With speculation about Greg Murphy’s future at Paul Morris Motorsport intensifying, two replacement names have emerged as the front-runners to drive the second PMM Commodores next season.

Steve Owen and Jack Perkins have been named as two men with a chance of replacing the popular Kiwi.

Speedcafe.com.au spoke to team owner Paul Morris who admitted that all three drivers are possibilities, however, the cost of keeping Murphy in the seat is hard to justify after his trying season.

“Someone like Murph comes at a price. He expects to get paid well,” he told Speedcafe.com.au.

“Our results this year makes it hard to attract the sort of money needed to put around him.

“It will all depend on how we go towards the end of the year to see if we turn it around.

“Something needs to be locked in as soon as possible, because we’ve got an early start to the season. I’m pushing all the time to get a deal done for that car. As it stands at the moment, I don’t have one.”

Owen appears to be the front-runner for the seat, if a change is to occur, although his name is also being mentioned at other teams after his impressive efforts as Jamie Whincup’s TeamVodafone endurance team-mate.

Morris says that both Owen and Perkins are in the frame.

“They’re definitely a possibility,” he said.

“Steve is a proven guy. He’s proven that he doesn’t have any trouble driving these cars. Murph’s having his difficulties getting his head around it, and someone like Steve isn’t going to cost as much as Murph.

“The way that Jack is going this weekend, he’s doing a pretty slick job. He could be a possibility as well.

“It’s all going to depend around what budget we can get or can afford to do.”

Yesterday, Murphy admitted to News Limited journalist James Phelpes that his chances of remaining in the V8 series were slim.

“I wouldn’t say there are masses of options out there for me,” Murphy said.

“If you take a look at the championship there are very few and diminishing amounts of seats available.”