Murphy talks up Tasman hijack

That sounds like a warning to the rest of the field.

Murphy has won four times, but the ace Kiwi never previously expressed too much confidence in his chances before the event.

Those wins were with Craig Lowndes in 1996, Steve Richards in 1999 and back-to-back triumphs with Rick Kelly in 2003 and 2004.

After a solid drive into the Top 10 for today's Bathurst 1000, New Zealand's best known motor racer has come out firing.

“The car hasn't been doing what I wanted most of the year, but with changes now it is,” Murphy said.

“I am starting to become more comfortable and regain my confidence. It's nice to be able to push the car to the limit again.”

Murphy will drive with another Kiwi, Jason Richards, for Tasman Racing. They are being kept safe by bookies, who are offering the pair as sixth favourite at $13.

But most fans see the event as a race in four, including the experienced Steven Richards in his campaign with Ford star, Mark Winterbottom.

Winterbottom put their car on top of qualifying on Friday and said there were faster times ahead.

Richards says the FPR Falcon is the best car he has driven at Mt Panorama, no trite statement seeing he has won twice at the mountain. “We couldn't be in a better position,” he said.

Holden drivers Rick Kelly and Garth Tander have assumed race favouritism after Ford stars Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup were slightly off the pace in early qualifying.

Tander said yesterday he and Kelly would not try to gap the field, even though many consider they have a speed edge on everyone else.

“We will try for a consistent pace,” he said, an acknowledgement the expected safety car periods tend to counteract any substantial leads built during the first few hours.

Ford fans will not read too much into Lowndes' early qualifying position. He has made a habit of starting slowly this season, but in recent rounds he has produced the goods when it mattered.

“We have the form coming out of the Sandown win,” Lowndes said. “We have a brand new car and we are as confident as it is wise to be at Mount Panorama.”

The other prominent combination for today's race is Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly, the 2005 winners.

Kelly was second last year with his brother, Rick, but Skaife was mangled on the first lap.

Skaife's team is acknowledged as having the best backed car in the field, with the support of the Holden empire. The young blokes might like to lead from the front, but drivers with Skaife's experience realise this race is won in the last hour not in qualifying.