Motorsport: Murphy’s triple star weekend of racing

Greg Murphy salutes the Pukekohe crowd yesterday after his clean sweep in the V8 Supercar event. Picture / Richard Robinson

With his headlights blazing in the gathering Pukekohe gloom, Greg Murphy yesterday completed a hat-trick of wins in the second round of the Australian V8 Supercar championship.

The New Zealand hero overcame a slow start in testing to make it four round wins out of five visits by the Supercars to New Zealand. It was his second clean sweep of races, matching his effort in 2001.

"I'm rapt," said Murphy. "I had a very strong car all weekend and I just really enjoyed it.

"There was a huge turnout of fans and that made me feel really good about it. They get one chance each year and they make the most of it.

"I think it's a great track and if other things don't eventuate, I can't see why we can't come back next year."

The first two race wins were straightforward compared to the third, which slipped into panelbeaters' heaven as a light shower passed over the track.

Steve Ellery got out of shape at the top of the pit straight and started a chain reaction that eliminated Kiwi Craig Baird in a 200km/h backwards crash into the barriers.

Baird moved right to avoid a spinning Jamie Whincup and collected Paul Dumbrell, who was trying to squeeze past.

The two cars bounced off the barriers before coming to rest at the end of the straight. Neither driver was hurt but the race was interrupted for more than 30 minutes.

Murphy had been leading in his Holden from the Ford of Russell Ingall and they held those positions for the 16 laps to the finish. Steven Richards in another Holden was third ahead of defending champion Marcus Ambrose's Ford.

Ambrose finished third for the round behind team-mate Ingall to keep the championship lead by 44 points from Ingall. Murphy leapt 20 places to fifth.

Paul Radisich gave Team Kiwi one of their best results with sixth place in all three races and fifth place for the round. He is seventh in the championship.

Of the other Kiwis, Steven Richards was 10th for the round, Jason Richards 17th, Baird 28th and Simon Wills 30th.

Australian John Bowe, who had his racing gear stolen on Thursday, had it returned in time for racing on Saturday and finished seventh equal.

The next round is at Perth in Western Australia on May 6. In June the Supercars have their first round in China.

Aucklander Andy Booth retained his New Zealand V8 touring car title when championship leader Wade Henshaw from Christchurch self-destructed in the final race.

Henshaw still had a 23-point lead over Booth when he started fourth on the grid in the final six-lap reverse grid race. Booth was six places behind him.

But on the second lap the Southerner tapped leader Andrew Anderson into a spin and they both careered off the track. Henshaw's 22nd place finish blew away his title hopes as Booth drove cautiously to sixth place.

Behind the two Holden drivers on points was Auckland Ford driver John McIntyre, who stormed to victory in the last race.

Timaru driver Brent Collins drove away in a $45,000 Toyota Celica, his reward for winning the inaugural Toyota single-seater series. Andy Knight and Daniel Gaunt each won a race to finish second and third in the series.

Knight had some compensation with victory in the Formula Ford championship. Queenslander Shannon O'Brien won both races over the weekend and is to appeal the technical decision that cost him points at the Taupo round.