![\"Dane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Boost-Mobile-GC500-1620x1080-1.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA third pit stop cost Cooper Murray on Sunday. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA third pit stop cost Cooper Murray on Sunday. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n
PremiAir Racing recruited Murray from Erebus Motorsport to replace Declan Fraser<\/a> ahead of the Gold Coast, while Erebus filled its gap with rookie co-driver Hughes.<\/p>\n The somewhat unusual manoeuvre was orchestrated via General Motors and allowed both squads to get an early start on 2027.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n PremiAir team boss Roland Dane was full of praise for Murray, whose career appeared to have stagnated during a rough second season at Erebus.<\/p>\n \u201cHe totally justified his position in the team,\u201d said Dane, who has paired Murray with Supercars rookie Jayden Ojeda<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great to have him on board. He lifted the garage. I\u2019m really looking forward to them both pushing each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Ojeda has been the standout of the five full-time rookies this year and currently sits 14th in the championship.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI think any driver benefits from having a teammate who\u2019s bringing the same level of speed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201c[It means] you can talk a common language about what you need to go faster or whatever within the team.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it is needed, and that\u2019s why we\u2019ve done it. I think it\u2019ll be a benefit to both of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Cooper Murray and Jayden Ojeda ham it up on the grid. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n While Murray made his maiden start with PremiAir, Ojeda was tackling the Surfers Paradise street circuit for the first time.<\/p>\n Ojeda drove from 23rd on the grid to a fine 10th in Saturday\u2019s wet race, beating Murray home by one place, before a clout of the Turn 3 wall resigned him to 19th on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cThe track is very intimidating because you can easily come out with a Lego set to put back together again when you\u2019ve only got a very quick turnaround,\u201d noted Dane.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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.<\/p>\n \u201c[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\u2019t had that.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s always going to happen. Hopefully he\u2019ll come back here next year with a better understanding of the circuit having raced here now.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Boost-Mobile-GC500-1620x1080-2.jpg\")
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