Greg Murphy Racing
Encyclopedia
Greg Murphy Racing is a V8 Supercar team that is competing in the second-tier Australian V8 Supercar series, the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series. The team have also had wild card entries into the V8 Supercar Championship Series endurance races, specifically the Phillip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000
, in 2009 and 2010.
The history of the team can be traced back to Greg Murphy
's forays into Formula Holden
racing in Australia. In 1994 the Murphy family established the infrastructure to run a Formula Holden team for Greg Murphy. The team was reformed later and ran as a professional outfit for pay drivers well into the 2000s. As Formula Holden started to run out of momentum the team branched out into Carrera Cup
.
The team shared some management personnel with Tasman Motorsport
before the Tasman's closure in 2009, so a further move into the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series was inevitable, beginning with the 2007 season using Tasman Motorsport built VZ Commodores with Dale Wood
and Sam Walter the teams first drivers. In 2008 Wood and Walter returned and the team expanded to a third car with James Bergmuller. Wood finished sixth in the series.
For 2009 Bergmuller left the team and Wood moved on to a main series drive with Kelly Racing
leaving just Walter to continue to drive the #47 VZ Commodore. The team was one of four Fujitsu Series teams to apply and receive wildcard entries into the 2009 V8 Supercar enduros and utilised a Tasman Motorsport built VE Commodore for Phillip Island and Bathurst with Walter and Taz Douglas
sharing the driving duties. the VE Commodore made one appearance before the endurance events, at round 4 at Sandown Walter left the team at the conclusion of the 2009 season
After the close of Tasman Motorsport, the team acquired all the equipment, including the two VE Commodore racecars, the spare chassis and the workshop in Melbourne. The teams drivers for the 2010 season were Steve Owen and Daniel Jielson, the team also prepared a VZ Commodore for Geoff Emery, with Emery eventually using one of the VE Commodores for the final rounds. In 2010, the team also ran a car in the V8 Supercars endurance events with Emery and Marcus Zukanovic the drivers, the pair finished 23rd at Phillip Island and 24th at Bathurst. Owen eventually went on to dominate the 2010 Season, with him taking 6 poles, 8 race wins and 4 round wins.
For 2011 the team expanded to four cars, with Tony Bates joining the team fulltime alongside Geoff Emery in the #48 Commodore and Daniel Jielson in a brand new chassis as the #51 Commodore. Bates is the driver the #24 Sportsline Commodore and James Brock joined the team from Townsville onwards to drive the #45 Commodore which was driven in Adelaide by guest driver Jason Richards
.
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
, in 2009 and 2010.
The history of the team can be traced back to Greg Murphy
Greg Murphy
Greg Murphy is a racing driver, best known as a four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000. Greg Murphy joined Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond presenting Top Gear, when it had its first international Live show at ASB Showgrounds in Auckland from February 12 - 15th 2009, and again when the show...
's forays into Formula Holden
Formula Holden
Formula Holden was an Australian open wheel racing category.-History:Known during its development as Formula Australia, it was initially for chassis constructed from aluminium only, running a 3.8 litre Buick V6 engine as it was then utilised in the new versions of the Holden Commodore...
racing in Australia. In 1994 the Murphy family established the infrastructure to run a Formula Holden team for Greg Murphy. The team was reformed later and ran as a professional outfit for pay drivers well into the 2000s. As Formula Holden started to run out of momentum the team branched out into Carrera Cup
Australian Carrera Cup Championship
The Australian Carrera Cup Championship is a sports car racing championship open to drivers of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars. First held in 2003, it is administered by Porsche Cars Australia and sanctioned by CAMS as an Australian Championship...
.
The team shared some management personnel with Tasman Motorsport
Tasman Motorsport
Tasman Motorsport was a V8 Supercar racing team. It was formed in 2004 out of what was Lansvale Racing Team V8 Supercar team and is associated with Greg Murphy Racing as a satellite operation....
before the Tasman's closure in 2009, so a further move into the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series was inevitable, beginning with the 2007 season using Tasman Motorsport built VZ Commodores with Dale Wood
Dale Wood (racing driver)
Dale Wood is a V8 Supercar racing driver, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. He commenced his full time V8 Supercar career in 2009 with the newly formed team Kelly Racing team, having raced previously for the Tasman Motorsport aligned Greg Murphy Racing Fujitsu series squad...
and Sam Walter the teams first drivers. In 2008 Wood and Walter returned and the team expanded to a third car with James Bergmuller. Wood finished sixth in the series.
For 2009 Bergmuller left the team and Wood moved on to a main series drive with Kelly Racing
Kelly Racing
Kelly Racing is a team competing in the Australian V8 Supercar series. It is owned by John and Margaret Kelly, and made its debut in 2009. The team's current four drivers are 2006 V8 Supercar series champion Rick Kelly and 2005 Bathurst 1000 winner Todd Kelly , four time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg...
leaving just Walter to continue to drive the #47 VZ Commodore. The team was one of four Fujitsu Series teams to apply and receive wildcard entries into the 2009 V8 Supercar enduros and utilised a Tasman Motorsport built VE Commodore for Phillip Island and Bathurst with Walter and Taz Douglas
Taz Douglas
Taz Douglas is a part-time Australian race driver.Douglas was born in Frankston, Victoria, Australia. Having scored numerous karting titles in his junior years - including the Ford Kart Stars Series in 2000 - Taz Douglas took time out from motor racing in 2003 and 2004 to pursue his other passion,...
sharing the driving duties. the VE Commodore made one appearance before the endurance events, at round 4 at Sandown Walter left the team at the conclusion of the 2009 season
After the close of Tasman Motorsport, the team acquired all the equipment, including the two VE Commodore racecars, the spare chassis and the workshop in Melbourne. The teams drivers for the 2010 season were Steve Owen and Daniel Jielson, the team also prepared a VZ Commodore for Geoff Emery, with Emery eventually using one of the VE Commodores for the final rounds. In 2010, the team also ran a car in the V8 Supercars endurance events with Emery and Marcus Zukanovic the drivers, the pair finished 23rd at Phillip Island and 24th at Bathurst. Owen eventually went on to dominate the 2010 Season, with him taking 6 poles, 8 race wins and 4 round wins.
For 2011 the team expanded to four cars, with Tony Bates joining the team fulltime alongside Geoff Emery in the #48 Commodore and Daniel Jielson in a brand new chassis as the #51 Commodore. Bates is the driver the #24 Sportsline Commodore and James Brock joined the team from Townsville onwards to drive the #45 Commodore which was driven in Adelaide by guest driver Jason Richards
Jason Richards
Jason Richards is a motor racing driver, currently on break from full time racing due to his fight with cancer, whilst still providing full engineering support for Brad Jones Racing in the Australian touring car series, V8 Supercar.-Early career:Richards started his motor racing career at the age...
.