Newspaper Article 1994 – Murphy leads NZ squad

Murphy leads NZ squad

New Zealand’s fast-rising star of motor racing, the Bay’s own Greg Murphy, is aiming for a Kiwi win over the favoured Australians when the Formula Brabham Asia-Pacific Championship race comes to Manfeild on October 15.

Manfeild is the venue for the second round of the championship, which gets under way in Indonesia next month, and Murphy will lead a six-strong squad of Kiwi teams against the 14 Australian and three Asian outfits.

For Murphy, that means having another crack at arch-rival Aussie Paul Stokell.

The event will see the biggest single-seater field to assemble at Manfeild since the debut of Formula Pacific in 1977.

The Formula Brabham cars are capable of speeds up to 280km and feature the sort of high-tech componentry usually reserved for the F1 jobs.

The very best exponents in the class, like Shane Drake, Kenny Smith, Brady Kennett, Jason Richards and Murphy of course, will contest the two legs on race day.

Manfeild director Rob Lester is in no doubt as to the outcome of what he reckons will be an “epic” day’s racing.

“The Australians have the numbers and the experience in Formula Brabham but the New Zealanders have fire in their bellies – they have the will to win.”