Latest / Rusty's Garage / The Motorsport Brief: Meet Rising Star Ryan Wood ahead of the Supercars Season

Transcript

The Motorsport Brief: Meet Rising Star Ryan Wood ahead of the Supercars Season · Rusty's Garage

• 0:02
  A listener production.
• 0:05
  Welcome to the Motorsport Brief.
• 0:06
  It's Friday the 26th of January 2024.
• 0:10
  Happy Australia Day, everybody.
• 0:12
  I know some have differing views about the day.
• 0:15
  As someone who's working in New Zealand on the broadcast of their summer series this weekend, I am missing an Aussie catch-up with mates.
• 0:23
  Proud of the country I came from, but I love where I live now.
• 0:27
  In many ways, this holiday weekend is where it all started for me.
• 0:31
  A few decades back at Eastern Creek at a fantastic event called the Triple Challenge.
• 0:36
  Cars, bikes, drag racing, the lot.
• 0:39
  I have very vivid memories of getting behind the microphone then for the first time.
• 0:44
  the start of a big change in my work life.
• 0:47
  I took a risk.
• 0:49
  Today's guest has done just that, but he's a Kiwi now living in Australia and making the most of the opportunity, and he has a golden opportunity in supercars this year, so I thought we'd get him on so the wider audience can get to know him a little bit better as we get closer to the start of their season.
• 1:09
  Hi, everybody.
• 1:10
  Greg Russ with you for this edition of the Rusty's Garage Shortcast.
• 1:14
  A couple of eps released recently that you might enjoy.
• 1:16
  The latest long form or feature ep is with respected driver manager Greg Peewee Siddle.
• 1:23
  He reckons Mark Larkin is his self-appointed media manager.
• 1:27
  Larko, help me.
• 1:28
  twist Greg's arm to get him on.
• 1:30
  So that's a good job, Larco.
• 1:32
  From working with Larco and inspiring a young engineer in that team to pursue Formula One, Sam Michael we're talking about, plus the incredible contacts he has, working with Nelson Piquet, the friendship that they still share, and stitching together a deal to bring Nicky Lauder to Australia in the 1980s.
• 1:51
  His loyalty and integrity are the backbones of the Greg Siddle success story.
• 1:56
  You'll like that one.
• 1:58
  And for Speedway fans who might be getting ready for the Australian Sprint Car title this weekend at Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, before he jetted out back to a big season in the United States, we spoke to Rico Abreu on a short cast.
• 2:11
  He was awesome.
• 2:13
  You will love that.
• 2:14
  Thank you, Rico.
• 2:15
  Standing by is a young bloke, though, who called me up a couple of years ago and asked for a little advice on...
• 2:20
  dealing with the media.
• 2:21
  It wasn't a formal training session as such, but we talked for a couple of hours at a cafe in Wellington.
• 2:27
  Now, he was racing Toyota 86s over in New Zealand at the time.
• 2:32
  Then he really turned heads in a Porsche in endurance series races there.
• 2:37
  Some of those performances were record-breaking.
• 2:39
  A move to Australia seemed logical, but also a big step.
• 2:42
  He took it.
• 2:43
  What followed was a continuation of that meteoric rise, wowing audiences in the second-tier Super 2 series last year.
• 2:51
  And Ryan Walkinshaw and the Walkinshaw-Andretti United team decided to promote him straight to the big league this year as teammate to Chas Mostat.
• 3:02
  He is on the line.
• 3:03
  Ryan, welcome.
• 3:05
  Thanks for having me.
• 3:05
  That's a pretty cool introduction, Rusty.
• 3:07
  Thanks for that.
• 3:08
  Can we begin by just sort of understanding, does this feel surreal?
• 3:14
  Is it like a dream?
• 3:15
  Are you excited for the step up?
• 3:17
  How do you feel?
• 3:18
  Yeah, to be honest, it is, you know, all a bit of a whirlwind.
• 3:21
  It's like you said, about two or three years ago, we, you know, met each other at a cafe and it's all kind of happened pretty fast.
• 3:28
  And I think, you know, it's kudos to a lot of people that have, you know, helped me get to this point.
• 3:33
  But yeah, it's definitely feeling pretty surreal now.
• 3:36
  Like I went into the workshop the other week and, you know, the truck's starting to get signed written with my name on it.
• 3:41
  The car's all wrapped, you know, my suit arrived, like.
• 3:44
  everything's starting to feel pretty real.
• 3:46
  So yeah, it's pretty amazing and just really enjoying these moments because you only make your debut year once.
• 3:53
  So it's pretty cool.
• 3:54
  Where were you when they told you about the promotion for 24?
• 3:59
  Can you remember where you were sort of standing?
• 4:01
  And take us there.
• 4:03
  Yeah, so it actually was quite a funny story.
• 4:07
  I was at, obviously we were in conversations for a while and it was kind of back and forth.
• 4:11
  And then I went to Sydney for a ride day after the Sydney supercars round.
• 4:17
  And yeah, just basically was there that morning and then kind of got pulled to the side and they, Bruce and Carl Foe,
• 4:25
  basically just said, you know, we're taking you and we're going to do this.
• 4:29
  And, you know, that was a pretty special moment.
• 4:32
  And, you know, to have that done in person and have their belief and see their emotion and see what it meant to them as well was pretty special.
• 4:41
  You're from a very humble family, I know that, right?
• 4:44
  To make this brave step and not know that you necessarily had, you've got some good backers now, which is terrific, but I mean at the time a huge call to think that you've got that door open, that's pretty amazing, isn't it?
• 4:59
  Yeah, I think, you know, that's kind of why we had our first interaction, Rusty.
• 5:04
  We sat down and, you know, that was kind of what I was asking you about.
• 5:08
  How's the best way to market myself and kind of, you know, be the best version of myself on and off track.
• 5:15
  And, you know, I think I've really developed in that area and really made a good relationship.
• 5:21
  connection with a lot of great people to get me into the position that I'm in.
• 5:24
  You know, it hasn't been easy.
• 5:25
  And like you said, my family have sacrificed a lot in the early stages of, you know, go-karting and even 86s.
• 5:33
  So to get to where we are, it's not just, you know, myself, but my family, numerous amounts of sponsors and supporters.
• 5:42
  So it's pretty special, not only for myself, but for a lot of other people as well.
• 5:46
  Ryan Walkinshaw was on the pod in the lead up to Christmas and he's talked about the kind of expectations, I guess, they have of you on track and off.
• 5:56
  Is there pressure?
• 5:57
  Do you feel that?
• 5:58
  How are you dealing with it?
• 6:00
  There's always pressure in any sort of, you know, sport or especially in motorsport, you've got a lot of people investing a lot of money and everything like that.
• 6:08
  So, you know, there's obviously pressure, but it's just kind of how you deal with it.
• 6:12
  I've got really good people in my corner, obviously,
• 6:15
  Murph has been a big supporter of mine and, you know, is basically my right-hand man when it comes to anything around motorsports.
• 6:22
  So I'm pretty lucky to have him in my corner.
• 6:25
  And then, you know, obviously just dealing with that early on in the season is going to be, I think, you know, the hardest part.
• 6:32
  And just, I think, going back and just making sure I enjoy it every weekend is going to be the main thing.
• 6:39
  So, you know, I know when I'm having fun and enjoying my racing, I'm driving the best.
• 6:43
  So, yeah.
• 6:45
  I'm looking forward to it.
• 6:46
  I reckon that shows through too.
• 6:48
  So you may not be able to say in detail, so don't if you don't want to, but I gather there was interest from other teams as well.
• 6:55
  This wasn't the only option for you, but it's the one that you've gone with.
• 6:58
  There was definitely conversations, but at the end of the day, I'm pretty proud and very fortunate to be continuing the journey with Walking True and Dritter United and obviously to have their belief and, you know, to have...
• 7:12
  Zach, Michael and Ryan's trust and obviously, you know, Carl and Bruce's trust as well is pretty amazing.
• 7:20
  And it's just, you know, kudos to them for giving a young guy a go.
• 7:23
  Obviously, you know, everyone knows I'm a little bit rough around the edges sometimes and, you know, but I think that's what makes me, me.
• 7:30
  So, and I know if I'm like that, I'm going to be happy with the environment that I'm in and I really am at Walking Shore.
• 7:36
  So it's, you know, really, really looking forward to continuing this and, yeah, it's just...
• 7:42
  You know, it really feels like a family and they really have, feels like they have the best interests for me as well.
• 7:47
  So it's, you know, really, really special.
• 7:49
  I reckon he won't mind me saying this, but if you rewound the clock to the start of Chas's career, there are probably some similarities with him being a little raw, if you will.
• 8:01
  What is it like working with him and what's he sort of said to you so far?
• 8:06
  You know, me and Chas, I think, from the naked eye, we have pretty similar personalities.
• 8:13
  And I think, you know, it's gonna be exciting.
• 8:16
  I think it's something that's gonna be very, very beneficial for me in the long run.
• 8:22
  Obviously, Chas has had a really successful career and, you know, he's a very,
• 8:27
  I guess, icon in the sport now where, you know, quite a few drivers are just, you know, are known for their results, where Chas is known for a lot more for what he does off the track and community and everything like that.
• 8:38
  So, you know, I think it's going to be special learning off him and he's just a really good genuine person.
• 8:43
  So it's exciting and it's just, yeah, I don't really think I could ask for a better teammate to bludge off those first couple of years.
• 8:53
  How are you going with the training?
• 8:56
  You look like you've lost a bit of weight and that you're going hard.
• 8:59
  Is that right?
• 8:59
  Yeah, obviously trying pretty hard.
• 9:01
  It's probably been one of my, not so much downfalls, but I think just something people can pick on me about.
• 9:09
  So I just want to change that.
• 9:10
  And obviously for me, it's just a little bit longer process this time.
• 9:14
  Like I've
• 9:15
  done massive weight losses before and everything like that, but it just seems to pack on too much.
• 9:19
  So it's about me getting a bit better in the kitchen and learning a bit more about what I'm putting into my body and, yeah, what makes me tick a bit better.
• 9:28
  So I'm lucky, you know, like I've got really good support with Heath and Nicole and so many other people that are in my corner, not only with the racing, but with that side of it as well.
• 9:39
  So I'm really lucky.
• 9:41
  Now, you're at Queensland Raceway as we talk to you.
• 9:44
  What have you been doing up there today?
• 9:46
  Yeah, so I had a phone call at about 12.30 last night from Danny and IRC cars.
• 9:55
  And, yeah, they wanted me to come test their mark car today.
• 9:57
  So cut a few laps for them.
• 9:59
  And, yeah, it's been a really cool experience for me, probably the most aero car I've driven in.
• 10:04
  So, yeah.
• 10:05
  Yeah, it's a nice taste and to, you know, sort of, it's a little bit GT, like it's obviously a GT car, but it's not a full GT3 spec car.
• 10:14
  So it's cool to get into something a bit different.
• 10:17
  And, you know, for me this year, it's just all about trying to get driving miles and just keep my, keep me race fit and everything like that.
• 10:24
  And yeah, today was good.
• 10:27
  It was 38, 36 degrees around there.
• 10:29
  So yeah, she's been a warm one.
• 10:31
  Hard for me now that I'm a Victorian, so...
• 10:34
  It's definitely a change.
• 10:35
  How are you going from an engineering standpoint?
• 10:38
  I mean, days like this, valuable miles, all help, I think, at the end of the day.
• 10:41
  But what about spending time on the engineering side?
• 10:44
  I would imagine you've had more than a few days at WAU already.
• 10:48
  You know, I am very lucky that I am in obviously Victoria and, you know, it makes it very easy for me to get to the workshop during the week.
• 10:58
  So I try popping there two, three times a week.
• 11:01
  You know, I'm not, I wouldn't say I'm...
• 11:04
  valuable in any sense but it's really good to just you know connect with the boys during the week and obviously working with Adam really closely and obviously we have a new engineer on Chas's car so getting to to know them as well is really cool so it's um yeah it's been nice and you know made a trip uh trip to the UK over over the new year and um when I saw Rob Wilson with my engineer as well so that was really really cool as well.
• 11:29
  Tell me about that because there's a guy who is kind of the ultimate driver whisperer, a Kiwi who has worked with some great names in Formula One.
• 11:39
  His assessment and his guidance and coaching is very different, very, very basic in many respects, but it's effective.
• 11:48
  Did you enjoy that?
• 11:49
  Yeah, it was one of the most amazing experiences I've had in any sort of motorsport.
• 11:55
  You know, like I've been racing since I was seven and I'm 20 years of age now.
• 11:59
  So you kind of think you get to know quite a bit about how to drive a race car or just racing in general.
• 12:06
  But, you know, it was like starting from scratch again with Rob.
• 12:10
  And it's just, yeah, it's a really nice refresher to have someone that's,
• 12:14
  being around so many different talents.
• 12:18
  And I think a lot of, you know, what he does is not just going and pounding lap after lap, it's getting to know you and what makes you tick and making sure that works and making that a regular thing when you drive the race car.
• 12:31
  And, you know, it was obviously a really cool experience.
• 12:34
  And to spend that with Adam was a really good first kind of encounter around an engineering standpoint.
• 12:41
  And I think it's just exciting for both of us.
• 12:44
  So you did get to have a little bit of fun before Christmas.
• 12:47
  You went home to New Zealand.
• 12:49
  You went to Rotorua.
• 12:50
  There was a charity event there organized by Steve Williams, former caddy for Tiger Woods, among others, Richie Stanaway, Murph, who you mentioned before, Chris Vanderdrift, Aaron Slyte.
• 13:02
  The roll-up was mega.
• 13:04
  And you took to those stock cars, which I don't think you'd really driven before.
• 13:08
  You went to it like a duck to water.
• 13:10
  Yeah, it was totally different for me.
• 13:12
  I've never driven off tarmac before.
• 13:14
  So, you know, it was, I remember going out and you were obviously there and the sound that they produce is pretty amazing.
• 13:22
  Like they kind of make a supercar sound a little bit weak.
• 13:26
  You know, I remember hearing it start up for the first time and I was shaking in my boots a little bit.
• 13:31
  But once you get out there, it's pretty cool.
• 13:33
  And like, I think we all behaved ourselves pretty well, but I know there was a few getting argy-bargy by then, but yeah, it was cool.
• 13:41
  Like I think Richie and a few others have done a wee bit of that sort of stuff before.
• 13:45
  So it's quite interesting to see, I think all of us develop over the night.
• 13:50
  And I think by the end of it, we were all pretty, you know, on it by the end.
• 13:54
  So it was quite cool to see actually.
• 13:56
  Hey, Ryan, if you don't mind, we'll get you to hang on there for us for just a moment.
• 13:59
  A quick break and back with more here on Rusty's Garage.
• 14:04
  You're listening to the Motorsport Brief.
• 14:06
  Our guest for this edition is a rising star with a lot of talent who will make his debut as a supercars driver in the main game next month at Bathurst.
• 14:16
  He is under no illusion of just how big the challenge is.
• 14:19
  Like many young racers, he has dreamt of this moment.
• 14:23
  So we thought we'd get him on so you can get to know Ryan Wood a little bit better.
• 14:27
  Back to the convo now.
• 14:31
  SVG is headed to the US.
• 14:32
  He helped you a bit when you first got to Australia.
• 14:35
  Are you kind of keeping in touch?
• 14:37
  Will you follow his progress?
• 14:38
  And do you feel a little bit like you're part of this next wave?
• 14:43
  It does feel like a changing of the guard, don't you think, in some ways?
• 14:47
  There's a new generation coming in.
• 14:49
  I definitely think there's obviously a new generation kind of knocking on the door, and I'm lucky enough to make that progression this year.
• 14:56
  And I think obviously seeing what Matt and Brock Feeney have done over the past two seasons, obviously Matty and I...
• 15:04
  grew up racing together and, you know, to see him win at Adelaide was pretty cool.
• 15:08
  And, you know, I had obviously an awesome weekend there as well.
• 15:11
  So to cap off our years, like, that was pretty special.
• 15:14
  And, you know, I think there's so many other guys knocking on the door of jumping into main game, obviously, Kai, Alan, you know,
• 15:21
  is more than capable enough to do that.
• 15:23
  Even Zach Best and so many others.
• 15:26
  And then you got guys like Ojeda and stuff who haven't been given the opportunity, but if given it, it would be a no brainer.
• 15:35
  They would hit the ground running pretty easily.
• 15:37
  Obviously not.
• 15:39
  you know, driving in the main game is not easy, but they're more than capable enough to do that.
• 15:44
  So I think, you know, you're going to see a change of the tide a little bit, but it's just, it's always hard.
• 15:50
  You know what it's like in motorsport.
• 15:51
  It's sponsors and so much to do with everything like that.
• 15:54
  So I'm...
• 15:55
  Yeah, I think it's exciting times and obviously I'm very lucky and fortunate to be a part of it.
• 15:59
  Me and Shane have a really good friendship now and, you know, any questions I have, he answers straight away.
• 16:05
  And he's just, you know, a top bloke and it's just been amazing to bounce ideas off him.
• 16:09
  It was an epic season in Super 2, a very memorable one.
• 16:13
  How much is that going to help for this year and how big is the step up in your mind?
• 16:17
  You know, our Super 2 season was great.
• 16:18
  And, you know, for me, it was a bittersweet ending, obviously, clean sweeping two of the rounds and, you know, winning three of the six rounds and stuff like that was really cool.
• 16:30
  But, you know, for me, it was a year that I really wanted a championship.
• 16:34
  And obviously going to main game now, it's, you know, I know how difficult it is to win a championship.
• 16:39
  But, you know, I think it's really exciting.
• 16:43
  And I think, you know, we proved that,
• 16:46
  The pace is there.
• 16:47
  When I've calmed down and managed, I can manage a race pretty well and obviously in a Super 2 level.
• 16:52
  But, you know, I think next year, or sorry, this year is going to be a huge step up.
• 16:58
  Obviously, the intensity, the length of the races, tyre wear, everything's going to be obviously a lot harder.
• 17:04
  But I'm just really looking forward to the challenge and, yeah, just looking forward to getting to Bathurst and just getting that first run under our belt and just going from there.
• 17:15
  I can tell how much you've grown in a media sense from clearly dealing at a corporate level, the demands that come with that in a frontline big name team like WAU.
• 17:27
  Are you enjoying that growth there?
• 17:30
  Ryan Walkinshaw often talks about his want for the drivers to not be antiseptic, to be your personality and so on, to be authentic.
• 17:39
  You're enjoying that stuff?
• 17:40
  I've had a pretty good taste of it, obviously, trying to get sponsors to get over to race.
• 17:46
  So you kind of learn how to be pretty commercial from that sense.
• 17:50
  And then doing that with team sponsors and everything is really great.
• 17:54
  And you're just meeting such good, humble people all the time through the group of sponsors we have as a team.
• 18:01
  And it's just really special,
• 18:03
  I haven't met so many good people that are willing to see a team succeed than I have with our group of guys.
• 18:10
  So it's pretty cool.
• 18:11
  And obviously, you know, Ryan's great with, and everyone on the team's great with, you know, promoting just being yourself and being comfortable with, you know, how you speak and how you hold yourself in a public manner.
• 18:25
  So it's pretty cool.
• 18:27
  Okay, finally, you moved house recently, but you were sharing with Ronan Murphy and some mates.
• 18:35
  It may or may not have been owned by another supercars driver at that house.
• 18:40
  Was it like college mates flatting?
• 18:42
  Was it good fun?
• 18:43
  What was that like?
• 18:45
  Yeah, it was obviously really good fun.
• 18:48
  You know, I think for Ronan it was, you know, he's a little bit older than us, so he felt like the dad of the house a few times.
• 18:55
  But, you know, I think it was really cool and it's just, you know, it's pretty cool to,
• 19:01
  you know, we'll look back at these sort of times and, you know, we were living in a house together, all chasing our dreams.
• 19:07
  And, you know, I'm fortunate enough to be able to make that next step.
• 19:11
  And I think, you know, Ronan's unfortunately not going to race this year, but, you know, I think for us, it's one of those moments and one of those years that we can, you know, really look back on and treasure for a long time.
• 19:25
  And, you know, there was, you know, Willie and a couple of other mates as well who are
• 19:29
  who are in the 86s over in New Zealand that are trying to break through.
• 19:33
  So it's pretty cool.
• 19:35
  Well done.
• 19:35
  It's an expensive game.
• 19:36
  You have found a way into the big league.
• 19:39
  Leave nothing on the table.
• 19:41
  Go get them.
• 19:41
  There is a lot of support back home in New Zealand, a growing following in Aus.
• 19:45
  We hope 2024 is everything you dreamt it would be.
• 19:48
  Thank you for coming on today.
• 19:50
  Thanks, Rusty.
• 19:52
  He's raw, but real, which I reckon is just great.
• 19:56
  Walkinshaw and Reddy United are to be applauded for giving a youngster like him a go.
• 20:02
  During this period that really is starting to feel like a changing of the guard in supercars.
• 20:07
  Good luck to him.
• 20:08
  Not sure if you caught my short cast with Stephen Richards last week.
• 20:12
  In it, I drew attention to an interview that I'd done with Roland Dain over summer for the KTM Summer Grill on Speed Cafe, and how Roland said...
• 20:21
  that the ongoing parody testing in this part of the world could benefit from a good independent driver with a technical brain on their shoulders.
• 20:30
  I'm kind of paraphrasing here.
• 20:32
  But he put forward Richo as a suggestion.
• 20:35
  Stephen said in the pod that he'd be up for it.
• 20:38
  You'll like that.
• 20:38
  Lots of chat about historic cars as well.
• 20:41
  And that is because he, Greg Murphy, Craig Lowndes and Jack Perkins were all in Taupo, in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand, for the historic GP last week.
• 20:50
  Good roll-up of fans there.
• 20:52
  Some beautiful old cars.
• 20:54
  Now, yes, Shane Van Gisbergen and Richie Stanaway's Bathurst-winning Camaro was there.
• 21:00
  Different people, including the car's new owner, Tony Quinn, did some demo laps in it.
• 21:05
  It was on Pirelli tyres, not the category Dunlop control tyre.
• 21:10
  The laps were fundamentally to get the crowd excited about the supercars event there in April.
• 21:15
  It is going to be good.
• 21:17
  It was all okayed by the sport.
• 21:19
  And no, I don't think it gives AAA some sort of advantage.
• 21:23
  It was a demonstration.
• 21:24
  Let's dial back some of the simple stuff that seems to wind us all up at the moment in the sport and just get excited about what should be a good season of motor racing in Australia.
• 21:36
  This is not new news, but it was announced recently.
• 21:39
  Valentino Rossi is coming back to the Bathurst 12-hour next month.
• 21:43
  The doctor at the mountain.
• 21:45
  The 12-hour is going to be huge.
• 21:46
  What a way for them to kick off.
• 21:49
  Back-to-back 12-hour and supercars in February there.
• 21:53
  Our thoughts on the pod are with those affected by the storms in Brisbane this month, particularly Fabian, Becky and the Coulthard family, who's...
• 22:01
  House appears to have been hit hard.
• 22:03
  Casey Stoner and his family, Troy Bayliss and the Baylisses, I think, all look like they have been doing big cleanups as well.
• 22:10
  To everyone else who is listening, who was in the path, we hope you're going okay.
• 22:14
  Finally, good luck to everyone competing in the Daytona 24 Hour this weekend.
• 22:18
  I went to that event in 2014 and loved it.
• 22:20
  That's on the other side of the pond.
• 22:22
  Sending the same best wishes to those in Warrnambool competing for the right team.
• 22:28
  to have Australia number one on their sprint car.
• 22:31
  The title is going to be awesome.
• 22:33
  Who will join the legends in the record books?
• 22:37
  That's it for now.
• 22:38
  Have a fantastic long weekend, everybody.
• 22:40
  Bye for now.