Motorsport: Murphy realistic about Hamilton chances

Greg Murphy. Photo / Getty Images

Fan favourite Greg Murphy has been boosted by a last-up podium finish but is realistic about his chances in the New Zealand round of the V8 Supercars championship this weekend.

Murphy was a four-time outright winner when the round was held at Pukekohe, but hasn't been able to stamp his mark since the move to a Hamilton street circuit three years ago.

He is back for another shot with a new team, Kelly Racing, owned by fellow drivers Todd and Rick Kelly, and fresh from a second placing in the final race of the non-championship Melbourne grand prix meeting last month.

That result lifted the confidence Murphy and his crew after the four races that made up the first two championships rounds, Abu Dhabi and Adelaide, had brought a solitary top-10 finish, a ninth in the Middle East.

"It was a boost, but we have to be pretty realistic about all these things," he said.

"We haven't exactly been consistent up the front of the field and that was good for us."

In Melbourne, a combination of a good start, a big crash that took out several drivers, including Rick Kelly, and a good pit stop strategy allowed Murphy to work his Holden Commodore up the field.

He was pleased with the way he and his team had managed the situations that faced them during the race.

But he was also searching for greater consistency, and being able to be in contention because he had qualified well and had good pace.

Murphy said he was getting more comfortable with his car and was enjoying being in his new environment.

"But there's little bits and pieces that we're still working on," he said.

"I'm confident we've moved forward, but exactly where that puts us, I'm not 100 percent sure."

The Hamilton 400 comprises two races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, and two-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup will go into the round as the one to beat.

Whincup, who missed out on a third consecutive season title last year when he had to settle for being runner-up to James Courtney, has been unbeatable in Hamilton over the past two years - in a Ford in 2009 and a Holden in 2010.

He also tops this year's points table and his Team Vodafone Holden have had the chequered flag in the four of the seven races - championship and non-championship - that have been contested.

While Murphy was the dominant driver during the seven years at Pukekohe, no New Zealander has won on the 3.4km Hamilton circuit.

Along with Murphy, compatriots Fabian Coulthard and Shane van Gisbergen will be looking to break that duck this time around.

Coulthard, who wants to bounce back from a disappointing 2010, sits fifth in the standings to be the highest placed of the three. Van Gisbergen is seventh, while Murphy is 18th.

"It's disappointing from all Kiwis' points of view," Murphy said of the lack of a New Zealand victory in Hamilton.

"There's no better feeling than to win in front of a home crowd and I've been fortunate to do that a few times.

"I can tell you that the guys that are there in the field are as dedicated and as keen as ever to get that success."

- NZPA