Rusty's Garage

Rusty has let the drivers loose, again! And it gets better! A candid and casual look at their Townsville race experiences - all the successes and challenges! Plus, their very own wish list for races including Macau, Chicago, and Monaco. They address the dangers of racing with crashes and close calls (watch your crutch, Frosty!) and debate a NASCAR-style playoff system. Plus, the ins and outs of ni...

From a family of true rally enthusiasts, despite being incredibly proud of his heritage he carved his own path, one that took him all the way to the World Championship. He even got to experience the fire-breathing Sierra Rally cars his legendary dad, Jimmy, tamed in the British Championship. Maybe you even remember the highlights on Wide World of Sports weekend coverage on Channel 9 back in the da...

Special Stage 2 is about to start! We have another fantastic chat with Scottish rally sensation Alister McRae, including details around his drives in a wild ex-Possum Bourne WRX. Alister will always love his Scottish roots, but he actually calls Australia home these days and there's another generation of McRae in rallying, with Alister's son, Max, climbing his way toward the WRC. Alister shares ho...

We catch up with the fast young Kiwi as Supercars hits North Queensland. We provide a mid-season report card on Penrite Racing, examining their efforts to turn pre-season hype into consistent performance. We discuss how Payne complements his program with international events for the Groves and explore his close friendship with fellow New Zealander, Liam Lawson, who is also climbing the motorsport...

Rusty is handing over the keys! It's a Drivers Only take over for a special Supercars Podcast Series, brought to you by.... you guessed it. Drivers Only.  Banter, gossip, insights and fun with the key characters who are normally behind the wheel, not the microphone.  Episode 1 features Thomas Randle, David Reynolds and Ryan Wood as they dissect Darwin, chat all the news from a drivers perspective,...

It’s our first chance to talk to Shane van Gisbergen since his big switch from Supercars to NASCAR, and it’s clear he’s loving this new chapter immensely. Thank you to everyone who responded on social media to our call for questions, including those who put their best radio voices on and sent in audio. While we couldn’t get to all your questions in the time Trackhouse Racing kindly gave us, we cov...

What took us so long? Supercars star Chaz Mostert joins us for a Darwin debrief. Ricky Bobby had Shake n Bake, but Chaz pulled off the ‘Cheeseburger Chase’ at Hidden Valley, making a string of epic passes to turn a tough weekend around. He shares what Walkinshaw Andretti United needs and the good things already in their arsenal. We also look ahead to the next round at Townsville, discuss reuniting...

Four-time Mr. Motocross title winner Craig Dack was recently inducted into the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame, prompting Rusty to realise that a chat with ‘Dacka’ was long overdue. The result is an awesome episode, not just for Supercross and Motocross fans. From watching the legendary Stephen Gall (who is coming on the pod in the next few months) at Amaroo Park and trying to do monos like him...

After winning numerous titles in Australia, conquering New Zealand, and proudly wearing the green and gold while racing overseas, Dacka decided to stop competing in the early '90s to start his own team. This venture has enjoyed just as much success and continues to thrive. Managing his own deals as a rider helped him navigate the corporate sponsorship landscape. The depth and strength of these rel...

Time for a debrief of the NASCAR round in Sonoma after the invasion of drivers from Down Under. Hear what Cam got up to in the US last week leading into the race, plus insights from his previous drives, the transition from Supercars to the latest GEN NASCARs—how significant is it? Plus, hanging out with Will Brown and Kiwi superstar Shane van Gisbergen in North Carolina. We'll also cover his impre...

Craig Lowndes joins us fresh from the Vailo Adelaide 500 launch with the incredible news that Sprintcar Racing will be part of this year's event offering. This includes Supercross, Stadium Super Trucks, and performances by Crowded House and Cold Chisel in celebration of their 50th anniversary! We'll also have a debrief on his Triple 8 wildcard test this week, along with insider details on his prep...

The two-time Australian Rally Champion who grew up in a sporting family and thrives on competition! Rob Herridge's early life around the family farm in Western Australia served as his apprenticeship for what he now calls himself—a "pretend-gineer." Though he may lack a formal qualification, the resourcefulness and precision he learned were perfect skills for motorsport preparation. Herridge was a...

Rob’s been a commentator over the years (can you tell?), and he loves a good story, so we're only just shifting into second gear in this chat! Discover how Herridge jumped into rallying on a whim, convinced he was world champion material on the very first transport stage! Learn about the Datsun 1600 that started it all, his near switch to Mitsubishi, and the ultimate move to Subaru, sparking a par...

Building Maximum Motorsport into a ‘go-to’ race and rally car preparation business with a Subaru focus. The emergence of his son Dean as a driver and how the pair form a Yin and Yang partnership at Maximum, which is now an authorized Subie Motorsport Parts Dealer. Creating gravel notes for legends like Colin McRae and Ari Vatanen in New Zealand and nearly destroying the pace notes in a photocopier...

This week's special bonus episode features former racer turned expert commentator Townsend Bell, who joins us to analyse the 2024 field as the build-up to the Greatest Spectacle in Motor Racing continues. We discuss some observations from the month of May, including former Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin's pole position with a record-breaking run. We also consider the chances of Aussie Will Po...

Practice and qualifying for the 108th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Motor Racing are complete. The 2018 winner, Will Power, joins us from Indianapolis to debrief the action so far. The Team Penske driver, one of the modern-day IndyCar greats, is showing no signs of slowing down—he hit 233mph at the Brickyard in the Fast 12! Although he narrowly missed out on pole position to his teammate Sc...

We delve into the thrilling journey of the Aussie Supercross Champion who made his way to the big screen, fresh off his latest movie working alongside Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in "The Fall Guy," which was filmed in Australia. We caught up with Dan in Hong Kong, where he's already immersed in his next film project, to discuss Universal Pictures' tribute to the stunt industry and its homage to t...

She didn't want to come on, but she delivered in spades! We are proud to have tracked down and twisted the arm of the former Channel 10 Motorsport team member and intrepid ‘RPM’ reporter for a ‘where are they now’ feature episode. Alison was at Ten as the network amassed a portfolio of categories that made it the ‘Home of Motorsport’. It was a golden era with everything from World Rally Championsh...

We continue this gripping ride with former RPM and Rally reporter Alison Drower during a period in the late 90’s and mid 2000’s when Channel Ten became Australian TV’s undisputed 'Home of Motorsport'.   From magic moments making tele at the track, in the forest and with an access all areas pass that took fans on a back stage tour.  We have some fun with how she made Neil Crompton blush and burst o...

This is one for all Motorsport lovers.  Top Gear Australia is BACK! Ahead of its May 17 return on Paramount Plus, we chat with acclaimed actor and Australian Survivor host Jonathan LaPaglia who’s been given the keys to the rebooted Aussie version along with footy larrikin Beau Ryan and Blair (Moog) Joscelyne from Mighty Car Mods, who you can find in the Rusty’s Garage library. JPL joins Rusty to t...

"Yeah baby!" Do you remember Rob’s classic F1 radio conversations with Felipe Massa? Well, we’ve tracked him down in the UK for a feature episode, and it's a ripper. From growing up in the north, impressing at University and getting a break in motorsport on the engineering side that would see Smedley spend the better part of his life in the Formula 1 paddock with memorable stints at Ferrari and Wi...

The ex-Formula 1 engineer who added personality behind the pit wall, making race radios a highlight of the broadcast, and his colourful commentary remains a hit on platforms like TikTok and YouTube to this day. In the second instalment of our series, we delve into his dynamic collaboration with Felipe Massa, recounting events from the harrowing crash in Hungary in 2009, which led to pivotal change...

Supercars are in flyaway mode, back in New Zealand for a sellout event in the centre of the North Island they’re calling the Super400. Tickford Racing’s Thomas Randle joins us trackside to talk about a circuit he’s raced for real.... and virtually.   The Castrol Mustang driver had a podium finish here during his title winning season in the fiercely competitive Toyota Racing Series in 2017. While S...

Quick fire catch ups with Supercars series leader Will Brown, RedBull teammate Broc Feeney, plus James Golding & James Moffat. Rusty’s been doing some corporate work with the drivers so he recorded some off stage chats ahead of the Shannon’s Speed Series round at the Island and Supercar’s highly anticipated return to New Zealand in seven days time. Discover how Brown, Feeney, and Golding have...

Delve into the world of Formula One through the eyes of Chris Dyer, whose early years in the sport were marked by remarkable encounters and pivotal roles. This episode explores Chris's journey from working alongside reigning World Champion Damon Hill to engineering for Jos ‘the Boss’ Verstappen. Listen to Chris's vivid memories of a young Max Verstappen, who would grow up to become a superstar Red...