Formed in 2004 out of what was the Lansvale Racing team, Tasman Motorsport has taken some massive steps in its short history to cement itself in the ultra-competitive world of V8 Supercar racing.
Tasman spent its inaugural V8 season based in Sydney before relocating to Melbourne to be based in a purpose-built workshop in the city’s Northern suburbs.
The team was launched in early 2004 running a VX Commodore for young Kiwi Jason Richards before a brand new VY Holden was introduced mid-season. The change in performance was immediately noticed.
Four top 10 race finishes and a best round result of 11th by mid season in the VX were easily eclipsed by the better performing VY. By season end Richards had qualified the VY in fourth place at Oran Park, had six top 10 and one top five race results and four top 10 round results to his name.
Tasman Motorsport enlisted the help of Carrera Cup star Fabian Couthard to partner Richards at Sandown and Bathurst. The team finished ninth at Sandown and was on target for a top six place at Bathurst before a stone holed the radiator forcing it to retire.
Despite the Bathurst disappointment it was a fantastic first year for Richards and the team.
It was a busy off-season for Tasman as it headed to the first round of the 2005 season as an expanded two car team.
Joining Richards was 2008 V8 Supercar Champion Jamie Whincup. After a year sitting on the outer working towards a drive, Whincup worked hard to show the doubters what he could do.
While both drivers had many strong top-10 race performances, the standout results for Tasman saw Whincup place fourth at the first V8 race staged in China and then the team enjoyed a hugely successful endurance season. The talented duo finished third at Sandown, giving both drivers their first V8 career podiums and then went one better at Bathurst where they were runners-up.
Tasman was well and truly under the spot light for the first time in its brief existence. Motorsport fans embraced the underdog team and the media shook their heads in disbelief, impressed at what this small team had achieved. Tasman had pushed the mighty Holden team, HRT, and just fell short of an inspirational win.
Whilst the team was thrilled with the endurance results and some strong top-10 placings in the last few rounds of the season, Whincup’s talent caught the eye of a Triple Eight Engineering and he left the team at the conclusion of the season.
Heading into the 2006 season, Richards would be joined by another new teammate, 2004 Konica V8 Supercar Series Champion, Andrew Jones.
In 2006 the team struggled for consistency but it was still able to improve on its performance from the year before. 11 top 10 and four top three race results including the team’s first race win by Richards topped off a year that showed what the team was capable of.
For the fourth consecutive season since the team’s inception, Tasman would start with a new driver line-up. Richards was again on board, but this time he was joined by one of the sport’s biggest names. Four times Bathurst, five times Pukekoke, and New Zealand legend Greg Murphy signed on with the team.
Tasman was expecting 2007 to be a big year. It started out big when it made the promise to Holden to start the season with two new VE Commodores at Clipsal. The still small team worked long hours to meet the deadline and ended up being the only team, along with HRT, to have the impressive new Holden model on the starting grid.
Like 2006, the ’07 season was inconsistent. Between them Murphy and Richards managed to qualify at least one of the SGR Holden’s in the top 10 of all but three events, the highest being a third place by Richards at Winton. Tasman had 27 top 10 race results, both drivers finished in the top five of a round twice and Richards secured his third career podium at Indy.
At the conclusion of the season Murphy was 13th and Richards 14th, a fair indication of their results that year.
2008 was a building year. The team started the year achieved something that it had never accomplished in its short history – it built two cars from scratch. Between 2004 and 2007 Tasman Motorsport outsourced much of the build of its cars. In 2008, changing its name to Sprint Gas Racing to reflect the start of a fantastic three year naming sponsorship with LPG Gas conversion manufacturer Sprint Gas, the team became a V8 Supercar manufacturer. SGR had its own engineering, engine building, machining and fabrication facilities.
The introduction of the new cars excited everyone at Sprint Gas Racing, particularly Greg Murphy and Jason Richards. Murph received the first car at Hamilton and was immediately impressed. It had all the marking of a top race car. Richards drove his new VE at Sandown qualifying in the top 10. It would be the start of a six event run of top 10 qualifiers. Richards had some strong race results, pushing the HRT and FPR cars at Darwin and Winton.
The highlight of the year was undoubtedly Bathurst. Apart from the shootout, Murphy & Richards were never outside of the top 3 and drove a brilliant race to finish second. Had Lowndes not hit Murphy on the first lap Sprint Gas Racing might have won?
Between the ups and downs of the season, car development continued. Data was being logged, new parts trialed and set-ups explored. The results were secondary to car development in 2008, but the team will be expecting a lot more in 2009.
Murphy takes the steering wheel for a third season and he’s joined by experienced campaigner and former Bathurst winner Jason Bargwanna.
After several years of disappointing results for Murphy and a year on the V8 sidelines for Bargwanna, both feel that the lessons learnt in 2008 will put the team in a good place in 2009. Time will tell.
Sprint Gas Racing Results:
2004
Jason Richards 14th
2005
Jason Richards 17th
Jamie Whincup 16th
2006
Jason Richards 18th
Andrew Jones 26th
2007
Greg Murphy 13th
Jason Richards 14th
2008
Greg Murphy 16th
Jason Richards 17th