British Pickup Racing Championship contender Lea Wood will be teaming up with Morris Lubricants again in 2017 as the Hereford racer aims to go one better by becoming champion.
Wood, 32, a Morris Lubricants Racing (MLR) ambassador, was runner up in his championship debut season in 2016 and has his sights focussed on top spot this time. He recorded most race wins and podium finishes – five and 11 respectively – last year and ultimately paid for an engine problem in the first meeting of the season at Brands Hatch.
“I am very excited that Morris Lubricants is continuing with us for 2017, especially with the new MLR brand,” said Wood. “This will be our fifth year showcasing Morris Lubricants and I’m proud to be a brand ambassador. We work extremely hard to tick all the boxes as a team, so long may it continue.”
The company first sponsored Wood in 2013 when he made his name by winning the coveted Jack Sears Trophy in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. The relationship has since blossomed and Morris Lubricants has again put its faith in Wood becoming a motorsport champion for the second time.
Reflecting on his campaign, Wood said: “I was reeling in the gap between myself and champion Freddie Lee right up to the last meeting. The only thing that let me down was the first race of the season at Brands Hatch where I had engine problems – a cracked cylinder block, which was blowing the water pipe off. Had I finished in the top 10 in that race instead of failing to finish, I would have won the championship.”
He praised the JWT Performance team for making his Ford Ranger competitive all season. The pickup is supplied and prepared by Dave Longhurst, Wood’s engineer from his touring car championship days.
Andrew Goddard, managing director of Shrewsbury-based Morris Lubricants, said: “We are excited to continue our partnership with Lea in 2017 and confident, after last season’s experience, he can go one better and win the championship. His performance as a MLR ambassador has been exemplary and he’s a great example to up-and-coming racers.”
Morris Lubricants launched its successful MLR ambassador programme last year to support all levels of British motorsport and promote the company’s premium quality oils and lubricants.
