He’s leading the BNT V8 SuperTourer championship and he’s a V8 racing legend in New Zealand and Australia – but when Greg Murphy steps aboard the Mike Pero M3 Racing Holden Commodore V8ST for the first laps of Round 4 of the 2013 series at Taupo at the end of the month – it will be the first time the ace has raced the ‘new’ circuit created for A1GP almost six years ago.
“It’s absolutely true, I have never raced on the long Taupo circuit and it’s something I am really looking forward to. At this stage of my career getting to compete on a new race track on home soil feels a bit weird,” he said. Last season he missed the Taupo race during rehabilitation from back surgery, but mentored young guns Jack Perkins and Nick Cassidy to an astonishing debut performance in SuperTourers.
Four times Bathurst winner Murphy is in pole position to take out the Sprint Series portion of the championship, and currently leads second placed Ant Pedersen by 208 points – a decent margin but not a safe one.
“I’m under no illusions that winning the BNT V8 SuperTourer Sprint Series on a circuit that is new to me is going to add to the challenge, but I’ve got some really good data from last year to analyse and help me get up to speed,” added Murph, who is fully aware of the strength of the opposition lining up for the event on August 31 and September 1 at Taupo Motorsport Park.
“I reckon there’s more than a few guys who could win at Taupo and take points away from me, so keeping out of trouble will be priority one” .
“It’s been a long break since Puke and I am sure all the teams are pretty amped to get back on track. M3 Racing has been having racing withdrawal symptoms, so it will be good to get the Mike Pero Commodore back on track.”
Murphy was recently confirmed as team mate in the forthcoming V8 Supercar enduros to works Holden driver James Courtney.
The BNT V8 SuperTourers race four sprint rounds and three endurance races as part of the annual Hankook Super Series.
