Photo: Greg Murphy at speed in Chris Lambden's McRae GM1Top New Zealand-born V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy impressed in an impromptu test in fellow expat Chris Lambden's McRae GM1 Formula 5000 single-seater racing car at the fourth round of the 2011/12 MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series at the Hampton Downs circuit south of Auckland this afternoon.
As the MSC packed up for the day after their first 8-lap race of the weekend - won by fastest qualifier Michael Lyons (Lola T400) from series points leader Steve Ross (McRae GM1) and visiting Canadian driver Jay Esterer (McRae GM1) - Murphy and fellow former New Zealand Grand Prix winner Andy Booth were given the opportunity to try the MSC series cars of Lambden (Murphy) and David Abbott (Booth).
Both were quickly into the swing of things but Murphy really went to town, his best lap - a 1.01.250 - good enough for fifth place on the grid had he been qualifying for the afternoon's race.
"That was outrageous," he said as he was surrounded with well-wishers afterwards."Better than sex!
Booth, wasn't quite as quick but was just as excited as he related his first-time experiences behind the wheel of a Formula 5000 single-seater
"That was ballsy stuff," he said, "My old man was racing 5000s the year I was born, and I'm always telling him I'm a better driver than he is. Let's just say I've got a lot more respect for the old man now!"
With qualifying postponed from Friday afternoon because of damp track conditions the first of two projected MSC F5000 series races today was cancelled, and when Clark Proctor (March 73A) blew an engine on the second lap of this afternoon's race all but one of the remaining laps were run behind the Safety Car, leaving young gun Lyons (who celebrated his 21st birthday on Wednesday) to stroke to his fourth win in as many races since he arrived in New Zealand.
Having just been pipped for the outright circuit lap record by fellow series front runner Steve Ross last weekend the young British driver was keen to try and take it back in today's race. But though he proved he could better the one minute mark in qualifying - his pole lap a 59.869 - he only managed one flying lap in the race before the Safety Car came out with a best time of 1.00.614.
Behind him Steve Ross (McRae GM1) slotted into second place with Ken Smith (Lola T430) close behind in third then a gap back to Mark Dwyer (Lola T400), Jay Esterer - enjoying his first run in the country in the McRae GM1 he flew in to replace the car he damaged at the second MSC round at Manfeild late last year - Clark Proctor (before his car's engine blew), Roger Williams (Lola T332), Michael Lyon's father Frank (Gurney-Eagle), Brett Willis (Lola T330) and Stu Lush (McRae GM1).
Proctor's prone car brought out the yellow flags then the Safety Car, however, and the order remained static until Ken Smith dived into the pits to have a loose right-hand-side muffler re-moved. Smith re-joined the race but had to remain line astern at the back of the field until the track went green again on the last lap. When it did he didn't waste any time, making it back up to 11th place by the time the chequered flag came out.
With Lyon's fellow young gun Alan Dunkley under strict instructions to nurse home his giant-killing high-wing 1968 Lola T140 after a crack was discovered in its gearbox bell-housing after qualifying - in which he lapped just four seconds a lap slower than pole man Lyons - first Class A car home was the Lotus 70 of Christchurch driver David Arrowsmith.
2011/12 MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series Rnd 4 NZ Festival of Motor Racing - celebrating BMW MotorsportHampton Downs Fri-Sun Jan 27-29 2012
Qualifying
1. Michael Lyons (Lola T400) 59.869
2. Steve Ross (McRae GM1) 1.00.500
3. Ken Smith (Lola T430) 1.00.698
4. Clark Proctor (March 73A) 1.00.822
5. Jay Esterer (McRae GM1) 1.01.887
6. Mark Dwyer (Lola T400) 1.01.991
7. Roger Williams (Lola T332) 1.02.132
8. Brett Willis (Lola T330) 1.02.571
9. Frank Lyons (Gurney Eagle) 1.03.011
10. Gregory Thornton (Chevron B24) 1.03.494
11. John MacKinlay (March 73A) 1.04.035
12. Stuart Lush (McRae GM1) 1.04.210
13. Russell Greer (Lola T332) 1.04.435
14. Shayne Windelburn (Lola T400) 1.04.594
15. Alan Dunkley (Lola T140) 1.04.893
16. David Abbott (Lola T430) 1.04.968
17. Chris Lambden (McRae GM1) 1.05.318
18. Alastair Russell (McRae GM1) 1.05.457
19. Harin de Silva (Surtees TS8) 1.05.502
20. Aaron Burson (McRae GM1) 1.05.703
21. David Arrowsmith (Lotus 70) 1.05.990
22. Scott Drnek (Lola T400) 1.06.403
23. Peter Burson (McRAe GM1) 1.06.556
24. David Banks (Talon MR1) 1.06.950
25. Tim Rush (McLaren M22) 1.08.577
26. John Bryant (Lola T140) 1.09.686
27. Seb Coppola (Lola T192) 1.10.230
28. Eric Haga (Lola T140) 1.11.633
29. Warwick Mortimer (Surtees TS5) 1.12.948
30. Judy Lyons (Lola T332) 1.31.248
Race 1 (8 laps)
1.Michael Lyons 11.46.662
2. Steve Ross +2.260
3. Jay Esterer +4.273
4. Mark Dwyer +6.200
5. Frank Lyons +8.414
6. Roger Williams +9.365
7. Brett Willis +10.639
8. Stuart Lush +11.775
9. Greg Thornton +14.018
10. Shayne Windelburn +14.780
11. Ken Smith +15.421
12. Russell Greer +15.845
13. John MacKinlay +16.128
14. Chris Lambden +16.680
15. David Abbott +18.776
16. David Arrowsmith +19.766
17. Alan Dunkley +20.424
18. Scott Drnek +20.731
19. Aaron Burson +22.205
20. David Banks +25.265
21. John Bryant +27.424
22. Warwick Mortimer +28.451
23. Tim Rush +29.673
24. Eric Haga +32.324
25. Judy Lyons +56,390
dnf Per Burson, Seb Coppola, Clark Proctor.
dns Alastair Russell, Harin de Silva, Michael Whatley
