Castrol Racing’s Greg Murphy in doubt for V8 Supercar enduro season opener at Phillip Island Castrol EDGE Holden driver Greg Murphy is in doubt for V8 Supercar’s endurance season opener, the L&H 500 at Phillip Island, next month. Murphy collapsed at home Friday morning with a bulging disc in his lower back and was rushed to hospital by ambulance. After consultation with an orthopaedic specialist, the four-time Bathurst winner was transferred to Linacre Private Hospital where he underwent surgery yesterday. Murphy was discharged today, and is already up and walking, but his recovery places him in doubt for Phillip Island. “I would like to think it’s a 50/50 chance – that would be very good odds – but it’s just too early to tell whether I’m going to make [the island] or not,” Murphy said. “I had a bulged disc in my lower back, the L5, which pushed the nerve off to the side and created a problem with my left leg. “That caused a major strength loss [in my left leg] and I need that back as I left foot brake, a key component of my driving,” he said. Murphy said the timing of his injury was fortunate. “In one aspect, with three weeks until our next race the timing’s good, but it’s been a pretty agonizing few days. Now the question is ‘how long is the recovery process?’” he said. Castrol Racing team owner Paul Morris said a search for a replacement driver to potentially take his place alongside rookie Tim Blanchard in Murphy’s famous #51 Castrol EDGE Commodore is well underway. “We are already looking at our options and I’m sure the phone will start ringing off the hook with offers pretty soon,” Morris said. “We will find the best driver available and put them on standby, but we will also give Murph every opportunity to recover. “His health is what’s most important, so we won’t want him to come back too early and put that at risk. “We can enter a third driver, which we will, so we won’t make a decision on whether Murph drives or not until the very last minute.” While his participation in the L&H 500 is in doubt, the fastest man ever around Mount Panorama was adamant he would be back to try for a fifth Bathurst title in October. “I want to make sure I’m right, I don’t want to go to Phillip Island half okay with just a few weeks until the biggest race of the year,” Murphy said. “The way I am up and about already is encouraging, so Bathurst seems a very safe bet. I don’t think there’s any chance that I will miss having a crack at another win on the mountain.” Three events in the 14 round V8 Supercar Championship Series make us this year’s V8 ‘season of endurance’ – the L&H 500 at Phillip Island (10-12 September), Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 (7-10 October), and Armor All Gold Coast 600 on 22-24 October. Blanchard will make his V8 debut in the #51 Castrol EDGE Commodore at Phillip Island, experienced international Allan Simonsen will join Murphy at Bathurst, while World Touring Car Champion Yvan Muller will co-drive with Murphy on the Gold Coast		CALENDAR   Yas V8 400 ABU DHABI         18-20 Feb  Desert 400 BAHRAIN         25-27 Feb  Clipsal 500 ADELAIDE          11 - 14 Mar       F1 Qantas Australian Grand Pri...          25 - 28 Mar       ITM 400 HAMILTON NZ         16 - 18 Apr         City of Ipswich 300         30 - 02 May       Winton Motor Raceway          14 - 16 May     SKYCITY Triple Crown, Darwin          18 - 20 Jun     Sucrogen Townsville 400            09 - 11 Jul   L&H 500 Phillip Island            10 - 12 Sep Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000             07 - 10 Oct Armor All Gold Coast 600             22 - 24 Oct Falken Tasmania Challenge           12 - 14 Nov Norton 360 Sandown Challenge           19 - 21 Nov Sydney Telstra 500             03 - 05 Dec