Greg Murphy will line-up in a second Audi TCR LMS RS3 as part of the maiden Allied Petroleum TCR New Zealand Championship, which takes place next month.
The four-time Bathurst 1000 champion joins a growing list of drivers for the winner-takes-all event at Highlands Motorsport Park.
Currently, the six-car field is made up of two Hyundais, a pair of Audis a sole Honda, and one VW Golf. Murphy will have multiple Asian Porsche Carrera Cup champion, Chris van der Drift as his teammate in the sister Track Tec Racing machine.
“I love jumping into new things and having a go,” Murphy said. “It’s a great category for emerging drivers and I’m keen to be involved.”
“It’s going to be a great weekend of racing. There are a lot of people who have put a lot of effort into getting the category off the ground. And it is particularly because of Allied Petroleum, so great to have them on board.”
Earlier this year, Murphy drove a genuine Dick Johnson Racing Cosworth RS500 in the 2021 Skope Classic. He would go on to win all four of the races over the weekend following an imperious display.
Murphy hasn’t done any more than a few shakedown laps in a TCR car. Still, he is eager to see how the fares in a new series against a talented field of Kiwi drivers.
“I’ve done a few laps there and love the circuit. I expect that it will get pretty full-on and busy in a TCR car, but it should offer up some really good racing, so I’m fortunate to be involved.
“For young drivers coming through the ranks it does offer some great opportunities to get overseas. Particularly in our motorsport connection with Australia and what is going on over there in TCR.
“It gives our drivers a level playing field and an understanding of what they will jump into, if they head across the Tasman or even further afield into Asia or Europe.”
Paul Radisich, Chris van der Drift Jordan Michels, Jaden Ransley and Gene Rollinson are the drivers confirmed so far.
The 2021 New Zealand TCR championship will have its grid incorporated into the newly launched Super Production Series.
The two-day weekend will be held over April 23-24.