Samuel Murray has had a flying start to his third stock car season and is taking that energy into this weekend’s under-23s Championships in Stratford.

The one-day event will include three races and one final.

This is Murray’s first year in the championships, and he is hoping to finish in the top three.

“That’s my ultimate goal - to qualify for the North Island Under 23 championships; get a national standard on the car,” he said.

He said the season was going well, and he was pleased with the car’s performance.

“It’s been flying this year; I won at least one race at every Huntly meeting,” he said.

Claiming second in the Waikato Championships, and fifth in both the Stratford Teams and the Huntly opening meeting, Murray is off to an impressive start.

At the meet in Wellington, Murray performed excellently but just missed out on qualifying for the National Championships by two points.

“We gave it a good shot. We had a disappointing track in the first round, but after that the car was good,” he said.

After this weekend, Murray is looking forward to the Peter Barry’s Teams Championships, some more track-based championships, and a chance to defend his Bay of Plenty title at the Rotorua race towards the end of the season.

He is contemplating selling the car after this season and taking a hiatus from the sport.

“It’s the toughest decision I’ve made, but it takes a lot of time, I’m in the shed every night until 10pm working on it. You miss out on a lot of things. It gets expensive, but the sponsors really help.

“It would give me more time to focus on work a bit more, go out to the pub with friends.

“I’ll definitely be back, though; I’ve told Mum & Dad already, I’ll be back. I love the sport too much.”

He said his break would theoretically last a couple of seasons, but he’s aware when he sold his mini stock that he lasted only half a season before caving and buying his current car and getting back on the track.

If he cannot sell the car, he said he would likely continue into the new season.

“It’s been my baby for so long, it still is,” he said.

“Thanks to my mum, dad, nana, sister and girlfriend – without all of them I wouldn’t be doing this.”