The Motorsport Brief | Bathurst review & Joel Kelso's Moto GP preview
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Car
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a popular sports car that many people love for its speed and cool design. It's been around for a long time and is known for being fun to drive, which is why it often comes up in conversations about cars. Sometimes, it can have issues, like engine problems, which is what was mentioned in the podcast.
Term
Bathurst
Bathurst is a big car race in Australia that many people watch. It takes place on a special track and is known for being very challenging for drivers.
Company
Grove Racing
Grove Racing is a racing team in Australia that competes in car races. They are recognized for their achievements in events like the Bathurst 1000.
Company
Peno Racing
Peno Racing is another racing team that competes in car races. They work hard to perform well in competitions like the Bathurst 1000.
Car
Chevrolet Camaro
The Camaro is a sporty car made by Chevrolet that is known for being fast and fun to drive. It's often compared to other muscle cars and is popular among car enthusiasts.
Term
podium contention
Being in podium contention means that a driver or team is doing well enough in a race to potentially finish in the top three, which is a big achievement.
Term
tyres
Tyres are the rubber parts that touch the road. They help the car grip the surface, and if they get too cold, they don't work as well, making it harder to drive fast.
Term
safety car
A safety car is a special car that comes out during a race to slow everyone down when there's a problem on the track. It helps keep the drivers safe until the issue is fixed.
Term
brakes
Brakes are what help a car slow down or stop. They're really important in racing because drivers need to control their speed, especially when turning.
LIVE
Welcome to the Motorsport Brief, this one covers Bathurst to the bike GP and we did
it all at the mountain.
Hi everybody, Rusty with you after a huge weekend on Triple M, covering the great race
it was awesome.
Coming up, Joel Kelso, the young Aussie on the path to MotoGP ahead of his home race
at the island this weekend.
We actually spotted him in the Triple 8 garage at the 1000 with his good mate Brock Feeney
and we're grateful for his time.
And you'll hear from the top three combos after that unforgettable race at Bathurst
in front of a weekend crowd of almost 200,000 fans.
From big names, bowing out to the decent rain and the cloud cover that made it almost impossible
to see toward the end, Chas Mostert retiring at the chase with engine trouble and heading
straight for a beer, that was very funny, to his young teammate, the heartbreak for
Ryan Wood being in the mix right near the end with Jaden O'Jada before an engine gremlin
saw that Mustang limp back to pit lane and a whole lot more.
I actually can't debrief it all here because so much happened.
Let's start with the headline, Garth Tander won a sixth Bathurst putting him in a special
club with Larry Perkins.
His 23 year old, almost protege in Matt Payne came of age with a mighty drive at the end
for the Kiwis first Bathurst win.
All the talk of parody didn't really enter their garage as they battled from 18th on
the grid to score Grove Racing's first Bathurst victory and the first for Ford since before
the pandemic.
Here they are post-race after the podium.
Yeah, it's pretty special for myself and obviously Garth here and the whole team at
Peno Racing, they've done an unbelievable job and they really stayed cool today and
made some really good decisions for us.
So yeah, it's super, super cool to be able to get the win here and celebrate it with
them tonight.
You guys are certainly disappointed on Friday after qualifying down in 18th, but the word
this morning after warm up was the car felt pretty good.
Did you think when you're sitting on the grid here today that you'd be sitting up here tonight?
Yeah, I thought that would be pretty optimistic.
Yeah, not going to lie, it was a really hard day for us on Friday.
We just didn't have the pace and I think we did a good job turning the car around.
It looked pretty speedy in the dry as well, but yeah, the whole race was basically wet.
So that was what you had to be quick in.
And yeah, we managed to make some good changes in the fit stops and put us in the right direction.
So much wet running today.
Can you just tell us what the conditions were like in the mental challenge of keeping it
on the black stuff?
It certainly wasn't easy.
Yeah, it actually got really tough there when the rain was probably coming down at its most.
You know, there was a lot of aqua planting on the straights, a lot of rivers.
So you had to drive around them a lot and it sort of got better at the end there.
It actually dried out a bit.
I didn't think our car was probably as good when it was a bit drier.
I thought we were pretty good when it was wet.
So yeah, those conditions made it tricky.
But yeah, around here, it's ultimately probably one of the toughest places to race around
and in the wet, certainly with all the pressure on on the top three and asked to, you know,
do the job.
But it was pretty cool at the end there.
It was getting really foggy at the overskill line and that.
So it was pretty hard to see.
But well, I thought it was pretty cool and would have made for some cool cameras.
But yeah, it was it was pretty amazing.
We can tell you from watching from the outside, it was definitely pretty cool.
An epic battle to the end between you, Jimmy and Cooper.
You had a crack yourself.
Text that one going down the chase and you got a little bit wet there yourself for a minute.
Yeah, it was it was a pretty cool move.
I was probably going down the straight and I thought this is it.
I just have to have to stick here and go for it.
Yeah, just hung around the outside and just caught the left rear on the grass,
which sort of didn't make didn't.
I couldn't pull it up in time, but I felt like I had a pretty good crack.
It was a pretty wild moment.
I thought I thought after that I was probably done.
So it's pretty cool to come back from that.
You certainly weren't done.
Not too long later, the seas part of the Griffin's Bend.
What was going through your mind when the doors open for you?
Yeah, I saw Jimmy had a really good run going up to turn two.
And I sort of knew he was going to go and I knew it was going to be pretty tricky.
Passing there was pretty greasy on the inside.
So yeah, those two made contact and luckily I could just sweep through on the inside.
Yeah, Cooper was putting up a pretty good fight,
but I think he just lost a little bit of car speed ultimately at the end there.
Twenty seventeen winner David Reynolds and twenty twenty one Victor Lee
Holdsworth thought they had a car capable of making the shoot out early in the week,
but they missed out there.
The Camaro didn't feel all that nice to drive on Saturday morning,
but they tuned it back up for the race and then they use their collective
experience in those crazy conditions to get into podium contention,
almost pulling off a winning move in the closing stages.
Reynolds repaying team owner Charlie Schwerkholz
faith following that recent re-signing.
Another great story for today, David Reynolds,
you guys seem to come from nowhere in those late stages
and all of a sudden you're right there in the battle for the win.
Tell us about your day. Who's out there?
Yeah, David, pretty well.
I'm actually like pretty exhausted,
accelerated, proud of everyone.
I'm also a little bit pissed off that Matt tried to put me in the fence
with on the last lap.
So what an asshole I am.
So you won't go.
But to be honest, I would have done the same anyway.
So I can't see my mirrors.
Yeah, bullshit.
No, I had a I had a mega day.
So, you know, to share my car with my mate,
mine that lives around the corner.
I like we've had, honestly, the best best week ever.
We just had laughs and just carry on.
We just try to make our cars best we can.
But, you know, it was OK in the dry, but I knew I've been saying it all day.
Like, if it's in the wet, we're in for a chance.
One hundred percent.
I love those like drying conditions where there's always
a bit of intermittent shit going on.
That was just that was me to a T.
So I thrive in those conditions.
And yeah, my car was unbelievable in the sort of semi dry conditions
or not semi dry, but the semi wet, semi dry.
But in the in the wet, it was the scariest piece of shit
I've ever had in my life.
And I feared for my life at many, many times in that race.
I dead set.
I tell you that.
Now, James Golding was actually the first car to greet the checkered flag.
But a five second penalty for contact with Koopa Murray in the final laps
left he and David Russell on adjusted third.
Still a podium, though, pretty special result for Pete Gibris
and the Premier squad.
Russell might be in his early forties, but he has again shown his class
in helping to set things up during his stints, while Golding
kind of made no apologies for having a crack at trying to win the big prize
before he heads to Blanchard Racing next season.
Jimmy.
You had a crack at glory and can't ask for anything less, can you?
Yeah, I had to have a go.
That's for sure.
Yeah, just really credit to the whole team.
Premier, I was used to trucks racing.
It's been an incredible day.
You know, from DeRos to our race engineer, Simon Hodge.
You know, we put the hard work in through practice
when we knew the weather was coming.
We dialed the car in as close to a wet weather car as we could get away
with in the drive without affecting it.
We knew we had good pace in both conditions and we really decided
to let the race come to us.
DeRos did a faultless job.
The whole crew, all the mechanics, everyone down to the physios
has been an unreal day, so I can't thank them all enough.
And yeah, the one that got away, I suppose.
But yeah, pretty cool to get a P3 as well at Bathurst.
Just takes you through that whole battle.
The whole sequence all the way down to the finish was white knuckle stuff.
It had to be even crazier behind the wheel, I'd imagine.
Yeah, it was.
I mean, my car was so fast, but really just took a little bit to get going.
Every time the tyres cooled off, every safety car was working hard
to keep the tamp up and, you know, the couple of laps after it took a bit
to get going, so I was trying to hold off as best I could.
And then I knew it would come back to me and I had the pace later on.
And I was I was probably best, I think, into turn two under brakes
down the hill under brakes and also the chase under brakes,
which is where I made a lot of passes, but Koopa was really strong off the elbow.
So when I had that run out of turn one, I knew that I had to go for it and have a go.
I knew I'd regret it if I didn't have a go.
So unfortunately, it didn't work out.
I'm sorry to him, it didn't work out for their team.
But that's racing, how'd they have a go?
I'd say it's 2020. Would you have done anything different?
No.
We'll grab a break here and switch from four wheels to two in a moment
with a young racer who was actually here at the mountain,
taking in the great race before a big week of his own at Phillip Island.
You're listening to the Motorsport Brief, the other Australian Grand Prix is on
this weekend, MotoGP at Phillip Island.
We spotted a young Aussie in the Bathurst pit lane who was doing the hard yards
and trying to one day make it to the Premier class was nice to catch up
with Joel Kelso before he tackles his home race. Here it is.
The people you meet at the mountain, hello Joel Kelso.
G'day mate, g'day.
You have literally, just before we started recording this rather,
gone for a tour of Brock Feeney's car. How was that?
Yeah, it's pretty cool mate, honestly.
Like I've never been able to go see up close a VA supercar
and it's awesomely a Brock to show me around.
Obviously I know Brock from when I was younger.
So it's also great to see him, haven't seen him in a few years.
Tell us a little bit more about that.
I'm glad you've had a chance to stop and catch up with him.
You're from Darwin, he's a Queenslander.
How did that kind of friendship come about?
Well, I'm originally from Queensland.
So I grew up in Gimpy and then he was in the Gold Coast
but we both raced bikes together before.
V8's Brock was racing dirt bikes as well and his old man as well
was really involved in my career as a young guy, especially in the flat track
and then also in the first road bike I ever got.
And yeah, I used to live with Brock for a bit.
Like just to go training and stuff would stay up there,
get away from school a bit, go up in the Gold Coast and muck around with Brock.
So yeah, I knew him ever since I was a kid
and then I've been following him along the whole time in his car career so far.
And we just kept in touch as much as possible, but it's not easy, that's for sure.
I love that though, there's a bit of a sense of loyalty in you,
perhaps what the Finis and others have done to help you on this big mission.
100% I wouldn't be, well, I definitely wouldn't be standing here today,
it's been to you if I wasn't involved with the Finis back in the day.
Yeah, I mean, Paul is the one that bring me up and then all the training with Brock
and yeah, every time was just a good time.
And he kept the motivation, the fun there as well,
because me and Brock were best mates and then same time riding bikes
on the weekends were fun.
What's your impressions of Bathurst?
I mean, we want to talk Phillip Island, obviously that's the main reason we're catching up.
But I think you're also hooking up with some of the team at Aerobis perhaps?
Yeah, exactly.
I go see them boys in a bit, we're keeping quite a good touch
because he obviously follows motorbikes as well.
But Bathurst, I've never been here before, I'm keen, I'll be doing a lap tomorrow
on the track to go check that out, so it'll be super cool, I can't wait.
And apparently the hill doesn't do justice on camera, so I'm looking forward to that.
Nice for you to sort of start what is a big week this way, mate, isn't it?
Yeah, 100%, I love getting out and doing this sort of stuff,
like speaking the other day to my manager, I love the Asia races
and coming back to ours for these sort of rounds
because you just do so much cool things,
like who thought I'd come into Bathurst this weekend and come watch the V8s
and then head down and go race Phillip Island next weekend.
It keeps your mind off things and you enjoy it,
it'll be more you're travelling the world doing something you love,
I mean, you can't complain.
How's the season been for you?
Give us that sort of report card, I know we'll talk about it in a minute,
you're off to a new team next year, but let's talk about 2025.
Yeah, well, it's been a great year,
it's definitely been our most successful year of my World Championship campaign, let's say.
Now, we're currently fifth in the championship,
I believe we'll be able to get fourth in the championship by the end of the year,
quite comfortable about that, I'm really hoping to get third,
but we're a little bit stretch away, but we'll see if we can,
if we can, that would be great, it would be a good little bonus to the end of the year.
But yeah, it's been an overall a really great season,
we had a little bit of a drop when we broke our foot in the middle of the season,
if not, I think we definitely would have been in the contention
for the top third in the championship for sure,
but overall this is motorcycle racing,
break one foot is actually a good season, you don't break too many bones,
so yeah, it's been an overall really good season, the team's been great,
I've been really jellied with the new bike,
and yeah, next year we're off to new adventures onto a Honda,
that was just purely for something different,
new motivation, it's two year contrast,
something I go develop within the team as well,
bring up the team, bring the right people in as well,
a lot more, let's say, I have a lot more say and a lot more charge
to bring the people in that I think will work for the Honda.
And then yeah, obviously if I get the opportunity to step in Moto 2, that's what we'll do.
I'm excited for you, how are you feeling hitting into your home race,
I mean you're healthy and well that's clear, what about your chances at the Ireland?
Oh I think my chances are great, obviously we've been really strong there in the past,
it's always one of our best races of the year,
we're coming from a really really strong time at the moment,
the last three or four races every single time fighting in our podium,
and just missing out but we've been there and already had three podiums this year,
so I think we can be back on that box, I think that's what all the Aussies fans want,
that's what I want for sure, so I think be spectacular if we get me standing on the top.
The end goal is clearly MotoGP and to progress, but it is a tough road Joel, how's all that been?
Yeah it's bloody difficult, like it's a lot of politics going to it, it's not easy that's for
sure, I mean like I said it shouldn't be normal that we're fighting for the top three in the
the championship, being one of the only non-Spanish riders inside the top 10 by not being able to
step to Moto2, so obviously not the greatest thing in the world, but at the end of the day
if you're doing the results you go up, so I'm just going to keep pushing, I'm focused on going
to result after result and eventually they can't tell me no, so yeah the goal is to go MotoGP,
still definitely, next year we'll be fighting as hard as we can on the Honda and then see if we
can get a Moto2 opportunity, I think we can really shine in Moto2, I think it'll just suit our style
a little bit more, be a bigger bike, a bit more power, can slide around, get it turned in with
the rear wheel, it'll be a bit more fun as well, I think we can really do well there, so yeah
hopefully we can make that happen in the near future. Finally before we let you go, what is
life like, I mean it's so great to come home, that must re-energize you, that's got to be good,
what is life like in Europe, are you good with other languages and so?
Yeah I mean I'm not bad after living there for three years, let's say I can speak enough Spanish
to get around that's for sure, but nothing's like home in Australia, I love being here and this
year's the year that I come back the most to Australia, I try to come back and forward between
every flyway race, only the European rounds I stay there, so I'm about three months based out there
and the rest I try to spend in Australia, so yeah I mean I love it over there but nothing beats home
mate, like honestly I absolutely love coming home and just doing this stuff being out here today
is incredible for me. Final question for you, the secret to Phillip Islands on your bike,
I mean that's not a question maybe that's easy answer because it depends on
weather and all sorts that are thrown at you, but ideally by the time you get through practice
what do you want underneath you, you know, heading into Saturday and Sunday next week?
Honestly I think it's quite easy to answer, there's a lot of conference at all and you just go to
absolutely send it every moment you can and you've got to really believe in yourself, trust in it and
just yeah have a crack, you can't hold back there, you hold back, you lose a lot of time,
but I think in all conditions you just got to go for it because like turn one example is almost
full gas, last corner almost full gas, but it's not easy to promise you that much with the old
set of tyres it's pretty hectic and pretty scary around there going you know 250k an hour full
gas around a corner is not easy that's for sure, so it's a lot of courage let's say
Philippine I reckon that's the biggest secret to it, it's just fully belief in what you got
underneath you and absolutely have a crack. Alright thanks for a bit of time to Chad here,
Bathurst is, you know I'm grateful because Bathurst is something to take your mind off
everything next week, I know it's going to be massive for you, we wish you well there,
we love the hard graft that you do and mate you're off to new passes next year, hope it goes well,
thank you. Appreciate it mate, cheers. That is it for this edition, hope you enjoyed it, something for
two and four wheel fans in this brief, I'm heading to the island actually and on the way we will
release a new feature ep with respected commentator, author and PR executive John Smales from working
at the ABC with a young Neil Crompton to reporting on the London to Sydney in dangerous destinations
putting a deal together for Murray Walker to do target and the streaker in the back of an interview
with Wayne Gardner, it's very funny that story plus his brilliant new book on Colin Bond called
Full Tilt, JS is a good storyteller whether it's the spoken or the written word, keep an eye out
for that one when it drops, catch you next week everybody, bye for now.
About this episode
The Motorsport Brief dives into the thrilling highlights of the Bathurst 1000, featuring Garth Tander's historic sixth win and the impressive performance of rookie Matt Payne. The episode captures the drama of the race, including engine troubles for Chas Mostert and Ryan Wood's heartbreaking finish. Joel Kelso, a rising star in MotoGP, shares insights on his journey and preparations for his home race at Phillip Island. The discussions are filled with personal anecdotes and reflections on the challenges of racing in unpredictable conditions, making it a captivating listen for motorsport fans.
Original notes
Hear from the top 3 combos shortly after the celebrations wrapped up at an epic Bathurst 1000.
Winner’s Matt Payne and Garth Tander reflect on the what it means to win one of the most memorable editions of the Great Race for the Grove squad.
David Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth chat about the stress of the final few laps and how they reveled in the conditions to move into podium contention for Team 18.
Then James Golding on the penalty that cost him a win and David Russell’s savvy driving to help set-up one of PremiAir Racing’s best results.
With the champagne drying on their race suits and the formalities over the drivers open up on a day they’ll never forget.
We then switch from 4 wheels to 2 for a look ahead to the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island this weekend.
Thanks to Mitch Robinson and Supercars for the press conference audio.
Joel Kelso headed to Mount Panorama on the way to hang out with his mate Broc Feeney at Triple 8 as well 2024 winner’s Erebus Motorsport.
It was fantastic to get the Moto3 racer on before the busiest week of his season.
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