event the MG broke a driveshaft on a rocky corner, leaving Morrison with just one wheel drive. Nursing the car to the end of the stage, the newly formed duo completed the next test with the tricky handling and made it back to service where the team could change the defective unit. Despite the final 13 mile test being cancelled due to an earlier incident, Morrison was overjoyed to finish an event for the first time this year and dedicated the achievement to the people around him who made it all possible.
“It’s been a really tough start to my season and it has been hard not to get a little depressed about our retirements with the new car” said Morrison. “But thanks to the huge effort of the team we have managed to turn our fortunes around and get a finish under our belt. Matt Beebe at AB Motorsport has been instrumental in making sure the MG was able to start the event and thanks to him we emerged unscathed from this notorious event. Thanks also must go to Gareth for stepping into the co driver’s seat at the last minute.”
The next round takes place in just four weeks’ time as crews return to Wales for the sixth round of the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Nicky Grist Stages
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9th June 2015
It’s a family affair - Morrison returns with new co-driver in Carlisle
BTRDA driver George Morrison recruits co-driving wife for rally return
After a three month sabbatical from the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series thanks to extensive gearbox repairs to his MG ZR, Tidworth pilot George Morrison will return to the driver’s seat this weekend, complete with a new co-driver. Heading north to the fifth round of the championship the DMACK Carlisle Stages, Morrison will be joined by his experienced co-driving wife, Emma for the 13th June event.
Morrison has not competed since the Malcolm Wilson Stages back in March and thanks to a penultimate stage transmission failure, has not finished an event this year. His newly acquired MG ZR has proved troublesome for the HM Forces Mechanic but believes he has now got to the bottom of the issues which have dogged him since the opening round in Chepstow. Coupled with his new co-driver, Morrison has high hopes for his return to the MGZR Challenge and Kick Start 1400C championship.
“It has been a frustrating few months knowing that I am missing out on events whilst the car is repaired” he says. “But it’s important to get it right as we really cannot afford another non-finish in the championship. Our title hopes are somewhat dashed but we need to get some seat time in the car and I guess you never know what can happen. A finish will be important of course but it’s time to really start pushing the MG.”
Even though Emma is an experienced British rally co-driver, the BTRDA qualifier will mark the first time the duo have competed together and they are both looking forward to the experience.
“It will be great to have Emma sat alongside me in Kielder as she knows it really well and that’s important in there” said George. “The stages are fantastic but also are well known for claiming many experienced drivers so we will both need to be on the ball throughout the event. I have to say, I’ve not looked forward to a rally this much in quite a while”.
The DMACK Carlisle Stages is based in Longtown, a few miles North West of Carlisle. The event provides over 42 competitive stage miles in the Newcastleton and Kershope forest complex with service based in the small town during Saturday. Competitors will return to the finish podium later that afternoon.
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1st March 2015
Morrison clutching at a result in Cumbrian rally drama
HM Forces engineer and MG ZR pilot George Morrison had an event to forget as he tackled the second round of the REIS Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Malcolm Wilson Rally. After a non-finish on the opening round in February, Morrison would look to the Cockermouth based event to score some valuable points for his season assault in the MG ZR Challenge but would encounter mechanical issues before the rally even started.
Morrison from Tidworth in Wiltshire once again enlisted the help of Glen Mercer in the co-driver’s seat and the duo made the long trip to Cumbria to tackle stages in the Lake District. But even before the event began, the team would be called upon to remove the gearbox of the MG during night before the rally as the clutch expired pulling into pre-event scrutiny.
“We literally unloaded the car and drove it to noise check and found we didn’t have neutral” explained Morrison. “I knew the clutch had exploded so we dispatched some of the team to source a clutch while we stripped it down. They drove hundreds of miles that night but did manage to find a standard one in time and they did an excellent job in fitting it. I think we got back to the hotel just after midnight so it wasn’t a great start to our event”.
With the car back to full health, Morrison was looking forward to getting his season underway properly in the Cumbrian forests. Despite a small spin and over shoot during the morning loop of stages, he was pleased with his progress in the car he was still trying getting used to. “It’s very different to the Peugeot I used to have so I’m still learning new things about the MG with every stage” he said at the morning service halt. “I’m really happy with how it’s going today and I’m setting some good times, considering the conditions. Glen is certainly finding his feet too – it’s only his second rally after all”.
This increased confidence was apparent as Morrison moved up the leader board into a solid class position, just off the podium positions. But the clutch that team so impressively fitted the night before, cried enough on the start line of the seventh stage and forced Morrison into retirement just two stages from the end of the event.
“It was always a risk fitting the standard clutch but we thought it was worth the gamble” he said. “We had a good run today and I’m really starting to get a good feel for the car but perhaps this wasn’t our rally. I have to say a massive thanks to the team who did everything in their power to ensure we started the rally, they were fantastic and it’s great to know I have a group of dedicated people around me like that”.
The next round of the BTRDA Rally Series is the Somerset Stages on 18th April and will provide an interesting mix of asphalt and gravel around the seaside town of Minehead.
1st March 2015
The only way is up - Morrison has it all to do in Cumbria
After a disappointing mechanical failure on last month’s season opening Wyedean Rally, MG ZR pilot George Morrison will head to Cumbria next weekend as he contests the second round of the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Malcom Wilson Rally. The HM Forces Mechanic from Tidworth in Wiltshire suffered a driveshaft failure on only the second stage of the event in the Forest of Dean and is looking to get his championship hopes back on track at the 7th March event.
After an enforced two year sabbatical, Morrison has returned to the driving seat in his newly acquired MG ZR this year and with new co-driver Glen Mercer alongside, Morrison is contesting the competitive MGZR Challenge and 1400c class within the BTRDA series. The early event retirement in the Forest of Dean may have hampered his early championship score, but it certainly has not kerbed his enthusiasm for the Cockermouth based Malcom Wilson Rally.
“We did have a few teething problems on the first stage of the Wyedean Rally as Glen was getting used to the pacenotes and we retired on the second, so it was hard to judge our pace after so long away from the sport” says Morrison. “But the Wilson is a great event and I am really impressed with how solid the MG feels, even in the deep mud of Wales so I’m sure I can start to build my pace fairly quickly once I get settled in. I’m really keen to get as much mileage in the car as possible to the aim is most certainly to finish this event”.
The Cumbrian event will take a capacity entry into the infamous forests of Grizedale and will also utilise the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team test forest of Greystoke within the route. As with all the rounds of the BTRDA that Morrison will be contesting, this will be his first time on the event so would be forgiven for taking a cautious approach. “With one point scoring opportunity lost we can’t afford many more errors this year, so I need to find a happy medium between competitive times and not too many risks” he says. “A confident start will be key and see what the times are like at service halfway through the day before we decide on how to approach the rest of the event”.
The Malcom Wilson Rally starts in Cockermouth early on Saturday 7th March and over 40 competitive stage miles lie ahead within the Lake District forests. Competitors will return to the finish ramp during the early evening later that day.
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Morrison shows promise for rest of season despite second stage setback
After two years away from the sport, HM Forces Mechanic George Morrison began his rallying comeback trail on last weekend’s BTRDA Series opener, The Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally. But an early event retirement ended his charge up the leader board after setting an encouraging time through the first stage of the Chepstow based event.
Piloting his new MG ZR in the highly competitive 1400C class of the series, Morrison was keen to start the season on a high after a short test at the beginning of the year revealed its far superior handling and braking characteristics in the car compared to his 2013 steed, a Peugeot 205. But a broken drive shaft on stage two of the event would put him out of the rally before he had a real chance to settle into the challenging conditions on the Forest of Dean.
Morrison from Tidworth, Wiltshire was co-driven by Glenn Mercer who was competing on his very first event and would be undoubtedly finding his feet throughout the day. The three mile opening test was perhaps the hardest of the day due to the heavy overnight rain in the area and thick layer of mud, which greeted the crew early on Saturday morning. With Mercer still adjusting to the pace note system, Morrison had to drive the stage without direction calls from the new comer, but Morrison took a confident approach and they emerged from the stage in a solid class position.
On then to the longer second stage and the duo gelled instantly with Morrison starting to feel more comfortable with both the new car and the calls from Mercer. Their pace increased as the stage progressed but it was soon to be in vein as the MG dug into the rough gravel on a hairpin and snapped a driveshaft, ending their comeback charge on the spot.
“Of course it’s really disappointing to retire from the event before we really got going” said Morrison. “Glenn had got the rhythm back in his pace notes and I was starting to push for the first time and it was just unlucky we got caught up in the ruts. But we have to look to the rest of the season now and see how we can develop throughout the year. I know the car is good and I feel really confident, more than I ever did in the Peugeot so I think we can certainly be fighting for a podium spot on the next event in March.”
The second round of the all-gravel series is the Malcom Wilson Rally in Cumbria which takes crews to the notorious Grizedale Forest complex in just three weeks’ time. Morrison will hope to test the MG before the event in an attempt to gain more seat time and be “match fit” for the remainder of his BTRDA Rally Championship, MG ZR Challenge and MSA English Rally Championship campaign.
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Morrison kicks off rallying comeback with National series opener
Returning to the sport after a two year sabbatical, HM Forces Mechanic George Morrison will contest next weekend’s Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally. Driving his newly acquired MG ZR, Morrison will tackle the popular BTRDA Rally Championship and the ten round season kicks off with the Forest of Dean based event. A previous winner of the RC2 class in the BRC Challenge series during 2010, Morrison will turn his attentions to the ultra-competitive MGZR Challenge which is incorporated in the all-gravel BTRDA Rally Championship.
Morrison from Tidworth, Wiltshire has been out of competitive driving action since June 2013 when he suffered a car destroying roll in his Peugeot 205 on Jim Clark Rally in Scotland. Unable to repair the car due to the damage sustained, Morrison set about looking for a new car and acquired his new 1400cc MG ZR last last year. Co-driven in 2015 by Glen Mercer, he will use the MG to contest events from Somerset to Scotland in a bid to win the MG ZR Challenge.
“It feel like ages since I`ve sat in a rally car” explains Morrison. “It took me a while to get over our Jim Clark accident and missing out on the rest of the year was really disappointing. But watching everyone else compete gave me the enthusiasm to formulate plan and when the MG came up for sale I just couldn’t refuse”.
Having been away from the sport for so long doesn’t phase Morrison in the slightest and he has ensured he measure of the car before the first round in Chepstow. “We had a look around for a championship to do this year and the BTRDA was a natural fit for me and the car. I enjoy gravel rallies and there is a good spread of events across the UK but I was conscience I wasn’t match fit. We have been testing with the car and it feels great. It’s a lot more stable than the 205 and much more forgiving so should mean I`ll be able to push a little harder. I took an interest in the MG ZR Challenge last year and kept one eye on it from afar. It’s a really close championship so I`m looking forward to getting stuck in and see how we get on!”
The Wyedean Forest Rally starts at Chepstow Racecourse early on Saturday 14th February and over 40 competitive stage miles lie ahead for the some 160 crews. After eight special stages in the Forest of Dean the remaining competitors will return to the finish ramp during mid-afternoon.
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Morrison suffers Somerset Stages woe
George Morrison gets season underway in Minehead, but is forced to retire on opening stage
George Morrison suffered a cruel blow to the start of his Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series campaign when he was forced to retire his MG ZR on the opening stage of last weekend’s Somerset Stages Rally.
The Cottesmore driver headed to the Minehead based event to open his assault on the 1400C class, MGZR Challenge and Army Stage Rally Championship but his event was over before it really began, retiring after the very first test when a driveshaft snapped on the MG.
The HM Forces Mechanic is joined once again this season by co-driver Jon Quintrell and the event was the scene of Quintrell’s first ever rally back in 2016. Some 12 months on, the duo returned to kick start their season and were hoping to secure a decent points haul to get their campaign off to the perfect start.
Having finished an impressive second in the mixed surface BTRDA Challenge last season, Morrison is no stranger to both asphalt and gravel and the Somerset Stages is one event in the calendar which incorporates both surfaces. Morrison was looking forward to the 14 stage rally and getting stuck into the Porlock Toll Road stage which splits the event at the halfway point.
But any hopes of a podium were dashed on the very first stage when the MG snapped a driveshaft in the Knowle test and with five more stages to contest; Morrison was forced to retire on the road section to the next stage.
“I was changing down a gear into a hairpin and as I selected second and released the clutch I heard a loud bang” explained Morrison. “I instantly knew that the driveshaft had snapped and backed right off as it really could have caused some serious damage if we continued”.
Morrison nursed the car to the end of the stage but without the opportunity to change the offending item, was forced to pull up. “It made it even more frustrating that we recorded fourth fastest 1400C and 63rd overall from 95 starters even with one wheel drive. If we had continued like that for the rest of the day I’d say we were on for a good result but I guess that’s rallying and we have to concentrate on the next event now and make sure we bag some points”.
The Plains Rally forms round three of the series and takes place in Welshpool during May.
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4th April 2017
Morrison back to BTRDA at Somerset Stages
George Morrison returns to the sport with an assault on Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, beginning with this weekend’s Somerset Stages.
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will kick off his 2017 assault on the Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series with this weekend’s Somerset Stages Rally (8th April).
After contesting the BTRDA Rally Challenge last season, Morrison and co-driver Jon Quintrell finished an impressive second in the series and will once again use their 1400cc MG ZR to tackle the all-gravel championship.
The HM Forces Mechanic has had to delay his first outing this year due to work commitments but will head to the Minehead based event in a bid to make up for lost time and missing out on the opening round in Cumbria.
Morrison is no stranger to the championship and contested the BTRDA series in 2016 which encompassed the MG ZR Challenge, but victory eluded him in the close-fought championship. This year, Morrison has set his sights on a class win during the season and is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel in Somerset.
“It feels like it’s been a very long time since I was last out competitively, the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire was September last year so I hope I can remember what to do” says Morrison.
“We had quite a lot to get used to last year and the mixed surface events were a great challenge but pretty hard going. Jon had never co-driven before either so he had to learn everything from scratch. It was tough for the first few events but he picked it up really quickly and we began getting some decent results”.
But Morrison is aware it will be tough to bag a podium in the 1400C class this season.
“There are some pretty experienced people doing the championship this year so we do have to take each event as it comes. I can’t expect to jump right in after seven months out of the car and get a win or podium; it will take a few events to bed in. But I really can’t wait to get going again, I’ve certainly missed it.
The Somerset Stages is also a round of the Army Stage Rally Championship and Morrison will return to the series to defend the title he won last year. Despite Morrison’s win, co-driver Quintrell lost out on the series win and finished third.
“It was a great achievement to win the Championship last season as it was pretty hotly contested and only decided on the last round, but I`m gutted Jon couldn’t quite get the title. Hopefully this year we can both be at the top of the standings at the end of the year!”
The Somerset Stages Rally takes place on Saturday 8th April and consists of around 40 competitive miles of action in the forest around Exmoor.
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1st October 2016
Perfect podium for Morrison at Rally Yorkshire
George Morrison rounds of his BTRDA Rally Challenge assault with third at Trackrod Rally Yorkshire
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison had the perfect end to his season by taking third in the 1400C class on the final round of the series, Trackrod Rally Yorkshire. Morrison had a trouble free run in his MG ZR to score his best result of the season and provisionally take the final podium spot in the championship.
Morrison with co-driver Jon Quintrell have enjoyed a confidence boosting season in the mixed surface championship and his solid bag of points have already awarded him the Class 2 spoils in the series. Tackling both asphalt and gravel surface events, Morrison has piloted the MG through some of the toughest events in the British rally calendar as the season reaches its climax in the Yorkshire forests.
After Morrison’s last outing in August on the sealed surface Tyneside Stages, the Cottesmore ace would understandably have to ease into the super quick gravel roads of Dalby. But the HM Forces Mechanic found himself on the edge of the podium spot in fourth after the opening test and he showed no sign of needing to gain confidence as he edged back into a loose surface in the MG.
Just one stage later, Morrison vaulted into the top three in the 1400C class and headed into the mid-point service halt with comfortable cushion over his chasing rivals. As the stage miles passed, Morrison’s confidence grew and he enjoyed a trouble free run over the final stages to take his best result of the year.
“It just all seemed to come together for us this weekend and everything went perfectly” said Morrison. “After an early scare on Friday when our tow vehicle broke, we thought lady luck was on holiday again but our times on the stages were really positive and to take a podium on the final round of the championship makes this season all worthwhile”.
His result could have ramifications in the BTRDA Rally Challenge too. “We need to wait for the organisers to confirm the points on the event but we think we may have snatched third overall in the series too. That would have been unthinkable at the start of the year, we have overcome many difficulties along the way and it would be a perfect end to the season. Either way, I have to say a huge thanks to the team and sponsors for all their hard work. Also thanks to Jon who has completed he first year in the sport and really has picked everything up so quickly. It’s been a fantastic year.”
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
Morrison aiming for Rally Yorkshire glory
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison heads to the final round this weekend, Rally Yorkshire
Cottesmore rally ace George Morrison heads to the final round of the BTRDA Rally Challenge this weekend as he returns to the forests for the season finale’ Rally Yorkshire.
After contesting the mixed surface championship throughout the season, Morrison has already taken the Class 2 spoils in his 1400cc MG and will look to end the season with another solid points haul to lift him from fifth in the overall standings.
With several events in the series offering a first-time visit for Morrison, the HM Forces Mechanic has had to adapt quickly to the new events in the championship on both gravel and asphalt surfaces.
Co-driver Jon Quintrell is enjoying his inaugural season in the sport and the duo have been pleased with their progress in 2016.
Now, the championship draws to a close in the Yorkshire forests and Morrison is looking forward to ending the year on a high. “Aside from our non-finish on the Nicky Grist Stages in the summer we have had a pretty good run of form this year” says Morrison. “We have managed to finish all the other events we have contested, including the notoriously difficult Manx Rally so hopefully we can emulate that this weekend.”
Morrison last competed on Rally Yorkshire back in 2010 as part of the BRC Challenge and will be pleased if he can equal his result of third in class from that year. “The stages are incredibly fast in Dalby forest and that doesn’t really suit the MG but it more than makes up for it in its handling and braking capabilities. It would be nice to think we can be fighting for a class podium on my return to the event and as we have already won our class in the BTRDA Challenge, the pressure is off a little.”
But there is a championship podium at stake for Morrison as well. “The final positions in the overall BTRDA Challenge are still open wide so would be nice to see if we can try and make it onto the podium too. That would be a great achievement considering the pedigree of the guys ahead of us so we will be keeping one eye on the leader board at the weekend too”.
Morrison tames the Tyneside
MG ZR pilot George Morrison secures BTRDA Challenge points haul in Northumberland
MG ZR rally driver George Morrison banished the memories of a last minute non-finish at the Nicky Grist Stages, by securing a solid result on the Tyneside Stages last weekend. Based at the all-asphalt Otterburn Military Ranges in Northumberland, Morrison would tackle the tricky venue for the very first time but secured a confidence boosting finish to help his BTRDA Rally Challenge campaign.
Heading to the fifth round of the series, Morrison was sitting comfortably in third overall but with powerful four wheel drive machinery out in front, it would be a tall order to remain in a podium spot after the tough 60 mile event. Hoping to right the wrongs of his retirement on the last round of the championship in Wales, Morrison with regular co-driver Jon Quintrell would be looking for a decent points haul to keep his season hope alive.
Having only ever been to the bleak Military Ranges during his HM Forces training many years ago, Cottesmore based Morrison had his first taste of the roads during the pre-event recce and would look to opt for a finish rather than heroics over the weekend. The 12 stage event would provide a challenge for every one of the crews and its reputation for its unforgiving roads can catch out even the most experienced of drivers.
Stage one would get underway with the longest test of the day at just over 12 miles long and it wouldn’t pass trouble free for Morrison. A brush with a chicane would re-arrange the MG bodywork and this early wakeup call focused the mind for the remaining loop during the morning. That focus, lasted just one stage however when a high speed spin on stage three meant Morrison dropped more time to his rivals.
The MG struggled to cope with the high speed nature of the ranges and would spend more than enough time at maximum speed, Morrison unable to wring any more from the 1400cc power plant. Deciding not to take too many risks Morrison looked to consolidate his position for the remainder of the day and despite an over exuberant spin on a hairpin on the penultimate stage, recovered to take 62nd overall from 87 starters.
“The aim today was certainly just to get round and I’m really pleased we managed to do that without too many drama’s” said Morrison. “It’s a really amazing place but you do have to treat it with a lot of respect so we didn’t push our luck too much today. We spent too much time on the rev limiter which would have held us back against the more powerful cars in our class, but we simply did our own thing and grabbing some more points was the only aim this weekend. It’s given us a good insight into driving on the ranges and with the next round on Epynt in Wales at the end of the month, we are hoping for more of the same there too”.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
4th August 2016
Morrison back on tar at the Tyneside Stages
MG ZR pilot George Morrison resumes his BTRDA Challenge season in Northumberland
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will continue his BTRDA Rally Challenge campaign this weekend as he heads to Northumberland to contest the Tyneside Stages Rally (7th August). After cruelly retiring from the Nicky Grist stages on the run back to the finish ramp of the event, Morrison is hoping for a change of luck to get his title aspirations back on track
Currently sitting third overall in the BTRDA Rally Challenge, Morrison and regular co-driver Jon Quintrell will take their MG ZR to the closed asphalt roads of Otterburn Military ranges as they contest a sealed surface event for the first time since the Manx Rally back in May. Enjoying a second place in the series on the Isle of Man event, Morrison is hoping to repeat his result as the series enters the second half of the season.
Morrison has been as had a spell in the lead of in the mixed surface championship but last month’s retirement in the forests of Wales put paid to him being able to hold on to the runner up spot. Confident that he has fully repaired the issues which robbed the HM Forces Mechanic of another decent rally finish, Morrison is looking forward to heading back to an asphalt event once again.
“We could do with a little luck on our side as the Nicky Grist retirement was pretty gutting” says Morrison. “But the roads were pretty rough at the back of the field so I perhaps wasn’t that surprised that we retired that way. We certainly won’t have those problems this weekend as we head back onto tar again.”
“I’ve heard a lot about Otterburn, and we are both heading there with a little trepidation” he says. “But the Manx Rally is probably one of the toughest closed road events there is and we did really well there earlier in the year so I’m sure once we get a few stages out of the way, we will settle in nicely. It’s a fairly short event at only 60 miles so it’s more of a sprint that the Manx, but we will be keeping one eye on the championship points throughout the weekend and that should focus the mind a little.”
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
9th July 2016
Heart breaking Nicky Grist Stages for Morrison
BTRDA Challenge contender George Morrison retires just miles from the finish of the NG Stages
MG ZR rally ace George Morrison was dealt the cruellest of blows to his BTRDA Rally Challenge assault last weekend as he retired from the Nicky Grist Stages just miles from the ceremonial finish. After completing over 40 gruelling miles in the forests around the Epynt Military Ranges, the MG suffered a snapped shock absorber on the final stage, forcing the Cottesmore pilot to retire on the road section back to the finish.
Morrison and regular co-driver Jon Quintrell had endured a fraught few months in preparation for the fourth round of the BTRDA Rally Challenge after a fractured wrist brought about a withdrawal of their entry to the third round in Cumbria. But despite his non-score, Morrison headed to the Builth Wells based event second in the championship and would look to build on his decent points haul so far this year.
Heavy rain would make the opening loop of stages trickier than usual and thanks to the MSA British Rally Championship joining the event Morrison would suffer from a lowly seeding position. Having to negotiate the rough forest tracks and ruts, he managed to weave his way through the opening four stages to make it back to the service halt in sixth place in the 1400C class after ending the first test in ninth.
More of the same was planned for the second loop of the day and Morrison was on course to bag more points to add to his tally, when just 450 metres from the end of the final stage, the front shock absorber snapped in two on the rough terrain. He managed to nurse the limping MG across the finish line to record a time, hoping to affect some roadside repairs and make it back to the finish ramp. But despite the pairings best efforts, they could go no further and retired from the event just miles from the end.
“I’m devastated” said Morrison. “I know rallying can be a cruel sport sometimes but to end an event like this is as bad as it gets. I think it makes it worse that we completed all of the stages but simply couldn’t make it the 12 miles back to the finish ramp. I feel really sorry for the team too who worked so hard to get us here and keep us going on one of the toughest rallies of the year. I’m sure I`ll be able to laugh at this moment in a few weeks’ time but it’s a hard pill to swallow right now”.
The championship returns to asphalt for the next round in August, the Tyneside Stages across the Otterburn Military Ranges.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
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5th July 2016
Morrison back in action at Nicky Grist Stages
MGZR pilot George Morrison returns to the BTRDA Challenge on the fourth round in Wales
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will resume his BTRDA Challenge assault this weekend as he heads to Builth Wells in Wales for the Nicky Grist Stages. Having successfully completed the tough all-asphalt Manx Rally in May, Morrison was forced to skip the Carlisle Stages due to a fractured wrist but returns to the series in his MG ZR for the fourth round on Saturday 9th July.
With two solid finishes from two starts, Morrison finds himself second overall in the mixed surface championship and will start the gravel event with one eye on remaining in a podium position. Joined for this event by the MSA British Rally Championship, the BTRDA runners have found themselves nudged down the start order and Morrison will need to carefully guide his 1400cc MG through the ruts if he is to build on his championship position.
Morrison is guided by fellow HM Forces Mechanic Jon Quintrell who is enjoying his first ever year as a co-driver. Learning quickly, the newly formed duo have gelled well in the car this season and are pleased with their one hundred percent finished record in 2016. Their plan for this weekend’s event is most certainly to continue their run of form in the forests of Chrychan, Halfway and Route 60 which are famous for their inclusion in the final round of the World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB in the past.
Now fully recovered from a mountain bike accident which ruled him out of the third round of the series, Morrison is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel again. “I haven’t done a gravel rally since April now so I`m under no illusion that we will take a few stages to settle into the event this weekend” says Morrison. “We had a really successful Manx rally on the closed public roads of the Isle of Man and that has certainly buoyed our championship chances but this is the halfway point of the season and there is a long way to go”.
Morrison is not too concerned about running at car 155 either. “It’s a huge entry and I’m sure the roads will be fairly cut up by the time we get to cross them, but the MG is a sturdy car and we will just have to pick our way through the rocks. It’s the same for all of us towards the tail end of the field so we will do our very best to stay out of trouble and bag more points for our championship.”
The Nicky Grist Stages offers over 40 miles of competitive action in the forests surrounding the Builth Wells rally base.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
8th May 2016
Morrison pleased with result after tough Manx outing
MG ZR pilot George Morrison bags successful outing on the Isle of Man in tricky conditions.
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison overcame tricky conditions on the Isle of Man to take fourth in class B9 at last weekend’s Manx National Rally in his MG ZR. His result on the island marks his second finish of the year in the mixed surface series and his successful outing netted the Cottesmore rally driver second BTRDA class B9 challenger home.
The second round of the series took place across the Irish Sea and saw crews tackle over 100 miles of special stages across the closed public roads on the island. The two day event marked a surface change to asphalt having kicked off the year with the forest based Somerset Stages and Morrison was looking forward to returning to the Manx after his last outing in 2010.
Morrison is joined this year by new co-driver and fellow HM Forces Mechanic Jon Quintrell, and he was mindful that a finish would be the only real option if he was to stand any chance of climbing up the championship leader board. Settling into the first loop of stages on Friday afternoon, the duo would find their feet quickly and used the daylight to adapt to the unique roads found on the event. By the time night time fell, they had managed to settle into a comfortable pace and ended the day under the cover of darkness, pleased with their own progress.
Despite day two dawning over cast, it wasn’t long before the rain descended on the Island which made for exceptionally difficult conditions for the crews still running in the event. But Morrison stayed out of trouble to cross the finish ramp at the TT Grandstand in Douglas without a mark on the car.
“It’s been a fantastic weekend all round and we have both really enjoyed the event” said Morrison. “We had a good recce last week and Jon really did well on his first closed road event too which gave me a lot of confidence, especially at night time which was a real challenge for us both really.”
It wasn’t without drama however. “We had a bit of a scare on the fourth stage of the rally when the map light failed meaning Jon couldn’t see to read the pace notes” explained Morrison. “Luckily he managed to use a head torch which wasn’t ideal but it got us round! It’s a big achievement to finish any event on the Isle of Man so I’m really pleased with how we performed together. I’m really looking forward to the next round which is back in the forests”.
The next round of the series is the DMACK Carlisle Stages which takes place in the Kielder forest along the Scottish Borders on Saturday 11th June.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
4th May 2016
Morrison in search of Isle of Man finish
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison heads to the Manx National Rally looking for another solid result.
After a solid finish at last month’s Somerset Stages Rally, Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will head across the Irish Sea this week to contest the second round of the BTRDA Rally Challenge, the Manx National Rally. He will make the trip to the Isle of Man to contest the two day event which sees the BTRDA series change to an asphalt surface for the first time this season.
Morrison kicked off his 2016 rally campaign with a twelfth in class in the Exmoor forests back in April despite new co-driver Jon Quintrell using the event to learn the ropes for the first time. Several timing penalties meant the new duo would slump down the leader board but the aim was simply to finish after heavy rain had made the forest stages treacherous for the 130 crews.
Using his familiar MG ZR, the HM Forces Mechanic has turned to the mixed surface BTRDA Rally Challenge this year which offers the opportunity to contest both forest and sealed surface events across the UK. After a season in forests last year, Morrison admitted to missing the asphalt and looked to the Challenge which would enable him to use his MG on both surfaces. After a pre-season test at the Rockingham Stages at the end of 2015, Morrison could confirm his plans to tackle the series.
The second round of the season will see Morrison head to the Isle of Man which is famous for hosting the TT races every year. Much like the world famous bike race, the Manx National rally takes place across closed public roads on the island and provides over 100 miles of special stages. Split over two days, the event provides a tough challenge for even the most experienced competitor. Morrison is no stranger to the island having competed there back in 2010 but is under no illusion of the task ahead.
“The Isle of Man is known the world over for its roads and to be retuning there with the MG is really exciting” says Morrison. “Jon (Quintrell) and I had a good Somerset and once he settled in our pace really began to improve, it was only his first event after all. So the Manx should be an equally big challenge and it will be important to get another decent result for our championship.”
And his previous experience on the Island won’t offer much assistance “Last time I was there it was in the Peugeot 205 and I had a podium on each leg of the event” he says. “But the MG is completely different to the 205 and it’s a long rally so we will take each stage as it comes. If we can improve as much as we did on the Somerset throughout the weekend, then I`ll be happy.”
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
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20th April 2016
Morrison pleased with Somerset performance
BTRDA Rally Challenge contender George Morrison records solid finish at the Somerset Stages Rally
In only his first gravel event since July last year, rally driver George Morrison netted a solid finish at last weekend’s Somerset Stages Rally to kick start his BTRDA Rally Challenge assault. The Cottesmore based HM Forces Mechanic took his MG ZR to twelfth in class at the Minehead event which was held in tricky conditions across the Exmoor forests.
Joined by first-time co-driver and fellow Corp Engineer Jon Quintrell, the newly formed duo headed to the South West to contest the opening round of the mixed surface BTRDA series. Having had some asphalt outings earlier in the year, Morrison was keen to return to the gravel in his MG ZR and sited the Rally Challenge as a fantastic opportunity to gain experience of a wider range of events. The Somerset Stages provided an additional challenge this year thanks to heavy rain in the preceding week which could make the stages treacherous and extremely slippery for the some 130 crews.
Morrison felt right at home in the MG from the very first stage and despite getting a little out of sorts with the notes; the duo would complete the first loop of stages without any major dramas. With the event using 13 stages to provide 37 miles of competition, there was no room for error and Morrison would have his sights firmly affixed on a finish at the seaside resort. But as the rally progressed, Morrison settled back into his gravel rhythm and picked up the pace as the stages dried in the afternoon sunshine.
Despite a timing penalty setback, Morrison was pleased with how the day had gone.
“The car has been faultless and Jon really learned fast in the co-driver’s seat today so by the closing stages we were starting to push on” he said. “Sadly he made a booking in error on one stage which meant we developed a five minute penalty. This dropped us down the order and without that we would have been knocking on the door of the MG ZR Challenge podium. But he is still learning so it’s all part of the process”.
“It’s been a really satisfying end to the day and I’m so pleased to have made it round” he said. We did have a few moments this morning in the mud, but I’m pretty sure everyone did out there today. Tackling the asphalt Porlock Toll Road on gravel tyres was a new experience though and a little hairy, but I guess it’s all good experience for the next round on the Isle of Man!”
Round two of the BTRDA Rally Challenge takes crews to the Manx National Rally in May which takes place across the closed public roads on the Isle of Man.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
11th April 2016
Morrison all set for new rally challenge in Somerset
MG ZR rally driver George Morrison kicks off his 2016 season at the Somerset Stages Rally
Cottesmore rally driver George Morrison will head to Minehead this weekend to begin his assault on the 2016 BTRDA Rally Challenge at the Somerset Stages Rally (16th April). The HM Forces Engineer will once again use his familiar MG ZR to contest the series which offers a mixture of loose surface and asphalt rallies in seven rounds across the UK.
Morrison contested the loose surface BTRDA series in 2015 which encompassed the MG ZR Challenge, yet a victory eluded him in the close-fought championship. But with a new co-driver and change of direction, Morrison has set his sights on a class win during the season which will be a new challenge for the newly formed duo. He will be joined by fellow Corp Engineer Jon Quintrell for the year ahead and Morrison is looking forward to starting a mixed surface championship for the first time.
“I’ve done a few years in the BTRDA gravel series now and whilst I do enjoy the forestry, I was looking for a new challenge” says Morrison. “The mixed surface series offers the best of both worlds and the MG is a great car on the asphalt. It also means I get to contest the Manx rally next month which has to be right up there with one of the best closed road events in the world”.
The series kicks off with the Somerset Stages this weekend and takes in almost 40 miles of action, packed in to thirteen stages. Morrison believes it’s a good event to start the year with as he gets used to the new partnership in the car. “It will be great to have a fellow colleague (Jon Quintrell) in the car with me this year and whilst we will both need some time to adjust, the Somerset Stages is a good starting point” he says. “There are lots of stages there so it’s good for Jon to learn the ropes as we will really need to be on the ball when we head to the Isle of Man next month. The stages can be tricky though so the main aim is to get some points on the board to start the year off well. I can’t wait to get going now”.
The event is based in Minehead on the North Somerset coast and over 150 crews will tackle stages across Exmoor National Park on Saturday with the lucky finishers celebrating at the ceremonial finish on the seafront in the town later that afternoon.
Morrison is backed this year by SMR Detailing and AB Motorsport.
6th December 2015
Part of the winning team
This year saw the birth of the Coningham Cup which is an Army v RAF competition.
The Rockingham stages rally was the battleground for the first ever showdown of the Coningham cup between the Army and RAF. The Rockingham stages rally was a 2 day event. The first day was not the best of days with George ending the first stage with a burst brake pipe, during a frantic service to get the car repaired George and Emma made it out of service on time to carry on with the rest of the stages for the day. With the rest of the day running without any major problems George and Emma headed into the night stages part of the event. George was a bit anxious prior to the night stages, and after the first stage in the dark George returned to service with a leaking radiator and cracked lamp pod following a collison with a tyre wall. This however did not dampen George's spirits and he went back out to finish the first day of the event. At the end of the day there was no clear leader in the Army/RAF competition that was battling away in the background.
The second day of the event saw George come out the box running, pulling time back from other competitors that he had lost to during the night stages. Also the first part of the day saw the RAF take the lead in the Coningham Cup. With dark clouds looming over Rockingham this eventually lead to rain, which started to turn in the Army's favour for the Coningham Cup. With a tight battle between the two services the rest of the day made for good watching, but at the end the Army pipped the post for the win.
With our finish and 6th in class George has secured 3rd in the inaugural Army Stage Rally Championship and Emma 2nd.
Now time to strip the car for some bodywork tlc and to get ready for 2016 and new co-driver Jon.
Many thanks to all those who have helped us a long the way!
12th July 2015
Morrison keeps his cool as engine expires over rally finish
George Morrison records Nicky Grist Stages as the MG ZR engine fails over finish ramp
Tidworth based HM Forces Mechanic George Morrison recorded his second finish of the year last weekend as he took his MG ZR to seventh in the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series 1400c class at the Nicky Grist Stages in Builth Wells. Co-driven by new-to-the-team Sion Cunniff, the duo endured a tough day at the rear of the 180 car field, but returned to the Royal Welsh Showground finish podium with a solid result, just before the engine expired as they loaded the car onto the trailer to return home.
After a confidence boosting first finish of the year in Carlisle last month, Morrison would head to the Welsh event in the hope of scoring more points for his MG ZR Challenge Championship aspirations. The event was based across the forest tracks surround Epynt Military Ranges and would provide over 44 stages miles during the day. Starting at car 174 meant Morrison would endure some rougher than normal roads during the day, but picked his way through the rock strewn tracks to return to the mid-way service halt in good spirits and no dramas to report.
The afternoon loop meant a re-run of the four stages used earlier and Morrison would work hard to nurse the MG through the stages. However with no warning signs on the dashboard, Morrison was unaware that a small coolant hose had burst through the final stage of the day and all the coolant required to keep the engine at the correct temperature would disappear. As he drove through the finish ramp back at Builth Wells, the engine was minutes from expiring and duly did so as the team loaded it onto the trailer.
“We were so, so lucky today” said a relived Morrison. “The temperature gauge was reading ok and nothing really gave us any indication there was a problem until we got back to the finish as I noticed a bit of smoke and a rather hot smell from the car. I’m really glad it lasted until we got back as I really needed to finish today. The stages were great and I’ve always wanted to do the Route 60 test as it was used on Wales Rally GB a few years back. Hopefully I can get seeded a little higher on the next event so we won’t have to dodge too many rocks this time.”
The next round of the series is the Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages Rally which takes place on the 5th September in Ludlow, Shropshire.
7th July 2015
Morrison aims for confidence boosting finish in Wales
BTRDA driver George Morrison looks for solid result on Nicky Grist Stages
Fresh from his first finish of the year at the Carlisle Stages last month, MG ZR pilot George Morrison will make the trip to Wales next weekend as he contests the sixth round of the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Nicky Grist Stages. After a torrid start to the season which saw Morrison retire on the opening two events, he secured a much needed result on the last round of the championship to put his MGZR Challenge aspirations back on track.
The Tidworth based HM Forces Mechanic acquired the MG late in 2014 with an eye on the competitive one make series which follows the Kick Start 1400 championship across the UK. Failing to finish both the Wyedean and Malcom Wilson Stages, Morrison received a confidence boost in Carlisle meaning he sits just one point shy of a top seven position in the championship.
Joining Morrison for the Saturday 11th July event, is Bangor based co-driver Sion Cunniff who joins the team with local knowledge of the stages. Using a similar route to that once utilised for the final round of the World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB, the stages are some of the most challenging in the country but Morrison is looking forward to the challenge.
“It will be great to be back in Wales and compete across these amazing stages in the MG” said Morrison. “The car is really solid and handles so well and thanks to the input from AB Motorsport recently, is now as reliable as it ever could be. I think the Grist will be a different animal to Carlisle as we really had to pick our way round the rocks in Kielder. I’m hoping the stages will be a little smoother so we can push on a bit, even though we don’t have a great seeding sadly”.
Morrison is starting to enjoy his rallying again after his early season blip. “It was a great feeling to finish the Carlisle stages after two retirements and I really enjoyed the event as a whole so it would be great to think we can do the same in Wales. I`ll need to keep my concentration levels up as the stages can really catch you out, but I`m in a confident mood so hopefully we can reach the end again”.
The Nicky Grist Stages is based in Builth Wells and sees over 44 stage miles in the Crychan, Halfway and Monument forests. Centring on the Epynt Military Ranges, crews will carry out central servicing at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth during the day, before returning later that afternoon for the podium finish.
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Morrison records first finish of the year in tough Carlisle rally
MG ZR pilot George Morrison finishes the Carlisle Stages in season comeback.
With two non-finishes to his name in 2015 thanks to a series of mechanical misfortunes, George Morrison took his MG ZR to its first finish of the year in one of the toughest events in the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series calendar, the DMACK Carlisle Stages. Based entirely in the Kielder forest complex, the stages are renowned for catching the unwary but Morrsion took it all in his stride, nursing the MG around the rough stages to reach the Longtown finish ninth in the 1400C class.
The HM Forces Mechanic from Tidworth in Wiltshire was all set to have co-driving wife Emma in the passenger seat for the first time on the event, but a back injury during the week meant a replacement would need to be sought. Welshman Unum Pila stepped in to assist in a bid to rejuvenate Morrison’s MGZR Challenge and Kick Start 1400 championship aspirations.
With new runner order regulations, Morrison would start the event towards the tail end of the field and would almost certainly encounter tricky conditions in the stages thanks to the passage of over 130 cars ahead of him. But Morrison was keen to ensure a finish was on the cards in the Borders and settled into a pace that would be comfortable enough to manage the conditions safely. Returning to the first service of the day, Morrison’s only complaint was a twisted shock absorber and the team quickly corrected the issue.
The second loop would prove a little more troublesome as halfway through the fourth stage of the event the MG broke a driveshaft on a rocky corner, leaving Morrison with just one wheel drive. Nursing the car to the end of the stage, the newly formed duo completed the next test with the tricky handling and made it back to service where the team could change the defective unit. Despite the final 13 mile test being cancelled due to an earlier incident, Morrison was overjoyed to finish an event for the first time this year and dedicated the achievement to the people around him who made it all possible.
“It’s been a really tough start to my season and it has been hard not to get a little depressed about our retirements with the new car” said Morrison. “But thanks to the huge effort of the team we have managed to turn our fortunes around and get a finish under our belt. Matt Beebe at AB Motorsport has been instrumental in making sure the MG was able to start the event and thanks to him we emerged unscathed from this notorious event. Thanks also must go to Gareth for stepping into the co driver’s seat at the last minute.”
The next round takes place in just four weeks’ time as crews return to Wales for the sixth round of the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Nicky Grist Stages
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9th June 2015
It’s a family affair - Morrison returns with new co-driver in Carlisle
BTRDA driver George Morrison recruits co-driving wife for rally return
After a three month sabbatical from the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series thanks to extensive gearbox repairs to his MG ZR, Tidworth pilot George Morrison will return to the driver’s seat this weekend, complete with a new co-driver. Heading north to the fifth round of the championship the DMACK Carlisle Stages, Morrison will be joined by his experienced co-driving wife, Emma for the 13th June event.
Morrison has not competed since the Malcolm Wilson Stages back in March and thanks to a penultimate stage transmission failure, has not finished an event this year. His newly acquired MG ZR has proved troublesome for the HM Forces Mechanic but believes he has now got to the bottom of the issues which have dogged him since the opening round in Chepstow. Coupled with his new co-driver, Morrison has high hopes for his return to the MGZR Challenge and Kick Start 1400C championship.
“It has been a frustrating few months knowing that I am missing out on events whilst the car is repaired” he says. “But it’s important to get it right as we really cannot afford another non-finish in the championship. Our title hopes are somewhat dashed but we need to get some seat time in the car and I guess you never know what can happen. A finish will be important of course but it’s time to really start pushing the MG.”
Even though Emma is an experienced British rally co-driver, the BTRDA qualifier will mark the first time the duo have competed together and they are both looking forward to the experience.
“It will be great to have Emma sat alongside me in Kielder as she knows it really well and that’s important in there” said George. “The stages are fantastic but also are well known for claiming many experienced drivers so we will both need to be on the ball throughout the event. I have to say, I’ve not looked forward to a rally this much in quite a while”.
The DMACK Carlisle Stages is based in Longtown, a few miles North West of Carlisle. The event provides over 42 competitive stage miles in the Newcastleton and Kershope forest complex with service based in the small town during Saturday. Competitors will return to the finish podium later that afternoon.
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1st March 2015
Morrison clutching at a result in Cumbrian rally drama
HM Forces engineer and MG ZR pilot George Morrison had an event to forget as he tackled the second round of the REIS Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Malcolm Wilson Rally. After a non-finish on the opening round in February, Morrison would look to the Cockermouth based event to score some valuable points for his season assault in the MG ZR Challenge but would encounter mechanical issues before the rally even started.
Morrison from Tidworth in Wiltshire once again enlisted the help of Glen Mercer in the co-driver’s seat and the duo made the long trip to Cumbria to tackle stages in the Lake District. But even before the event began, the team would be called upon to remove the gearbox of the MG during night before the rally as the clutch expired pulling into pre-event scrutiny.
“We literally unloaded the car and drove it to noise check and found we didn’t have neutral” explained Morrison. “I knew the clutch had exploded so we dispatched some of the team to source a clutch while we stripped it down. They drove hundreds of miles that night but did manage to find a standard one in time and they did an excellent job in fitting it. I think we got back to the hotel just after midnight so it wasn’t a great start to our event”.
With the car back to full health, Morrison was looking forward to getting his season underway properly in the Cumbrian forests. Despite a small spin and over shoot during the morning loop of stages, he was pleased with his progress in the car he was still trying getting used to. “It’s very different to the Peugeot I used to have so I’m still learning new things about the MG with every stage” he said at the morning service halt. “I’m really happy with how it’s going today and I’m setting some good times, considering the conditions. Glen is certainly finding his feet too – it’s only his second rally after all”.
This increased confidence was apparent as Morrison moved up the leader board into a solid class position, just off the podium positions. But the clutch that team so impressively fitted the night before, cried enough on the start line of the seventh stage and forced Morrison into retirement just two stages from the end of the event.
“It was always a risk fitting the standard clutch but we thought it was worth the gamble” he said. “We had a good run today and I’m really starting to get a good feel for the car but perhaps this wasn’t our rally. I have to say a massive thanks to the team who did everything in their power to ensure we started the rally, they were fantastic and it’s great to know I have a group of dedicated people around me like that”.
The next round of the BTRDA Rally Series is the Somerset Stages on 18th April and will provide an interesting mix of asphalt and gravel around the seaside town of Minehead.
1st March 2015
The only way is up - Morrison has it all to do in Cumbria
After a disappointing mechanical failure on last month’s season opening Wyedean Rally, MG ZR pilot George Morrison will head to Cumbria next weekend as he contests the second round of the REIS-Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the Malcom Wilson Rally. The HM Forces Mechanic from Tidworth in Wiltshire suffered a driveshaft failure on only the second stage of the event in the Forest of Dean and is looking to get his championship hopes back on track at the 7th March event.
After an enforced two year sabbatical, Morrison has returned to the driving seat in his newly acquired MG ZR this year and with new co-driver Glen Mercer alongside, Morrison is contesting the competitive MGZR Challenge and 1400c class within the BTRDA series. The early event retirement in the Forest of Dean may have hampered his early championship score, but it certainly has not kerbed his enthusiasm for the Cockermouth based Malcom Wilson Rally.
“We did have a few teething problems on the first stage of the Wyedean Rally as Glen was getting used to the pacenotes and we retired on the second, so it was hard to judge our pace after so long away from the sport” says Morrison. “But the Wilson is a great event and I am really impressed with how solid the MG feels, even in the deep mud of Wales so I’m sure I can start to build my pace fairly quickly once I get settled in. I’m really keen to get as much mileage in the car as possible to the aim is most certainly to finish this event”.
The Cumbrian event will take a capacity entry into the infamous forests of Grizedale and will also utilise the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team test forest of Greystoke within the route. As with all the rounds of the BTRDA that Morrison will be contesting, this will be his first time on the event so would be forgiven for taking a cautious approach. “With one point scoring opportunity lost we can’t afford many more errors this year, so I need to find a happy medium between competitive times and not too many risks” he says. “A confident start will be key and see what the times are like at service halfway through the day before we decide on how to approach the rest of the event”.
The Malcom Wilson Rally starts in Cockermouth early on Saturday 7th March and over 40 competitive stage miles lie ahead within the Lake District forests. Competitors will return to the finish ramp during the early evening later that day.
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Morrison shows promise for rest of season despite second stage setback
After two years away from the sport, HM Forces Mechanic George Morrison began his rallying comeback trail on last weekend’s BTRDA Series opener, The Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally. But an early event retirement ended his charge up the leader board after setting an encouraging time through the first stage of the Chepstow based event.
Piloting his new MG ZR in the highly competitive 1400C class of the series, Morrison was keen to start the season on a high after a short test at the beginning of the year revealed its far superior handling and braking characteristics in the car compared to his 2013 steed, a Peugeot 205. But a broken drive shaft on stage two of the event would put him out of the rally before he had a real chance to settle into the challenging conditions on the Forest of Dean.
Morrison from Tidworth, Wiltshire was co-driven by Glenn Mercer who was competing on his very first event and would be undoubtedly finding his feet throughout the day. The three mile opening test was perhaps the hardest of the day due to the heavy overnight rain in the area and thick layer of mud, which greeted the crew early on Saturday morning. With Mercer still adjusting to the pace note system, Morrison had to drive the stage without direction calls from the new comer, but Morrison took a confident approach and they emerged from the stage in a solid class position.
On then to the longer second stage and the duo gelled instantly with Morrison starting to feel more comfortable with both the new car and the calls from Mercer. Their pace increased as the stage progressed but it was soon to be in vein as the MG dug into the rough gravel on a hairpin and snapped a driveshaft, ending their comeback charge on the spot.
“Of course it’s really disappointing to retire from the event before we really got going” said Morrison. “Glenn had got the rhythm back in his pace notes and I was starting to push for the first time and it was just unlucky we got caught up in the ruts. But we have to look to the rest of the season now and see how we can develop throughout the year. I know the car is good and I feel really confident, more than I ever did in the Peugeot so I think we can certainly be fighting for a podium spot on the next event in March.”
The second round of the all-gravel series is the Malcom Wilson Rally in Cumbria which takes crews to the notorious Grizedale Forest complex in just three weeks’ time. Morrison will hope to test the MG before the event in an attempt to gain more seat time and be “match fit” for the remainder of his BTRDA Rally Championship, MG ZR Challenge and MSA English Rally Championship campaign.
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Morrison kicks off rallying comeback with National series opener
Returning to the sport after a two year sabbatical, HM Forces Mechanic George Morrison will contest next weekend’s Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally. Driving his newly acquired MG ZR, Morrison will tackle the popular BTRDA Rally Championship and the ten round season kicks off with the Forest of Dean based event. A previous winner of the RC2 class in the BRC Challenge series during 2010, Morrison will turn his attentions to the ultra-competitive MGZR Challenge which is incorporated in the all-gravel BTRDA Rally Championship.
Morrison from Tidworth, Wiltshire has been out of competitive driving action since June 2013 when he suffered a car destroying roll in his Peugeot 205 on Jim Clark Rally in Scotland. Unable to repair the car due to the damage sustained, Morrison set about looking for a new car and acquired his new 1400cc MG ZR last last year. Co-driven in 2015 by Glen Mercer, he will use the MG to contest events from Somerset to Scotland in a bid to win the MG ZR Challenge.
“It feel like ages since I`ve sat in a rally car” explains Morrison. “It took me a while to get over our Jim Clark accident and missing out on the rest of the year was really disappointing. But watching everyone else compete gave me the enthusiasm to formulate plan and when the MG came up for sale I just couldn’t refuse”.
Having been away from the sport for so long doesn’t phase Morrison in the slightest and he has ensured he measure of the car before the first round in Chepstow. “We had a look around for a championship to do this year and the BTRDA was a natural fit for me and the car. I enjoy gravel rallies and there is a good spread of events across the UK but I was conscience I wasn’t match fit. We have been testing with the car and it feels great. It’s a lot more stable than the 205 and much more forgiving so should mean I`ll be able to push a little harder. I took an interest in the MG ZR Challenge last year and kept one eye on it from afar. It’s a really close championship so I`m looking forward to getting stuck in and see how we get on!”
The Wyedean Forest Rally starts at Chepstow Racecourse early on Saturday 14th February and over 40 competitive stage miles lie ahead for the some 160 crews. After eight special stages in the Forest of Dean the remaining competitors will return to the finish ramp during mid-afternoon.
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