Erebus Motorsport has confirmed it will field Greg Murphy and Richie Stanaway in a Boost Mobile-backed wildcard at this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000.
Murphy, a four-time winner of the Great Race, returns to the Repco Supercars Championship after a seven-year hiatus.
Stanaway, meanwhile, makes his comeback for the first time since retiring from full-time Supercars competition at the end of 2019.
Confirmation of the wildcard comes a month and a half since Boost Mobile owner Peter Adderton made a tongue-in-cheek Instagram post pitching the wildcard, as first reported by Speedcafe.com.
That came in response to Supercheap Auto announcing a Triple Eight Race Engineering-run wildcard with Supercars champion Russell Ingall and Broc Feeney.
Murphy’s last start in the championship came in 2014 with the Holden Racing Team alongside James Courtney; in that year’s Bathurst 1000 the duo placed 13th.
This year will mark the 23rd time Murphy has contested the Great Race.
The Holden ZB Commodore that the drivers will share will carry #51, the number Murphy contested most of his Supercars career with.
“The number 51 has become a signature that has been associated with me and my career for quite some time, so it will be cool to bring it back,” Murphy said.
“Peter Adderton [Boost Mobile founder] played a significant role in how I came to be a full-time professional race car driver and now we are back here doing this together.
“Barry [Ryan, Erebus Motorsport CEO] and I have worked together several times and we have a great respect for each other.
“It’s going to be fun to go back and reminisce on some of the stories and memories that we’ve had in the past and I’m looking forward to the journey.”
Stanaway, who made his Supercars debut in 2016 with the now-defunct Super Black Racing Team, is set for his fifth Bathurst 1000 start.
His best finish in the championship to date remains his win in the 2017 Sandown 500 alongside Tickford Racing driver Cameron Waters.
“At first I didn’t think Pete was being serious, like a lot of people but then he reached out to me,” said Stanaway.
“I’ve had a really good relationship with Boost, it’s been great to have a sponsor that’s supported me and believed in me.
“I’m really grateful for their support and I’m glad we’re going ahead with it because I’m really looking forward to it.
“Murph has always been a big inspiration of mine and driving with Murph is one of the big reasons why I want to come back.
“It’s cool to have someone of his calibre back in the car at the biggest race of the year.
“Erebus are a team I’ve always admired, and they’ve done a great job over the past few years so I’m really looking forward to seeing what it’s all like from the inside.”
The wildcard announcement takes Erebus Motorsport to three entries in the Bathurst 1000.
Brodie Kostecki will pilot the #99 with experienced co-driver David Russell at his side while Will Brown will drive the #9 alongside Jack Perkins.
It will mark the first time since 2013 that the team has fielded more than two cars in the 1000km enduro, which this year takes place across October 7-10.
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