Motorsport: Murphy teams with Skaife for Bathurst

Four-time Bathurst winner Greg Murphy has teamed up with Mark Skaife for 'The Great race' in October. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - The most anticipated V8 Supercar comeback in years is officially on, with five-time champion Mark Skaife back for Bathurst.

Skaife has confirmed he will partner New Zealand driver Greg Murphy in a Holden for the Bathurst 1000 in October.

He will return to the racetrack for the first time since his retirement last year in September's Phillip Island 500km race - the endurance lead-up to Bathurst.

Skaife has been quietly testing Murphy's Sprint Gas Racing Commodore at several V8 rounds this year, getting a feel for the car.

But he made his plans official at a test day at Winton Raceway in north-eastern Victoria yesterday, where he got behind the wheel of Murphy's car again.

"From my point of view pairing up with Murph is ideal because we both know exactly what is required on the day," Skaife said.

"No one gets around the mountain better than Murph when he's dialled in - four wins and a long-standing lap record are testament to that."

Skaife, a five-time winner at Mt Panorama as well as a five-time V8 series champion, was not included in his former outfit Holden Racing Team's plans for the 2009 enduros.

HRT's owners Walkinshaw Racing have called up New Zealander Craig Baird, Briton Andy Priaulx and young Aussies Steve Owen and Shane Price to share driving duties with their drivers Garth Tander, Will Davison, Paul Dumbrell and David Reynolds.

That leaves Skaife and Murphy to form arguably one of the best credentialed Bathurst partnerships - the duo having won at Mt Panorama nine times between them.

"Experience counts for heaps at Bathurst and Skaifey's got more of that than anyone else out there," Murphy said.

"Mark wouldn't do it if he didn't think he could do it and do it well, that's the kind of guy he is."

Skaife, who has turned his hand to television commentary since his retirement, will only drive in the two endurance rounds this year.

- AAP