Motorsport: Murphy eyes return to the mountain high

Greg Murphy. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Greg Murphy admits his three years with the Sprint Gas Racing team has been "a bloody disaster", but that won't stop him believing he can win a fifth Bathurst 1000 tomorrow.

The New Zealand driver partners five-time winner Mark Skaife for the first time at Mt Panorama.

Murphy admitted to mixed feelings, even after the coup of recruiting Skaife, who emerged from retirement to join him in this year's endurance events.

The pair finished 11th at Phillip Island last month, leaving the lingering question as to whether their No51 Holden Commodore VE will be fast enough.

"It's really hard to tell. When you have a season, again, like we've had, it's like Groundhog Day or a broken record.

"It hasn't been good and we've been getting flogged by these guys," Murphy said.

The upside is, horses for courses often applies at Bathurst.

Murphy and compatriot Jason Richards emerged from nowhere to finish second last year to Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes.

Skaife's last victory was in 2005 while Murphy went back-to-back in 2003-04, and remarkably still holds the lap record set six years ago.

"Last year we were in a similar position, and it's the same car that we ran here last year. We managed to get it going really well and it didn't take too long to do that," Murphy said.

"That's obviously our focus and we haven't strayed too far from where we were last year with our setup.

"It's hard to get too carried away because of our lack of performance this year, but we're quietly confident we can do it again."

Australian bookmakers rated Murphy and Skaife $8 winning chances, with Holden's Whincup and Lowndes $2.90 favourites in their bid for four in a row.

Said Murphy of his price: "That's not a bad number, I'd take that any day of the week."

Still, the excitement of Murphy's favourite event doesn't gloss over the struggles of his time with Sprint Gas Racing.

"We had very big plans and good ideas. It was all logical stuff and realistic, but somewhere along the line it's got mixed up and it hasn't worked out, and to be honest it's been a bloody disaster."

Meanwhile, there is New Zealand interest with several other contenders this weekend.

New Zealand-born Steven Richards - a two-time winner - and Mark Winterbottom are $5.50 chances after a third placing at Phillip Island in their Ford Performance Racing car.

In his bid to go one better than last year, Jason Richards joins Cameron McConville in the Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore.

Then there's two of the rising stars of the sport; Shane van Gisbergen who partners Alex Davison in the Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon after their 10th placing at Phillip Island, while Fabian Coultard joins Michael Patrizi in the Wilson Security Racing Falcon.

Murphy said the favourites were no certainties.

"Back then [his first win in 1996] you were worried about five or six cars, now you're worried about 20-odd or more.

"They're so hard to get past. Everyone wants to race and everyone's pretty fast so you never get an easy run.

"It is incredibly difficult these days to win. If anyone this week has turned up and said, 'We've got this sewn up' then they're dreamers. There's so many things that can go wrong."

- NZPA