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The performance of Super2 Series runner Murray, 23, was particularly notable, as he went head-to-head with the full-time drivers and held his own.
It backed up Murray’s strong turn of speed on debut as a wildcard at Hidden Valley in June and comes off the back of news he’ll graduate to the main game with Erebus Motorsport in 2025.
Murray’s performance at Sandown earned strong praise from Lowndes, who on Saturday declared his race plan was to “get my laps out of the way and get Cooper’s race underway”.
While a new rule forcing teams to start the race with their primary driver aboard was a strategic compromise for others, as a wildcard Triple Eight was free to nominate the slower Lowndes as its primary and therefore start.
Lowndes did a 71-lap spell before handing over to Murray, who was able to rise through the field with a mix of speed, strategy and avoiding trouble.
“I think the strategy definitely worked into our favour with Craig starting and we only had to do one driver change, which was good,” reflected Murray, who had qualified the car 18th.
“So that 100 percent worked into our favour. Both of us are very quick and I think having the primary driver starting helps us.”
Rivals were also quick to point out that Murray may have also benefitted from another controversial rule, regarding driver weights, due to the difference between himself and Lowndes.
Regardless, there was no taking away from Murray’s overall performance as he withstood enormous pressure from noted hardman Cam Waters on two late Safety Car restarts.
“Once the Safety Car came out, I knew it was going to be very difficult having Cam behind,” Murray admitted.
“But I have watched enough TV and Supercars to know what every driver is like and what they’re going to try to do.
“So I was expecting Cam to try to do something in the rear bar but I was more than aware and prepared for it.”
Waters did get into the right-rear corner of Murray’s Camaro at Turn 2 on the penultimate restart, sending the Supercheap Auto entry across the undulating infield.
Asked if he feared disaster at that point, Murray dead-panned: “No.
“Earlier in the weekend in Super2 I had a similar occasion, so I already had some practice and knew to keep the boot into it and keep going across.
“I knew to just gather myself, keep my calm and press on.”
Murray will finish his three-event wildcard campaign with Triple Eight at the Bathurst 1000 next month before graduating to the Supercars Championship with Erebus in 2025.
“I’ve always had confidence in myself to know what I can do and given the right car and the right opportunity I knew this was possible,” he said. “It’s only the start.”
Murray had finished second in the Super2 Series race at Sandown earlier on Sunday afternoon. He sits just 17th in the second-tier standings amid a trying season with Eggleston Motorsport.
