About Sam

A young Finn, Ari Vatanen, put in a stunning bid for victory that ranks as one of the most brilliant performances of all time; from first to 32nd, then back to being within seconds of victory. 

Had the rally been one stage longer he would have bettered Fulvio Bachelli’s Abarth 131, and not simply because of that astounding pace. 

Bachelli had enjoyed a flawless and steady run; just fast enough to keep the lead and his car was still looking perfect. However, this is a sport in which nothing can be taken for granted. Ever. On the last stage, his engine suddenly lost power. The small sedan sputtered to the finish, the powerplant on the verge of complete failure.

Having been born on the eve of the big race, Sam Murray knows of this only from the history books. 

And yet, the epic event could be said to be the making of his future in that very same sport.

The build-up to the event was hectic. Fiat’s emissaries knew their best chance of regaining the championship lead was underpinned by a simple strategy: Get one car in front and use the others to prevent the host Escorts scoring points for Ford. Failure would be a humiliation.

Fiat’s preparation relied heavily on the local distributorship, which Sam’s dad ran. David Murray was a racing enthusiast. His assistance to the works’ team impressed the Italian mob’s boss Daniele Audetto. They formed an easy friendship. When Daniele learned Dave was giving his all at a time when his wife, Claire, was about to give birth to son … well, bravo! On the day of arrival, a bouquet of flowers went to the new mum’s bedside. And to the newborn, a signed team poster.

Thirty years later, the recipient of that keepsake, Sam Murray, is crowned New Zealand Rally Champion, racing a model of Subaru whose impressive international reputation was also built on strength of some incredible Rally NZ outings.

Sam’s career in rallying began modestly, in local events. He quickly realised that success all came down to "doing the basics better than the others."

"When you rally, if you can do 80 percent of the fundamentals well then you'll be in the top 20 percent. But it’s only through applying the same principals to car preparation when you have a solid base to build on and can really achieve that winning edge."

Sam’s ascendancy to the top of his sport came through more than just his impressive ability at the wheel. He also credits time spent learning from his heroes of the sport, not least three-time national champion Neil Allport. 

The Aucklander was also an enthusiast in track racing, in cars and trucks, first as a driver then as a team manager as well. Sam counted himself lucky to have achieved opportunity to work for Allport’s team in the summer of 1994. He was 17.

“Neil had the contract to run the Ford Telstar campaign for Ford NZ, with Paul Radisich and Nigel Arkell driving. These cars were immaculate and cleverly built for the time.

“With Neil, attention to detail was everything, and not just with the cars. Each meeting, I was buffing plastic outdoor chairs and tables - just so they looked perfect when sponsors visited.  

“I would spend hours polishing the floors of those Telstars - until they sparkled.

“I knew Neil had high standards but, at the time I thought it was a bit excessive as I knew full well only a few people would ever see the cars’ interiors. After a while, I began to understand.”

Being with the team that year and for the following summer was, Sam reflects now, a brilliant lesson in the absolute merits of a simple mantra: "If you can't do the little things right, you're probably not gonna do the big things right"

Motorsport in general is expensive, especially at the top. "It’s imperative to do the little things right, especially when you have a very limited budget."

Roll forward to 2004. A friend from Palmerston North, Peter Day, had a Subaru Impreza rally car. He decided Sam Murray could make better use of it in the national championship. 

"We had very little money, but we spent it in the right areas. We presented ourselves the best we could and we gained support from sponsors."

Success ramped up over three consecutive seasons. Sam won the 'rookie' title. Then he secured the Group A, and Group N, championships, each in a different car. Then came that national title.

In hindsight, hanging up his helmet would have been a good call. But having won the big title in 2007, the determination to defend the following year was strong.

"We were really short of funding for 2008. The world was headed for trouble with the Global Financial Crisis.

“We had our overseas income via leases slashed with a rising NZ dollar. Our finance company folded … but not before wanting all their cash back. We lost lease opportunities from clients who also had lack of sponsorship. 

On top of all that, I made some silly decisions - I should have stopped competing before I was forced to."

Having to leave the sport and focus on getting a 'real job' was a big, tough call, but one that he has no regrets about.

"Since I was eight I wanted to be a rally driver. I never really focused on anything else. When you're doing a sport like that, you never have any money, you have few friends, and it becomes far less enjoyable at the top level.”

"Today, I see the MX-5 class as one of the only classes in which a kid with a bit of talent, can turn up and succeed without a hefty bank balance. It'd be nice to give others a similar opportunity that others gave me."