SVG, Murphy's emotions over Stanaway breakthrough
Supercars
10 Oct 2023
Greg Murphy, Shane van Gisbergen emotional for Richie Stanaway
van Gisbergen/Stanaway first all-Kiwi duo to win in 24 years
Stanaway to make full-time return in 2024 with Penrite Racing
The emotions came flooding in for Greg Murphy as he watched countryman Richie Stanaway reduced to tears following his breakthrough Bathurst victory.
Stanaway, who will race full-time for Penrite Racing in 2024, raced to victory in Sunday’s Repco Bathurst 1000 with Shane van Gisbergen and Red Bull Ampol Racing.
It was just the third time Stanaway had stood on a Supercars podium, following victory in the 2017 Sandown 500 and third in the same event event with van Gisbergen last month.
Stanaway, often resolute, broke down when he embraced father Neville after van Gisbergen took the chequered flag, before celebrating the victory with the three-time series champion.
It was a full stop on four trying years since hie shock retirement at the end of 2019, with his two-year full-time run punctuated by poor results and negative commentary.
Stanaway was lured out of retirement last year and made a triumphant comeback in a wildcard alongside Murphy, who was nothing but proud to see his compatriot realise a childhood dream.
Coincidentally, van Gisbergen and Stanaway became the first all-Kiwi duo to win the race since Murphy and Steven Richards in 1999.
"That makes me emotional seeing him like that because he's not that kind of guy,” Murphy said on Supercars Trackside.
"He's a bit of an introvert. I love seeing the emotion. I'm so proud.
"It's more than motorsport. It's his life. It's created a new pathway for him, a new vision, new thinking. It's turned him around.
"It was in a pretty sad state of affairs when the sport really just pushed him away and said, 'We don't care'. Dumped him on the side and carried on.
"Here he was struggling – it's more about the person and the human and that whole mental side of things and the struggle.
"That's the achievement that he's shown here, it's just staggering.”
Van Gisbergen himself was overjoyed to deliver his friend a Bathurst win, and was excited to watch Stanaway in the full-time fold again once 2024 swings around.
“It’s amazing to have him back,” van Gisbergen said on the Schick Cool Down Lap podcast.
“How he is, his attitude, just as a friend as well. Seeing what he’s like, and how keen he is to be racing again.
“It’s like he was six, 10 years ago. I'm sure he’ll be a really good asset to Grove next year, I look forward to following how he does."
