Greg Murphy steps back from racing to concentrate on TV role

Greg Murphy retirement
After more than 200 ATCC/V8SC starts, Greg Murphy will take up a TV role in 2015. Photo: Holden Racing Team

Greg Murphy has confirmed he will relinquish his V8 Supercars co-driver role next season to join the V8 Media team for 2015.

Murphy’s announcement comes after an illustrious career that spans almost two decades at the top of Australian motor racing.

Murphy made his debut with the Holden Racing Team (HRT) in 1995 as an enduro co-driver alongside Craig Lowndes, before making his championship debut in 1997 with the HRT outfit alongside the legendary Peter Brock, becoming just the fourth driver to grab pole on championship debut; and finishing fourth in the standings at season’s end.

The New Zealander went on to win four Bathurst 1000s, two Sandown 500s and a total of 28 ATCC/V8SC wins including three-straight victories, four overall, at his home event in Pukekohe.

This year, the 42-year-old celebrated his 200th start in the category at this year’s Castrol Edge Gold Coast 600, the first non-Australian to do so and only the 10th driver in history to break the 200-event start barrier.

Greg Murphy’s career will always be remembered for his 2003 ‘Lap of the Gods’ and subsequent Bathurst win, which is considered to be the greatest-ever Bathurst lap – with the 2:06:8594 time set in the Kmart VY Commodore, a qualifying record that wasn’t bettered until this year.

“I feel very lucky to have had a wonderful career in V8 Supercars,” Murphy said.

“All I’ve wanted to do from the start was give my best and race hard, and the fact that I’ve had some success doing it – and given the fans something to talk about – means so much to me.”

In addition to his V8 Supercars career, Murphy has also taken back-to-back championships with Holden this year in the New Zealand SuperTourers.

GM Holden Motorsport and Sponsorship Manager, Simon McNamara said that Holden was incredibly proud of its long-term association with Murphy.

“Greg Murphy may be retiring from V8 Supercars, but his achievements will continue to live on and inspire future generations,” McNamara said.

“His history of success in Holden Commodores speaks for itself, especially on the Mountain at Bathurst – where he’s taken four of Holden’s record-29 wins.

“All of us at Holden want to thank Murph for his immense contribution to our brand, and the sport, and wish him the very best for the future.”

Murphy will be part of the broadcast team on Australian TV channels Fox Sports and Network 10 alongside Neil Crompton, providing commentary for the V8 Supercars and V8 Supercars Dunlop Series coverage.

“To have the chance to step aside from the races and continue to be involved in the sport – I’m really looking forward to it and am very excited,” he told V8 Supercars.com.

“It’s going to be an amazing period of time for V8 Supercar with the new media rights and what that is going to mean for the exposure of the brand – it’s just enormous.

“So to be a part of that, and hopefully do a good job, is going to assist in the next stage of V8 Supercars. I’m pretty pumped about it.”

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