BURNLEY co-driver Daniel Barritt has guided Philip Morrow to a coveted works drive with Mitsubishi for next year's British Rally Championship.
The duo clinched the top prize after winning this year's Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - a works Mitsubishi and all expenses paid for his British championship campaign next season, a package estimated to be worth around £250,000.
Barritt and Northern Irishman Morrow finished fifth overall in the Trackrod International Rally in Yorkshire by over two minutes to take the title, with one event, the Bulldog Rally, still to go .
And the modest 26-year-old was quick to congratulate Morrow on the achievement.
However, it wasn't all plain sailing for the duo, notably when his Lancer broke a driveshaft on the second stage and they had to nurse the car through two more stages before it could be repaired. Fortunately for him, Ling also broke a driveshaft and suffered a puncture on the same stage.
He said: "Everything on the day went to plan. We knew what we had to do before we set off and we didn't try to do anything more than that.
"We had to just finish in the top five to win the Championship and we ended up winning the race.
"It was really good for Phillip, this is something he's worked towards for a long time. I'm really pleased fir him, because his rallying was going to have to finish this year because of a lack of sponsorship, they weren't paying enough for what he wanted to do.
"This will enable him to move on and, hopefully, I can stay with him for next year."
Barritt, however, has his eyes on an even bigger prize and is keeping his options open for any potential chances in the World Rally Championship.
He added: "I've done the British Championship for a few years now and I'm looking forward to competing alongside him, but my priority is the World Championship and to do as many rallies in that as I can."
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