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25/07/2009  | GREG MURPHY HANDS SAM WALTER THE KEYS FOR SANDOWN

 

Tasmanian Sam Walter heads into this weekend’s fourth round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercars Development Series at Sandown boosted by the arrival of an ex-Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VE.


The car is Sprint Gas Racing chassis TM-04, still owned by the team, which in a gracious gesture they have handed over to Walter’s Development Series team Greg Murphy Racing to prepare.



“It is one of the first two VEs that the team built,” explained Walter. “Greg Murphy ran it for the first part of 2007 and he shared the car with Jason Richards that year. They both worked on developing the chassis and the other car is still at Sprint Gas Racing’s workshop. The car I will drive finished fourth at Bathurst in 2007 (the first Holden) and they had a few top 10 finishes with it.”


For 31-year-old Walter the ‘new’ car should provide the impetus he needs to finally break through and claim his first race and round wins in the series after coming close at Adelaide and Winton in particular where he finished second in Race One.


In addition to the updated equipment, the Hobart-based driver is receiving substantial assistance from Sprint Gas Racing with the car, including access to the data and setup information as to how the car has been run in the previous year and a half and the latest componentry.


“It is up to them to present us with the best car they possibly can because it is something that they want to probably be able to sell in the future and also because it is not just a Greg Murphy Racing car, it is also theirs as well,” said Walter. “We are all working together for the same goal and that is to get these Sprint Gas cars to the front of the field.”


While he is yet to sample the new machine, Walter is not expecting a major difference in the VE’s handling traits compared to his former VZ when he hits the track for practice at Sandown on Friday.


“The car is pretty much identical to my VZ in terms of rollcage and chassis design so it should feel quite similar to what I have now, there are just a few different things which came with the VE bodyshell. So I feel quite confident that it is all going to come together.”


“I was very happy with the last one that I ran, the VZ that Wally (Storey) built and it should feel pretty much exactly the same, just more refined. There are a couple of differences like the seat position, but the feel of the car should be quite similar.”


Externally the car will also look similar to Walter’s former #47 with a revised livery and continued backing from Roadways of Tasmania, Kombat, Road Solutions, Andrew Walter Constructions and William Adams CAT.


The new car could not have come at a better time for Walter as the seven-round championship reaches its mid point. Although he sits eighth on 489 points, 285 adrift of series leader Jonathon Webb, a strong back half to the season will put him in championship contention.


“We did the calculations and if we can consistently finish in the top five then we are still in with a good chance of remaining in the top three in the championship at the end of the year,” revealed Walter.


“I am feeling confident and focused on the goal that was at the beginning of the year and that is to finish in the top three. I believe it is completely achievable, just a few more good race results and a few round wins, which I think is definitely within our reach and just eluded us so far through a bit of misfortune, it will all come together.”



 

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