A third pit stop cost Cooper Murray on Sunday. Image: Supplied
PremiAir Racing recruited Murray from Erebus Motorsport to replace Declan Fraser ahead of the Gold Coast, while Erebus filled its gap with rookie co-driver Hughes.
The somewhat unusual manoeuvre was orchestrated via General Motors and allowed both squads to get an early start on 2027.
Both drivers made the Shootout on Sunday and ran inside the top 10 when they were called in for third pit stops for fuel in the closing laps.
PremiAir team boss Roland Dane was full of praise for Murray, whose career appeared to have stagnated during a rough second season at Erebus.
“He totally justified his position in the team,” said Dane, who has paired Murray with Supercars rookie Jayden Ojeda.
“It’s great to have him on board. He lifted the garage. I’m really looking forward to them both pushing each other.”
Ojeda has been the standout of the five full-time rookies this year and currently sits 14th in the championship.
Murray put down a marker with his Gold Coast speed, out-qualifying his teammate for both races, which Dane said should push Ojeda further forward.
“I think any driver benefits from having a teammate who’s bringing the same level of speed,” he said.
“[It means] you can talk a common language about what you need to go faster or whatever within the team.
“So it is needed, and that’s why we’ve done it. I think it’ll be a benefit to both of them.”
Cooper Murray and Jayden Ojeda ham it up on the grid. Image: Supplied
While Murray made his maiden start with PremiAir, Ojeda was tackling the Surfers Paradise street circuit for the first time.
Ojeda drove from 23rd on the grid to a fine 10th in Saturday’s wet race, beating Murray home by one place, before a clout of the Turn 3 wall resigned him to 19th on Sunday.
“The track is very intimidating because you can easily come out with a Lego set to put back together again when you’ve only got a very quick turnaround,” noted Dane.
“I think in the race in the wet [on Saturday], he climbed 13 places, more than anyone else, so he was more than capable of it.
“[Sunday] he had his first encounter with the wall and screwed his race, but the reality is that only the liars have raced here and haven’t had that.
“So it’s always going to happen. Hopefully he’ll come back here next year with a better understanding of the circuit having raced here now.”
Lamenting the cause of Murray’s third pit stop as a “total and utter fuck-up”, Dane said he “can’t wait to get to Sandown and try to redeem ourselves”.