On The Grid

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.

THIS week another On the Grid Top Five returns as the team lists their five favourite motor racing heroes - the five biggest names that have influenced their racing careers. From Brock to Beechey and more, it's an eclectic mix of racing heroes and some fun stories to accompany them, many of them personal reasons as to why these particular drivers achieved hero status. We're also joined by Team 18 / DeWalt Racing driver Scott Pye, who talks the upcoming Supercars ESeries, his real-world season so far and restorations of classic Ford trucks.

Le Mans is a long way from scenic Torquay on the Victorian coast, but that's where Scott Andrews finds himself this weekend as he readies himself for a crack at the iconic 24-Hour race. We speak to the young Victorian, who now calls the 'States home, about his remarkable rise through the sports car racing ranks, running campaigns in WEC and IMSA at the same time, working for legends like Bill Riley and much more. It's a fascinating chat from one of the most unheralded Aussie's racing on the world stage - but one doing an awesome job. Then MotoGP superfan Chad Neylon joins the show to debrief the remarkable Austrian MotoGP that saw Brad Binder hold on to win on slicks as the rest of the field mowed him down on wets. That and much more on this week's OTG!

WHERE is your favourite spot in the world to watch racing cars? That's the question tabled for this week's edition of On the Grid. From the best corners in the world to places less glamorous but more sentimental, there's so many places where watching racing cars go about their business transcends mere sport. This week, the OTG crew rattle off their personal top five lists of places they've watched racing cars race. We'd love to hear your most memorable spectating experiences - the who, what, where, when and why - so be sure to hit us up on the social media channels @theracetorque and let us know.

IF MONEY was no object and travel was back on the radar, which racing events around the world would you most want to attend? That's our topic this week as we delve into the events the OTG team most want to visit. The standard stuff everyone has on their list is there, but then again there's some very random suggestions thrown into the mix (most of them from Mr. Walker) that may cause you to think about your own choices and add some new ones to your list. What bucket-list tracks would you want to visit? Hit us up on our socials @theracetorque and let us know!

WE'RE half way through the Supercars championship, so it's time to run our eye over the team performances from the season so far via our patented, annual (this year, anyway) mid-season report card. Every team gets a grade and we're not mucking about - while some teams definitely get a passing mark, some of them don't fare particularly well and need to do plenty of homework before the year is out.. Do you agree or disagree? Let us know via the socials at @theracetorque now!

BRAD JONES RACING ace Todd Hazelwood is our guest this week and as well as recounting his hugely impressive weekend in Townsville last time out, he's also giving us some insight into what it's like to drive a Supercar. Using his own battles to qualify well this year as an example, Todd guides us through what it takes to 'Turn on' (the innuendo is real) the Dunlop tyre for that one lap dash, how BJR and Tickford, for example, do things differently and what it's like to feel a brand-new tyre on a one-lap dash. It's a fascinating insight into how these ace drivers are working on their own driving, as much as the car itself, to get the most out of the package in a bid to get up the front. Plus, there's a British GP review and then a recap of the most excellent TSV 2.0 weekend that saw some of the best racing of the season. There's a full crew this week, too: Tony Schibeci joined by Craill, Walker and Rodgers for the debrief.

NEWS-BREAKING journalist Bruce Newton is on the show this week to run though the behind the scenes of the Supercars paddock - and there's plenty going on. There's the current calendar shuffle and what lies ahead for 2021, plus a rundown of where Gen III is at and the challenges the series still faces there. Plus, Bruce gives his insight into the sales process as the sport searches for new owners.. and much more! Then it's a review of the Red Bull's domination from the weekend and a look ahead to Townsville 2.0 this week.

AUSTRALIAN Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott is our special guest this week on a fast-tracked On the Grid. Fresh from the disappointing news that the Australian Grands Prix - both two and four-wheeled varieties - Westacott joined Tony Schibeci to discuss the decision and what it means for both events moving forward. Then the OTG talks the fallout of the decision and previews this weekend's NTI Townsville 500 as the Supercars prepares for what looks like another double dose of North Queensland action.

WE'RE talking kids books this week as noted Motorsport PR guru and author Grant Rowley joins the show to talk about his series of five new motorsport-themed kids books, titled 'Little Heroes'. The books follow the journeys of motorsport legends Jim Richards, Peter Brock, Molly Taylor, John Bowe and Dick Johnson and are a sensational addition to the motorsport publishing landscape. Rowley talks about the genesis of the idea, working with the stars in question on their respective books and the potential (given we expect these to be a sales success) for more racing legends to be featured moving forward.