Gold Coast motor sport veteran Paul Morris to savour Bathurst victory over bottle of red

Paul Morris will arrive back on the Gold Coast today to soak up his Bathurst win with father Terry, who has long supported his motor sport dreams.

Chaz Mostert and Paul Morris of Ford Performance Racing in Sydney after winning the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Event 11 of the 2014 Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series at the Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst, New South Wales, October 13, 2014.

MANY motorsport fans would expect Paul Morris to be struggling with the world’s worst hangover yesterday after securing his first ­Bathurst win in a V8.

But, other than the celebratory magnum of champagne he grasped on the podium, Morris swears he has not touched anything alcoholic since the victory.

Today he will arrive back on the Gold Coast to take the cork out of a bottle of red and soak up the moment with father Terry, who has one of the city’s best stocked cellars.

Mr Morris snr owns Sirromet Wines and several hotels around Queensland.

Morris claimed a C Class win at Bathurst in 1991 but the big prize had eluded him until the weekend.

“I didn’t want to cloud my memories of the win, so I stayed sober,” said his 46-year-old son.

“I wanted to be able to see it all clearly.

“But Dad and I will open a bottle of red when I get back.”

Morris also credits his ­father’s unwavering support as a key reason for the ­weekend result.

“He has been very ­supportive over the years,” he said.

“Motor racing gobbles up a lot of money.

Paul Morris's long racing career has included stints in Formula Ford (above) as well as EH Holdens and Geminis.

“A lot of people don’t ­realise how hard we have worked to get where we are today.”

Morris said that growing up on the Gold Coast had helped put him on the motor racing path. He started out behind the wheel of an EH Holden at Surfers International Raceway in 1986.

A year later he began racing in the Gemini series at the popular Carrara track and was declared Rookie of the Year in his debut season.

“The Gold Coast had a pretty awesome car racing scene in those days,” he said.

Morris’ first Bathurst win came in 1991, when he took the C Class division

Morris announced his retirement at the end of the 2014 season earlier this year, but he is hoping for at least one more win before then – on home turf at the Gold Coast 600.

Paul Morris and Chaz Mostert celebrated with a spin in the dodgems at Luna Park yesterday.

“(Co-driver) Chaz (Mostert) can do just about anything if you can get him in a car with four wheels,” he said.