Murphy: Feeney/Wood feud 'needed to be dealt with'
Greg Murphy believes Broc Feeney/Ryan Wood rivalry could've been de-escalated
Latest chapter in rivalry written in tense post-race scenes in Taupō
Duo lead Jason Richards Trophy race heading to Christchurch
Four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy admits that he has mixed emotions about the burgeoning rivalry between his young charge Ryan Wood and Red Bull Ampol Racing star Broc Feeney.
The rivalry that exploded into life after the dramatic final day collision between the pair in Adelaide last year has continued to simmer along, with yet another chapter being written last weekend in Taupō.
Whilst the pair didn't come to blows on track, Wood instead involved in a brilliant battle with Will Brown in Saturday morning's first race, they finished first and second in Race 9, with Wood claiming an emotional home win.
What followed was an icy atmosphere in the bp Cool Down Room, where both drivers barely spoke with one another, before Feeney refused to shake Wood's hand on the podium, the Kiwi offering an awkward pat on the back instead.
Murphy, who is part of Wood's management team and has acted as a mentor for the 22-year-old throughout his young Supercars career, admitted that had he been on the ground last November in Adelaide, he would've attempted to ease the tensions.
However, he also conceded that the rivalry is only benefitting the sport, given how much extra attention has been placed on the feuding young stars.
"We love rivalry stuff, this is what's going to get more people watching our sport," said Murphy on MotorRacing 360.
"I don't disagree with Broc in his reasons why he's like this, and that moment needed to be dealt with very quickly after Adelaide finished. There needed to be a conversation, it needed to be dealt with, and it wasn't dealt with.
"I wasn't on the other side of the world, and if I'd have been there, I would've made sure it was dealt with, because it's respectful.
"It would've been respectful, so I'll be bluntly honest, it disappointed me that it didn't get dealt with in a better way so they could move on, regardless of if there's agreement or not."
"To be fair, I am sort of liking the fact that there's this thing going on, because it's great for the sport."
Murphy, whose career was largely intertwined with the Walkinshaw empire of the late 1990's and early to mid-2000's with the Holden Racing Team and Kmart Racing, also believes that tensions between Triple Eight and Walkinshaw TWG Racing are only adding to the spectacle
For the first time this season, both Red Bull Ampol Racing and WTWGR will be parked next to each other in pit lane, with Triple Eight parked at pit exit and the two factory Toyotas parked in behind.
"I've got a huge amount of admiration for Broc Feeney, I think he's just a stunning race car driver. It's sad what happened to him, but that's Finals, an engine problem at the end of the day in Adelaide and what happened happened," continued Murphy.
"As far as rivalries go, bring it on. It's great that they've got two teams like that who are operating really, really well at the moment, and they're fighting hard.
"All of them are having to work incredibly hard to achieve, and that's mega."
Wood and Feeney are currently separated by 17 points at the head of the points standings for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, which will be decided by four races in Christchurch this weekend.
On-track action at Ruapuna begins tomorrow, culminating in Race 10 of the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship.
