On The Grid

OTG Dives into Race Tasmania - guru broadcaster Chris Stubbs joins the team to help review a wild weekend down South. Then Gold Star leader Tim Macrow talks his drive for three, Formula Three, international ambitions and much more. Then It's Supercars winner Jack LeBrocq on his switch to MSR in 2022, his new colours, team ambitions and much more. Plus, Cam Waters in a Sprintcar!

It's another big episode of On the Grid this week as we chat to defending Australian Drivers' Champion Joey Mawson, who starts a rare Gold Star title defence in Tasmania this weekend. Matt Naulty joins us to preview Race Tasmania, including TCR and Trans Am action, and then #DoricGuy makes his return with great news - before we pull apart the NASCAR Clash in LA and discuss ways it could work Down Under. That and a whole heap more this week in another packed episode of motorsport news, views and fun!

WE'RE BACK! With a swanky new voice over guy and tunes, but the same great motorsport content for a new year. This week we talk to Mark Webber, Oscar Piastri and Tim Schenken about the Aussie Grand Prix, then delve into all the current issues - including the massive new deal that brings Stan Sport and the Nine Network back into Aussie Motorsport.

THE FINAL episode of On the Grid for season 2021 is here as we reflect on the remarkable, crazy Formula One finale' and also the remarkably, crazy year that it was. The boys list their top five favorite moments of the year that was and reflect on the trials and tribulations that got us to this battle-weary point. And, just to be different, we also talk about that car race in Abu Dhabi.. This marks the final episode of the year for OTG. Many thanks to everyone who has listened throughout 2021, to those who have been on the show or supported it in any way - we'll be back in earlyish 2022!

BATHURST CHAMPION Lee Holdsworth is our special guest as he reflects on the years of struggle and disappointment that led to his remarkable performance on Sunday that delivered his maiden Great Race win. In an open and honest conversation, Lee discusses the challenges around losing his full-time drive, the superb weekend execution from his Walkinshaw Andretti United team, working with Chaz Mostert and his thoughts on life after full-time driving. It's a superb chat with someone who joins an elite group of Bathurst champions. Then we're joined by Supercars' new Race Director, James Taylor. JT discusses Tim Schenken's remarkable legacy, the input of Driving Standards chief Craig Baird and how he plans to manage things moving forward. Plus, and perhaps most importantly, he discusses how Race Control managed the Echidna Invasion during Sunday's race! There's all that and our full Bathurst debrief in a massive Great Race Review episode of On the Grid.

ON THE GRID is quite literally On the Grid this week, in a pre-Bathurst 1000 special episode to help set the scene for the Great Race. Craill & Walker battle the elements, a massive lack of fitness and the steepest hill in motorsport to document the most incredible 6.213km around in an audio tour of some bits you knew, and some stuff you hopefully didn't. We meet the locals - literally someone who lives at the Cutting - run into someone who's been camping on the big hill for more than 40 years and, by absolute chance, catch up with a commentary luminary who shares his love of the place and the pre-event build up. We hope you enjoy this special look around Mount Panorama as much as our tired legs did making it.

IT'S our massive Bathurst preview! To help look ahead to the Great Race, reflect on what makes it special and who we think is going to win, we dropped a line to all of our rivals in the podcasting world to get their take. Fortunately, some of them actually came back to us and agreed to take part! So this week, as well as the usual TRT team, you get to hear from the likes of broadcasting legend Greg Rust, award winning journo Andrew van Leeuwen, Podcaster and noted kids book author Grant Rowley, actual Bathurst racing car driver Steven Johnson and his radio co-host Matt MacKelden and others, all of whom will now be basking in the traffic benefits that flow from being on this ratings behemoth. Probably. Enjoy the show and enjoy the Great Race!

The 12 Hour is back! We've got the news confirming the return of Australia's International enduro. Cameron Hill will make the step from Porsches to Supercars next year after signing with Triple Eight Racing. It's a superb piece of news for the Canberran, so we caught up with him at the recent Formula Ford round to find out his thoughts. Then the boys review the wild weekend in Sydney, Will Brown's famous win and the T8 Barney between Shane and Jamie before a full preview of this weekend. All that and more, plus the big news story of the week! (That's a joke. We don't get the big news story of the week. Ever.). Thanks to our friends at Doric for their ongoing support of On The Grid.

HE'S making a habit of knocking off the big teams this season - after a rough start to the year at Bathurst, Cooldrive Racing's Tim Slade has been a revelation since then and has charged to within a few points of the Supercars Top 10. With great speed, smart strategy and lots of smarts, the Blanchard team have been impressive in 2021, so we speak to Tim about the year so far, operating as a single-car team, doing things themselves and much more. Then it's all the latest as we reach the midway point of Sydney's Supercars Swing and look ahead to see if anything will be different next weekend.

RISING STARS are the topic of the week and we've got a pair of excellent ones - both in and out of the car - on the show this week. Fresh from an outstanding performance at Sydney Motorsport Park, Erebus Motorsport's Will Brown is on the line to chat podium finishes, qualifying strongly and the impressive team performance by his Melbourne-based squad. Then it's across to the US of A and Hunter McElrea, who has had an exciting week after jumping aboard an Andretti Autosport Indy Lights car for the first time - and crushing it. From the journey so far, to how on earth you pay for the pathway to IndyCar, Hunter is open, honest and engaging and well worth a listen. Plus there's that and all the latest from Supercars Sydney Take 1, and the preview for the follow up this weekend.

It's a massive show this week as we get set for the return of racing at Sydney Motorsport Park. Nick Percat is our headline guest following his switch to WAU for '22, with a candid, open and in-depth chat about the motivations behind his move, his hopes moving forward and much more. We're also chatting to one of the head honcho's at Supercars Media, David Tunnicliffe, who takes us behind the scenes to see how the TV crew have prepared for a mammoth six week stretch of live racing coming up. There's a full preview of the weekend, a rundown of the latest news (none of which we missed this week!) and a special announcement for TRT readers and OTG listeners!

It's one of the biggest driver movements of the silly season - Nick Percat will drive alongside Chaz Mostert for Walkinshaw Andretti United in the 2022 Supercars Championship and beyond. In a chat moments before the news was confirmed to the public, Nick speaks candidly about his decision process behind the switch, his hopes for the future, Chaz Mostert, reflects on his time at BJR and a host of more. *This interview will also appear in the next full episode of On the Grid.

BIG SURNAMES are the story of this week's On the Grid and we're not talking about 'Schibeci', either. James Moffat joins us on his drive home from his first steer of a Supercar in six months, so he's as fresh as anyone can be to reflect on his day at Winton. Moff talks his Bathurst campaign with Cam Waters, co-driver life, Tickford, TCR and more; plus sneaky trips about getting back to Melbourne without using the Hume.. We're also joined by Australian Grand Prix chief Andrew Westacott, who brings us up to speed on the new date, the new track and all the changes as we look forward to F1 returning to Australia in 2022.

The famous Adelaide street circuit and its future, whatever that may be, lead the chat this week On the Grid as we look into its past, present and future challenges. Special Guest, sporting guru (and, in another life, a former OTG producer Tim Hodges joins the chat on all things Adelaide GP, Adelaide ‘500 and more - plus his thoughts on Scott McLaughlin's IndyCar year, F1 and everything else motorsport this week.

IMAGINE running a professional race team, responsible for the careers of some of the best young up-and-coming drivers around, but also having your own son's racing career to manage at the same time? That's what Andy McElrea does and it's why he's our featured guest this week. Andy talks candidly about balancing his role as a dad but also as someone with a wealth of experience in running a race team during Hunter's battles in the USA. We also talk about how his team has managed the Pandemic and what is to come in the future. Then we ponder the Sydney Supercars formats and ask: did they go hard enough in doing something new?

PORSCHE young-gun Cooper Murray got the nod to head overseas and represent Australia in the Porsche Junior Shootout this year - so we've got the young Victorian ace on the line to talk about the challenges of trying to forge a career during Covid.. and dealing with broken bones at the same time! Then the OTG team works through the revised Sydney calendar and have a crack at predicting what is to come from four weeks in a row at Sydney Motorsport Park, look at Oscar Piastri's chances in '22 and reflect on the Russian GP rumble.

SOMETHING a bit different this week as we look forward to the time we can go back to racing and enjoy a night out after a busy day at the track. That's right - it's our look at the best post-race establishments to visit for a pint and a Parmy! Dale Rodgers returns with another lesson in motorsport-themed numerology which you simply must listen to believe.. and we rundown all the best from NASCAR, IndyCar, F1 and more from the week that was. Where is your favourite place to have a post-race tipple? Let us know on our socials @theracetorque now.

THIS WEEK On the Grid we're delving into our personal collections of motorsport paraphernalia as we list our five favourite bits of memorabilia collected by the team over the years. From broken bits of racing cars to many linear metres of books and everything in between, you'll learn what treasures Schibeci, Walker and Craill all like the most. There's also a rundown of the bumper six-day Bathurst event just announced, Italian Grand Prix talk and much more.

CRAIG LOWNDES is our headline guest this week as he reflects on finally getting that F1 call-up, even if it was an old car at The Bend Classic! Lowndesy talks adapting back to the H-Pattern gearbox, downforce and the speed of thing, plus finding out how unreliable they are.. There's also Gen III chatter after he's spent several days pounding around QR with the new engine, Bathurst talk and a whole heap more. Then the boys run though another Top 5, this time the places they'd like to see a street race pop up. Some have potential.. but some are pretty out there. Literally!

Mark Skaife is a special guest on the show this week to give his thoughts on the 60th anniversary of Mallala Motorsport Park in a special segment dedicated to the history of the circuit - there's some sensational stories! Simon Wills and Dean Canto also offer their thoughts. Then the team talks the rapid rise of Broc Feeney from nothing to Triple Eight driver in just a few short years, discusses the Belgian GP debacle and much more.