Cormac Murphy is the latest rising star to put his name on the list for what could be the biggest-ever Toyota 86 Championship.
As the names keep adding to the list of entries ahead of the first round next month, Murphy has confirmed a full campaign in the six-round championship with the RaceLab team.
Cormac – younger son of Kiwi motorsport legend Greg Murphy – will follow in the footsteps of older brother Ronan who raced in the championship two seasons ago and used it as a stepping stone into what is turning out to be a successful transition into racing in the Australia Porsche Championship.
Currently studying for a degree in Commerce at the University of Canterbury, 20 year old Cormac was a finalist in the recent Tony Quinn Foundation Toyota 86 Academy shootout and has been busy sharpening his skills ahead of the season with appearances in the North and South Island Endurance rounds aboard a TR86.
“I’ve enjoyed the enduros and have learned a great deal,” he explained. “The TR86 has a relatively small amount of power, learning to drive the car while maximising time spent at 100% throttle has been a challenge. It really makes you step outside your comfort zone having to get used to losing traction on corner exits while staying in the power, and also just being as smooth as possible with all my inputs.
“I’ve also been spending a lot of time in my sim, while still balancing it with work and Uni, and have a training routine that I am able to balance with my other commitments so it’s been very busy as we get closer and closer to the first round.
“My objective, like any serious competitor, is to win the title, although it will be incredibly tough to do so with the level of competition coming into this season. This year’s championship entry is looking amazing.”
2023/24 Toyota 86 Schedule
| Rd 1 | November 17-19 | Taupo |
| Rd2 | January 26-28 | Manfeild |
| Rd 3 | February 9-11 | Ruapuna |
| Rd 4 | February 16-18 | Highlands |
| Rd 5 | March 15-17 | Hampton Downs |
| Rd 6 | April | TBC |
Words & Images: Supplied
