Murray carves out yet another shot at big time

FIRHOUSE Formula Ford driver Niall Murray has earned a place in the final of the Super Series Formula Ford Shootout, which could see him once again battling it out for a prized place on the Indy Car Circuit in the United States.

Impressively winning both races in rounds three and four of the Formula Ford Championship in Newtownards earned him the right to battle it out for a coveted starting place at the Mazda Road to Indy Scholarship shootout in the U.S.

But to do so, he has to overcome the Formula Ford Shootout first.

The Bernard Dolan Motorsport driver is no stranger to the Mazda event, having qualified for, and competed in the same competition last year.

While he was unsuccessful in his previous attempt in the tournament, the experience will no doubt give him more confidence.

Speaking to The Echo in the wake of his impressive double win up North, Murray said; “The whole reason I am driving in the Formula Ford Championship is so I can hopefully make it to the Road to Indy Championship in the States.”

Murray was also awarded the “Quantum Suspension Driver of the Day” in Newtownards after beating his previous lap record on the track.

“To finally get into the 60s in lap times is a great achievement and it is a great credit to my mechanics that the car is performing as well as it is,” he added.

In a sign of just how competitive the Formula Ford Series has become, Murray said: “Had I posted my current lap times last season, I would have blown the competition away, but with my rivals posting similar times as me this season, it will be a lot harder to achieve success this year”

Given his form of late, hopes will be high of not only bagging a seat on the plane Stateside, but going one better than last year and grabbing a coveted place in the Indy Car Championship.