The last time Paul Morris won the Bathurst 1000, it only lasted a few hours.
This one, though, is forever.
The Australian touring car veteran shared the spoils with Ford young gun Chaz Mostert on Sunday, 17 years after conquering Mount Panorama with Craig Baird.
The pair had been declared victors of the 1997 edition for two-litre Super Tourers, but were later disqualified for keeping Baird in their BMW for too long.
Brothers Geoff and David Brabham were subsequently crowned champions.
It was a different story on October 12, but the circumstances were just as outrageous.
Morris started the No.6 Ford Performance Racing (FPR) Falcon last on the grid in 25th and by lap 45 had lodged it in a tyre wall at a deteriorating turn two.
“It was just ridiculous, I came out of pitlane and there was a bloody gravel trap in the middle of the corner,” the 46-year-old said.
“It was a hell of a day.”
It was Morris’s 22nd start in the endurance classic since his debut in 1992 – a year after Mostert was born.
“I probably should’ve retired 10 years ago but I kept coming back because I wanted to win the thing,” he said.
“Thanks to Chaz now I can tick the box and can probably hang up the helmet.
“A lot of people thought it was a pretty weird decision when (FPR team bosses) Tim (Edwards) and Rod (Nash) gave me a gig.
“But it turned out they knew what they were doing, didn’t it?”
Looking for great odds on racing and sport? Get into the action with PlayUp today. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Five-years is a long time in motorsport, let alone the general state of the world – especially given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic…
Red Bull and Max Verstappen vaulted right back to the top of the charts with a win in Suzuka, after his DNF in Melbourne.
Japan Grand Prix has been the most entertaining of the season to date, but Max Verstappen was back to his winning ways.
This season is only four races old, but Fernando Alonso needs to decide on his future beyond this year sooner rather than later. Formula…
It’s a pretty good time to be a Tasmanian sports fan right now. After years in the sporting wilderness with not much to celebrate,…
The question remains where the Australian Grand Prix winner will be in 2025 and whether it’ll be somewhere his value can truly be appreciated.
