On The Grid

Brett 'Crusher' Murray was on the ground in Portland for the penultimate round of the IndyCar championship at the weekend, witnessing not only Scott McLaughlin's third win of the year but also an Antipodean 1-2-3 sweep of the podium too. Crush dials in from Stateside to give us an insight on the incredible weekend and the unfolding IndyCar title battle, decided this weekend in California. Then we look ahead to Pukekohe's final fling this weekend, discuss all things New Zealand and see if we can agree that someone can beat Shane van Gisbergen (spoilers: They won't). It's all capped off by another tasty edition of the Doric Power Rankings with our weekly HOTs and NOTs of the week that was.  

A SENSATION in this year's Dunlop Super3 Series, teenager Kai Allen is quickly making a name for himself in the competitive world of Supercars racing.  The 17-year-old joins the show to discuss his first full season in tin-tops, his rise from karting, how his family is comprised of elite athletes already and how he manages focus between winning his own class, while mixing it with the big boys of Super2. You'll learn plenty about this likable young bloke quickly going places! Then we review the week that was, offer up the regular Hot / Not selections for the week and enjoy all the usual chatter - it's another bumper episode of On the Grid! 

WILL BROWN joins the show to discuss the strong turnaround by Erebus Motorsport of late as the team finds form heading towards the Bathurst 1000. He reflects on his impressive Sandown podium finish, plus gives his thoughts on what will be his first visit to New Zealand in a Supercar, Bathurst, TCR and more. Then there's our usual debrief of all things big, bad Sandown with a rundown of all the key performances plus the usual weekly Doric Power Rankings - our Hot / Not of the week that was.

In his first podcast interview, new majority shareholder of Dick Johnson Racing, Brett Ralph, joins the show to discuss the significant investment his family has made in one of Australia's most famous racing teams. Brett touches on how he was introduced to motorsport and DJR, the key elements in doing the deal and the reasons he decided to get involved with this team in particular. Speaking of DJR, Will Davison stops by for a preview of this weekend's round at Sandown and the team look ahead to the weekend at the classic Melbourne venue. Plus, the weekly Hot / Not Power Rankings and a whole heap more.

Rick Kelly joins the show for his first in-depth interview following his racing retirement, talking all things life after racing and his exciting new project with son Lex called Hell-Bent Garage. Then, Supercheap Auto TCR Australia leader Tony D'Alberto jumps on to reflect on his outstanding weekend in Queensland which saw him not only extend his championship lead, but also win for the first time. There's a debrief of the new, improved QR plus the massive SpeedSeries event and the weekly Hot / Not Power Rankings discussion in a massive show!

THE Adelaide Street Circuit is back! One of the most famous racing tracks in Australia returns this year along with the Adelaide 500, so we got the only driver to have raced there every year of its existence on the line!  Australian Motorsport Legend John Bowe raced open wheelers' in Adelaide in 1985, then Touring Cars, GT cars and lately Touring Car Masters on the city streets - and he's been there every year since the track was launched. He talks about it all - including the famous battle against Larry Perkins in the pouring rain of 1994 that is one of the best ever.  Then the team debriefs the Adelaide 500 launch, reviews The Bend and we snag chats with both Thomas Randle following his crash, and 59 seconds with the busy SA premier following his launch. It's a massive show!

THIS WEEKEND's Supercars round is at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, and we were fortunate enough to be joined by circuit owner, Sam Shahin, for a chat.  He details all things about promoting a Supercars round, how the Bend has evolved as a venue in its five years of operations, dishes the dirt on whether Asian Le Mans will return and also talks about their exciting new Drag Strip, currently under construction.  Sports Sedan racer Michael Robinson drops by to talk the wild things of circuit racing, and the team previews this weekend, talks IndyCar, F1, NASCAR drama and offers up the weekly Hot or Not. 

HUNTER McELREA is the special guest this week, chatting to Doric's Tom Arciuli about his maiden Indy Lights victory recently at Mid Ohio. Then the team runs through the week that was in motorsport with some big-picture chats on Scott Dixon and IndyCar racing, the state of play in Supercars and lots more. Stick around 'til the end for the weekly Hot / Not Power Rankings!

KARL REINDLER is living the dream in 2022, following the Formula 1 circus around as one of the Medical Car drivers at selected Grands Prix this year. Karl gives us a unique insight into the process, including the lengthy period between first talking about the role and actually getting it. He also discusses how his own career - both on track and off it - have influenced the role and yes, that includes his fiery crash in Perth all those years ago. Karl then walks us thorough what a Grand Prix weekend looks like for him, gives his first hand account of being first on the scene at the massive British Grand Prix crash and a whole heap more. It's insightful, interesting, entertaining and a must-listen! After that there's a full Townsville debrief, this week's Doric Power Rankings and more!

Scotty is in great form as he details his second IndyCar season for Penske, how he won on the tricky Mid Ohio Road Course and the massive challenges to come at Toronto, Iowa, Indy and more. He also explains 'Bus Bros', how the US fans have embraced him and also gives his health check on the local scene, too. It's a special chat with a bloke continuing to kick incredible goals in this next phase of his career.

Schibecs is away so noted Porsche enthusiast Craill has taken over this week, giving the show a somewhat German theme! But it's with just cause as we celebrate the news of Aussie Matt Campbell's promotion to the factory Porsche Penske Sports Car team in 2023. There's the first audio from Matt in Australia as he talks about the car, how he found out about the news and how long he's known about it (it's a long time). Then Cam McConville jumps on to reflect on his time working with and racing against Matt, plus what he's up to at Porsche Melbourne and racing in Touring Car Masters. Finally, current Carrera Cup championship leader Harri Jones hopes to follow in Campbell's footsteps, so he joins the fun to talk about his remarkable season so far, his approach to winning, potential Supercars drives and fun things in his Dad's garage at home. It's a great chat with an engaging young talent! It's a massive show with a Porsche theme this week!

It's a full debrief of one of the best events in recent memory this week as the On the Grid team reflects on the Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley Raceway. There's all the good, the bad and the indifferent, plus a reaction to news about driver changes, Grand Prix extensions and a whole heap more. Plus, we hear from two-time Australian Drivers' Champion Joey Mawson, who clinched the title at the weekend.

PORSCHE Carrera Cup Australia champion David Wall reaches a major milestone this weekend, set to notch up his 200th race start in the championship this weekend at Hidden Valley. Wall's journey to become just the second driver in championship history to achieve the feat is a long one and a great story - he joins the show to tell us all about it. We've also got Will Davison ahead of another milestone - his 500th ATCC / Supercars start - and Anton de Pasquale on how he's planning to help DJR rediscover their pre-Winton form.

Aussies at Le Mans charts the 94 years of Australian drivers competing at Le Mans - from Webber to the Brabham's, Schuppan and more. The show includes a feature interview with Tim Schenken, who raced for Ferrari at La Sarthe and has incredible stories to tell of his time with the Scuderia, with Porsche and at Le Mans. Every Aussie driver, Starting with 'Bentley Boy' Bernard Rubin, right through to current hero Matt Campbell, are documented by the On the Grid team in a 70-minute feature produced in advance of the 2022 Le Mans 24 Hour.

IT'S LE MANS week so we're delving into the French classic as we look ahead to the weekend with a pair of very special guests. First up is Greg Rust, who gives his perspective on the race as a journalist and broadcaster, explaining just what makes it so special. Later in the show we speak to Matt Campbell, who lines up this year in a Porsche GT3R with Hollywood star Michael Fassbender for another crack at a GTE Victory. Between all that there's our preview of the race, plus chats about Supercars wildcards, and proof that we don't always miss the breaking news as it happens..

THE biggest week in motorsport ends with a chat with two of the rising stars of the game. We're joined by Porsche Sprint Challenge ace Tom Sargent, fresh from his first taste of a Supercar with DJR and from a winning weekend in the Porsche's at Sydney Motorsport Park. Then there's TCR superstar, Josh Buchan. He's been one of the star performers this year and tells his very unique racing story that has a very different beginning to many of his contemporaries. After that it's business as usual as we digest the massive weekend of Monaco, Indy and Charlotte, plus all the SpeedSeries Hot's and Not's from Sydney. Big show!

Walkinshaw Andretti United boss Bruce Stewart is our special guest as we look back on their up and down start to the season, and delve into the process behind signing up with Ford for the next era of Supercars Racing. Bruce is as open and honest as ever with lots of insight into the process, the reasoning and how they've managed the feedback from long-term fans of the team. Then there's our comprehensive Winton debrief with all the news and views from a big weekend in country Victoria.

There's a whole heap to work through this week as we look back at the Bathurst 12 Hour and break down all that worked and the things that didn't from another energetic, Bathurst classic Motor Race. Tim Blanchard swings by to talk about his return to Australian Formula Ford after a long time out of the seat, Will Davison talks Winton and Wanneroo's breakthrough and then #DoricGuy joins Schibeci, Walker and Craill to preview all the action this weekend.

CRAIG LOWNDES and Craig Baird join the show this week and both have great stories to tell. Bairdo talks the reinvention of the Bathurst 12 Hour this year, how he plans to help manage the race from Race Control and also breaks down the tough calls at Wanneroo last week. Then it's Lowndesy's turn to talk racing for (the Prostate Cancer Foundation) charity this week at Bathurst, his best 12-hour memories, Supercars scorecards and a whole heap more. Good chats!

BROC Feeney is having a ripper rookie Supercars season, so we got the Triple Eight teenager in to review his first four rounds and look ahead to what the remainder of season 2022 could bring for one of the rising stars of the sport. Then Andre Heimgartner swings past to discuss his excellent podium finish in what was something of a BJR breakthrough at the weekend. There's all the Perth debrief, the Hots, Nots and What's and a load more in another bumper ep of OTG!