Murphy scores Historics Pukekohe win

Greg Murphy has delighted Pukekohe spectators with a win in the Historics class.

Murphy is dovetailing his broadcast commitments with a drive in the Archibalds Historic Touring Cars category.

The Archibalds Historic Touring Cars is supporting Supercars at the ITM Auckland SuperSprint.

Murphy, a nine-time Pukekohe winner, is racing a Ford Sierra.

The Peanut Slab Sierra is the same car Murphy raced at Pukekohe 30 years ago.

In 1992, Murphy shared the Ford at Pukekohe and Wellington with Kayne Scott.

The four-time Bathurst winner is making his first broadcast appearance since Adelaide 2020.

Murphy was defeated by Michael Lyons in Saturday’s opening race.

The duo went toe-to-toe in both races, with Murphy squaring the ledger in Race 2.

The Pukekohe round will be Murphy’s final event hit-out before October’s Repco Bathurst 1000.

The 50-year-old will share a Boost Mobile-backed Erebus wildcard with Richie Stanaway.

Murphy is making his first start since 2014, and Stanaway his first since 2019.

The former won four of the first five Pukekohe rounds between 2001 and 2005.

Saturday’s result, while an exhibition of sorts, returned Murphy to the top, 15 years after his last Pukekohe win.

Murphy’s success is one of several highlights of Pukekohe, which will cease motorsport operations next year.

Murphy won nine times between 2001 and 2005

Prior to the weekend, the 28-time race winner said his hometown form was almost “supposed to be”.

“The two events where I won all three races was pretty amazing,” he told the Repco Rewind podcast.

“We came back in ’02, and it was like going back after Bathurst ‘03 and people asking, ‘Is your lap time going to get beaten?’

“2002 we won again, and it was like, ‘Are you going to win again?’ The expectation kept coming.

“2004 was almost a relief that Brighty won, it felt like the pressure was off.

“But we came back a year later and the pressure was back on again.

“It was surreal to think we could have that much success… sometimes things were just supposed to be.”

The Historics will return on Sunday for Race 3 at 11:40am local time/9:40am AEST.