Murphy Targets Fourth Straight V8 International While Kelly Looks To Knock Off Hometown Hero
28/4/2004 0:01 (Press Release) -
Can Kmart Racing’s Greg Murphy re-write the history books with his fourth straight win in the Placemakers V8 International? That’s the question as the V8 Supercar circus heads to Pukekohe Park Raceway, just outside of Auckland, for this weekend’s third round of the 2004 Championship.
Murphy’s Kmart team has enjoyed considerable success at Pukekohe over the past three years, the hometown hero winning three straight, while also taking a 1, 2 finish in the 2002 round with then team-mate Todd Kelly.
“Four-in-a-row at Pukekohe, is it possible?” Murphy pondered prior to departing Melbourne for Auckland on Sunday.
“It’s been a favourite hunting ground for us and I suppose it is possible; [Mark] Skaife has done it in Sydney and I’d like to think we can achieve four straight this weekend.
“Winning for the third time last November was like a dream come true, an incredibly special moment in my career. I know we will again be trying our best; my Kmart Racing team always seems to rise for the occasion. I reckon the Kiwis will go nuts if we can do it again,” he said.
Murphy says the key to winning Pukekohe has not been local track knowledge, a number of other Kiwi drivers in the series having vastly more experience at the circuit than him, but qualifying well and good pit stops – the 31-year-old having won pole two of the past three years.
“Last year proved how vital qualifying is and how fast pit stops can keep you in with a chance; we didn’t have a good race car, but we qualified at the front and the Kmart crew gave me three excellent stops so we were able to hang on,” he said.
While Murphy is seen as the “King” of Pukekohe, the new crown prince of V8 Supercars, Rick Kelly, is looking to knock his Kmart Racing team-mate off his throne. The brash 21-year-old, winner of the last round of the series at Eastern Creek earlier this month, is not too worried about the reaction from the locals if he does cause an upset.
“It is going to be a huge risk for the first driver to knock of Murph in New Zealand, but after Sydney I’ve got the taste for winning and I’m prepared to chance it with the locals!” Kelly laughed as he packed his bags for Auckland.
“I like Pukekohe, it is a unique track, fast and flowing, a great place to race and I have had good results there the past two years.
“Like Murph says, qualifying is very important and our dry track speed needs to be a lot better than at Eastern Creek, but we have done a lot of homework since then and we’re confident we can continue on with our good form,” he said.
Network Ten will televise five hours of coverage of the Placemakers V8 International from Pukekohe, beginning at 12.00pm Sunday afternoon. Check your local guides for full details.
Release Date: 26/04/2004
Kmart Racing
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