Wood mentoring behind surprise Murphy cameo
Greg Murphy in Sydney mentoring Ryan Wood
Rookie Wood surprise pace-setter in Sydney practice
Murphy hails rising star Wood's "X-factor"
Ryan Wood topping practice in Sydney wasn’t the only surprise on Friday, with Supercars legend Greg Murphy mentoring his countryman in a rare trackside cameo.
Long-time racer and broadcaster Murphy has rarely attended events in recent years, notably coming out of retirement at the 2022 Great Race, before joining the broadcast for last year’s enduros.
Murphy was trackside in Taupō in April, where rising star Wood started just his third Supercars round as a full-time driver.
There, Wood enjoyed his best weekend yet, finishing fourth in the wet-weather race, before securing a maiden front row start at the next event in Perth.
As Wood set about clocking the fastest time in Sydney practice, Murphy was watching on in the Walkinshaw Andretti United garage.
“In Taupō, I spent a lot of time with Ryan, sort of helped him a little bit with a few things,” Murphy said on the broadcast.
“Sort of been keeping an eye on him for quite a long time. And, now that he’s a new and up-and-coming star, I wanted to spend a little more time with him at a race meeting with the team.
“This one was available, and my schedule was open.”
After a double DNF in Bathurst, with both incidents arguably out of his control, Wood has claimed five top 10 finishes and is within a race of the top 10.
The Wellington product is the latest in a line of New Zealand prodigies, with fellow Kiwi Matt Payne dominating the most recent race in Townsville.
Compatriots Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen won the five titles between 2018 and 2022 before chasing IndyCar and NASCAR respectively, taking talents fostered in Supercars to the world stage.
When asked about Wood’s talent, Murphy replied: “That's been on our radar and a lot of people's radars for a long time.
"His evolution and progress is of that sort of top echelon, X-factor kind of level.
“To be in the opportunity that he is, after a short time, through the stepping stones of the different categories, all the way from Toyota 86 in New Zealand and [Porsche] Michelin Sprint, and then into Super2 and now here he is in the main game.
"I mean, that says a lot about who he is and his ability and his future."
Supercars will return to the track on Saturday for Boost Mobile Qualifying at 2:50pm AEST, which will set the running order for the Top Ten Shootout at 4:55pm.
The first 200km night race of the weekend, the 51-lap Race 15, will commence at 7:35pm.
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