The Norfolk rally crew of Martin Newson and Peter Morris will soon be setting out for mid Wales to defend their National Rally Championship Class A5 crown which they have won for the past five years.

The Norfolk rally crew of Martin Newson and Peter Morris will soon be setting out for mid Wales to defend their National Rally Championship Class A5 crown which they have won for the past five years.

“I very proud of our achievements especially last year as the team built up our new MG ZR. From paintwork to the welding it was all our own work,” explained Newson.

The local crew won the up-to-1400cc title with a perfect score of six category wins from the six rallies contested. “We only missed the seventh event as we were building up the new car,” continued Newson.

The opening three events were contested in the team's aging Peugeot 106 XSi. “Without doubt the best event is on the closed roads of the Isle of Man. It's 120 miles of fabulous stages held over two days. The team wouldn't miss it for anything.”

It would be the last event for the faithful Peugeot, which had carried the local crew to countless victories and four titles, but it was pensioned off to make way for the newer MG ZR.

“We next went to the army ranges at Epynt in mid Wales,” said Newson, when the MG proved to be a minute quicker on every stage compared to the best stage times the crew had achieved in the Peugeot.

Another dominant category victory set the team on its way to their fifth title, with the team making it a double victory in the next round, also held on the mid-Wales stages.

The final rally was held in the north of England on the Otterburn army range.

“It was frightening,” recalled Newson. “The roads had recently been resurfaced and were made extremely slippery by heavy rain. To make matters worse fog came down and driving almost blind at speeds of 100mph was no fun at all.”

The event caught out many crews with numerous teams crashing out, but the local crew completed a perfect score to claim the title once more while finishing in a highly-credible 16th place overall.

“We are aiming to win again this year but we couldn't do it without the support of our back-up crew which comprise of my wife Christine, son Phil, Adrian Sayers and his sister Elizabeth plus Phil Webb,” credited Newson. “I'm lucky that I drive while Peter reads the maps, but the service crew deserves just as much praise for our achievements.”

Support for the local crew continues from Plandescil Consultant Engineers of Attleborough, Tyres Direct of Beccles and Rover Spares from Brooke.