Murphy’s battle on home turf
It’s that time of year again when our Kiwi friends across the Tasman get to watch the V8 Supercars live in action. This year’s ITM400 Hamilton marks the third running of the V8 races at the 3.4 kilometre street circuit but the Red versus Blue battle has visited New Zealand since 2001, when it was ran at Pukekohe Raceway.
Not since 2005 has a New Zealand-born V8 Supercar driver won on home turf but Castrol Edge Racing’s Greg Murphy hopes to lead the local pack this year. The XXXX Gold Ambassador Driver was the last Kiwi to win in the Land of the Long White Cloud, taking out all three races at Pukekohe.
Pic: Murph taking some time out in Gold Class
“The last few years we always intended to do well but it hasn’t quite worked out that way and not without a lot of effort,” Murph said. “This year in particular we are in a good position with the car and are confident with the way we are headed.”
Murphy, who debuted a new Triple Eight Racing designed, Paul Morris Motorsports built VE Commodore at Adelaide in March, said the exhibition event at the Australian Grand Prix later that month was helpful. “The Grand Prix was pretty handy to try a lot of stuff and get more information on the Triple Eight car and I’m really confident with it,” he said. “We went away from Melbourne pretty psyched about what we achieved on the weekend, not results wise but in terms of speed and bits and pieces. “We are heading there (to New Zealand) with some pretty good feelings about how we can go.”
Everyone wants a piece of Murph in New Zealand – the Kiwis can’t get enough of their local hero - so it makes sense that his pre-promotion activities will be pretty jam-packed. Murph will be holding a number of meet and greet sessions in conjunction with Lion Nathan, the producer of XXXX Gold in Australia and Lion Red in New Zealand.
On Wednesday, April 14 he will appear at the Chartwell Square Foodtown supermarket from 4pm and sign merchandise at Hamilton’s Te Rapa Tavern from 6pm where fans can also win tickets to the ITM400 Hamilton. Murph then heads to the Workingman’s Club in King Street, Frankton for a one hour meet and greet from 7pm. For those New Zealanders who miss Murph before the races, he makes a 20-minute appearance at the ITM400 Hamilton from 1pm on Saturday, April 17 at the Lion Red container bar which is located between the Waikato Stadium and the grandstands that run along the track’s main straight.
More information on the ITM400 Hamilton, which runs from April 16-18, can be found at the website www.itm400.co.nz
