WEE COUNTY rally driver Ashleigh Morris finished her best season yet after the final round of the 2019-20 Motorsport News Circuit Championship went ahead just before the nationwide lockdown.

The Dollar woman, along with her co-driver Jamie Mactavish, finished the campaign in second place in class B and ninth overall – their best result so far.

The final round went ahead at Donington around three weeks ago, just as the coronavirus outbreak began to disrupt all aspects of day-to-day life.

That race saw the duo finish second in class and 13th overall and followed on from a class win and seventh overall at Anglesey two weeks before.

Morris told Advertiser Sport: "It's the best overall result I've ever had in the championship; really pleased with that.

"Unfortunately, everything is now on hold, as everything else is, with the coronavirus, we were quite lucky that we were able to do the last round at Donington, it was the last weekend anything ran."

However, she will be back behind the racing wheel as soon as possible with work ongoing on the Ford Fiesta R200 1,600cc rally car in the meantime.

Not only that, Morris is setting her sights on a new challenge, she will be entering some races on an ad-hoc basis with co-driver Jamie once events are running again with the aim of taking on the Scottish Rally Championship from next season.

"I was hoping to do something a bit different," she said.

"I've done this championship for a few years now."

MSN Rally Championship races are based around circuits, but Morris hopes to enter more races on closed roads and on forest dirt roads – scenes more traditionally associated with the world of rally racing.

Morris added: "I feel like I've learnt a lot form the championship, but I'm ready for a new challenge."

Having started in November last year, the 2019-20 Motorsport News Circuit Championship saw eight races, starting at Oulton Park where she took fourth place in her B class (up to 1,600cc) and 22nd overall.

There were many podium finishes, save for the DNF at Brands Hatch, but the race at nearby Fife track Knockhill was the most memorable.

And that is not only because she took first place in her class and a brilliant eight overall, against more powerful cars.

She explained: "It's my home rally because I grew up about 15minutes away from Knockhill.

"We had a big accident there last year, we rolled the car in December 2018, so I felt like I had something to prove.

"We were able to win the class at Knockhill, that was a really special moment being a home rally and after what happened the year before."

The tight and twisty track and rally stage lends itself well to their car, which may not have the most power compared to the higher classes but it is rather nippy around narrow corners and chicanes thanks to its superb handling.

"It was also very wet, which works well for us," Morris continued.

"We went really well there and as well as winning class B, we actually beat everyone in the class above us as well in the two litre class.

"Conditions like that and tracks like Knockhill really work to our advantage, that was one of the season's highlights for us.

"It's great to take a class-win any time, but I'd say the Knockhill one was a bit more special, given that we had the massive accident there the year before."

Rolling the car over may sound frightening, but both Morris and MacTavish walked away from the crash, even if the Ford could not say the same.

And while it put a dent in the car, it failed to put a dent in confidence of the Clacks native.

She said: "I was worried it could affect my driving subconsciously, but we've come-on a lot this year and we had a lot better results, so if anything, it showed me: yes, you can have a big accident, but we walked away from it, we were fine.

"This year, out of the eight rallies, we had the two class wins, three other class podiums, it was a much stronger season for us this year."

Once races are back in full-swing, it will be onto new roads and dirt tracks for the duo, who wanted to say thanks to sponsors Cirrus Research, Morris Lubricants and Real Systems Controls.