Latest / Rusty's Garage / Mark Winterbottom Part 2: 2015 Championship win, how Go-Karting started it all, voice acting in a Disney movie

Transcript

Mark Winterbottom Part 2: 2015 Championship win, how Go-Karting started it all, voice acting in a Disney movie · Rusty's Garage

• 0:02
  A listener production.
• 0:20
  G'day, it's Rusty here, all set for part two of my podcast with Mark Winterbottom.
• 0:24
  Many of you have asked over the years of doing this pod to please get him on, and it's great to have him in the studio today to reflect on over 20 years at the highest level of supercars, what it was like to unexpectedly reach a crossroads, the move to a part-time or endurance driving role, but one that sees him heading home to Ford Tickford,
• 0:46
  He'll be racing in a Mustang.
• 0:48
  If you've landed here without checking out part one, head back to the Rusty's Garage Library and kick off this listening experience with some really candid chat.
• 0:57
  How he feels about the past few weeks, how difficult it's been to process, and his genuine enthusiasm for the road ahead.
• 1:05
  Lots of great stuff to come in this second part too.
• 1:07
  Some reflections of his career that you may not have heard before.
• 1:11
  And it's one that's taken him
• 1:12
  all the way from the western suburbs of Sydney to champion, Bathurst winner and more.
• 1:18
  Let's get back to the chat now.
• 1:23
  I have a picture in my phone that I cherish, and it's you and I fairly soon after you've won the 2015 Supercars title, mate.
• 1:33
  In the little bit of broadcasting I did, it's probably fair to say that I was better suited to the pit lane, but I got to call that.
• 1:38
  I...
• 1:40
  pretty cool bloke from Western suburbs, Sydney, who, you know, wouldn't have had the checkbook.
• 1:46
  You know, these parents wouldn't have had the dough to be an Australian champion of the biggest form of motorsport this country has.
• 1:52
  Yeah.
• 1:52
  It's so like, so cool to win, um, to win a championship is really cool.
• 1:57
  Cause it's, it's,
• 1:59
  It's just like process of elimination.
• 2:01
  You start with 25 people and then there's 20, then there's 18, then there's 15 mathematically, then it's 10, then it's five, then it's two.
• 2:08
  And you're like just this emotional, um, you know, year cause you've got to go to some of the hottest places with tight corners.
• 2:16
  You've got to go to some of the coldest places with fast corners.
• 2:18
  Like you got to be the best for 12 months.
• 2:20
  And that was really hard, but doing it at home bush to cap it off.
• 2:25
  Uh, like it was funny, the team, they had me, uh,
• 2:28
  wrapped up in cotton wool.
• 2:29
  Like, normally you do an appearance as left, right and centre.
• 2:33
  We got to Homebush and it was...
• 2:36
  Just no, you're not doing any appearances, media ban, sitting in the truck.
• 2:40
  Um, and I was sitting there, I remember Candy Crush, I was playing Candy Crush and I'm like, I'm really bored.
• 2:45
  Like, and I'm now I'm starting to think about everything.
• 2:48
  Can, so I downloaded more games, started playing games in the truck because it was a really weird way.
• 2:53
  And then Cam was sent off doing all the appearances to Stevie.
• 2:55
  Oh, and they come back on.
• 2:57
  We're exhausted.
• 2:58
  And I'm like, oh, I just got five levels up.
• 3:00
  You know, like it was a really weird way to go racing, but.
• 3:03
  Um, you know, we, we struggled on the Friday.
• 3:06
  We had a lot of front lock.
• 3:07
  I remember it really, you know, and I'm like, if we crash here, then Lowndes is back in the game.
• 3:13
  So we need to be fast.
• 3:15
  We need to start at the front and stay out of trouble.
• 3:16
  And we had really bad front lock and Jace Gray, my engineer, he's like, righto, go home.
• 3:22
  And then this Friday night, and I remember going home and texting him.
• 3:26
  So, so how are we going?
• 3:26
  So it's good, mate.
• 3:27
  Just switch off.
• 3:29
  I've got you.
• 3:30
  And I'd been with Jace Gray for seven years.
• 3:32
  Unbelievable guy that knew my driving style through data very, very well.
• 3:36
  So you could see, and he's like, Frosty, please go to bed.
• 3:39
  Shut up.
• 3:40
  Leave me alone.
• 3:41
  See you tomorrow morning.
• 3:42
  Rolled out.
• 3:43
  Bang.
• 3:43
  P1.
• 3:43
  Quali.
• 3:44
  And it was like...
• 3:45
  Just, we come out with a purpose.
• 3:47
  It was a nice way.
• 3:47
  Cause when you go into, not that I've fought for many championships, but like you go there and you're either protective defensive or on attack.
• 3:54
  And I'm like, let's go and attack.
• 3:56
  Like, give me a car like that we can attack with.
• 3:59
  And we went out and put on P1 and that was probably one of the biggest qualifying laps I'd ever done in my career, you know, to put on pole and Lounge crashed and started 30, uh, 28th or whatever it was.
• 4:10
  Um, so then we wrapped it up Saturday, which was awesome.
• 4:13
  So to wrap it up and then family there and, um, you know, sponsors and everyone that's been part of the journey was just, you know, awesome, awesome moment.
• 4:22
  Like, and to do it in Sydney as well, like literally 20 minutes from home and, um, yeah,
• 4:27
  So good.
• 4:28
  But it was really weird because we won Saturday and then Rod Nash, Tim Edwards, they're in the hotel lobby having wines.
• 4:34
  They're like celebrating.
• 4:35
  They're like, come have a wine.
• 4:36
  I'm like, I've still got a race tomorrow.
• 4:38
  You know, like, all right, we'll have one.
• 4:39
  Like, and then off you go and off, you know, to bed.
• 4:41
  And then I remember that night, couldn't sleep.
• 4:43
  Like just lying there with Renee going, that's so cool.
• 4:46
  Like, Hey, we just want, like, we did it.
• 4:48
  Like, just remember.
• 4:49
  And then the next day rocking up, I think we qualified fourth the next day or something, um, and finished fourth in the race.
• 4:55
  So we had a good day Sunday as well, but.
• 4:57
  just awesome weekend, like high risk.
• 5:00
  It was never over until you finished because at DNF, you're in a bit of trouble, you know, so, um, no, it's, yeah.
• 5:08
  One of the best moments of my life is winning that championship and putting one on the door is such a proud moment.
• 5:14
  Like putting that sticker, I went in the workshop and I put the sticker on and it was really, really cool seeing that number one.
• 5:19
  Excellent.
• 5:20
  I mean, to do it that way, to go out and get the pole, to come back from the chat on Friday night, to attack in the manner that you talked about, that's got to be immensely satisfying instead of, you know, okay, being defensive in any sport and still getting it over the line is something to admire, but to be able to be on the forward foot to do it, that must feel good, mate.
• 5:41
  It felt really good.
• 5:42
  Like, and it was funny, and that's, I guess, as drivers, people don't see this, but the
• 5:48
  then the sort of you ooze confidence, you know, and that year we were leading the points cause we were doing the best job.
• 5:53
  So you're like, um, when he said, go to bed, switch off.
• 5:57
  It was like, okay, I had so much trust in him and he has so much trust in me.
• 6:00
  So like, it was like, righto.
• 6:03
  We're turning up tomorrow morning and we're attacking.
• 6:05
  And I think we went P1 in practice.
• 6:06
  So we rolled out and went P1.
• 6:08
  The car was a jet.
• 6:09
  And then qualifying, bang, P1.
• 6:11
  It was like, that made you feel good because you don't want to just fluff around.
• 6:15
  And then the race actually did fluff around a bit.
• 6:17
  But, um, like I let a couple of guys pass just to finish, but...
• 6:21
  you had to get yourself in front, away from the pack, because turn one, if you get turned or you had to de-risk it all.
• 6:27
  And the biggest lap was qualifying to de-risk it.
• 6:29
  We won the start off the line, led the race.
• 6:32
  We pitted early to get out of the sequence.
• 6:33
  Like we just de-risk it all, but, um, like scrape mirrors to put it on pole.
• 6:39
  So it's funny, you de-risk it by risking it, if that makes sense.
• 6:42
  Yes.
• 6:42
  The session before.
• 6:43
  So that felt good.
• 6:44
  Like I always want to go out.
• 6:46
  like I said before with Bathurst, you don't want to just win because of the Bradbury type thing.
• 6:51
  You want to earn it.
• 6:52
  And, yeah, that lap was, I remember it really well.
• 6:56
  It was a big lap.
• 6:57
  I remember just hanging the brake and hitting the curbs and just on the threshold, you know, mirror folding in out of turn seven.
• 7:04
  Out of Georgia, you cannot afford even the slightest, mate.
• 7:07
  But we had a good car.
• 7:08
  That's why we led the championships.
• 7:09
  I was like, right, we've got a good car.
• 7:10
  We've got a good team.
• 7:12
  shitload of confidence.
• 7:13
  Let's do this.
• 7:13
  Let's hit it.
• 7:14
  And, um, and I had Stevie O in the other car because Cam was going for the championship for a Super 2.
• 7:20
  Super 2.
• 7:21
  So he had that and Chas had had his crash, so he was out.
• 7:24
  So Stevie O was the other driver.
• 7:26
  Yeah.
• 7:27
  And, um, another good guy that doesn't probably get enough credit for what he's done, um, driving the other car.
• 7:34
  So we were like...
• 7:35
  you know, sharing ideas and stuff like that.
• 7:37
  And, um, yeah, it was funny.
• 7:39
  Like the lap, I remember that lap really well.
• 7:41
  People say, you know, moments that stand out in relevance, it meant a lot, but on history, it doesn't show in those moments, if you know what I mean.
• 7:49
  But, um, for me, that was one of the biggest laps I had of the career to just go out and it was on the threshold and here, we got it done, which was good.
• 7:58
  Great work.
• 7:58
  It's a sum of many parts, a race team like that, and there have been those.
• 8:01
  You've rattled off a few of them that have come and gone along the way and that have been important to your journey.
• 8:06
  I can't remember if it was you or Richard, but one of you, I think, helped me with a little bit of background on James Small for a podcast that I did with him.
• 8:15
  And he's gone off to NASCAR and has done some great stuff there.
• 8:21
  Did you guys nearly win a sand down or something together?
• 8:24
  Did something happen on one particular day with him?
• 8:26
  I can't recall the story.
• 8:27
  Yeah, yeah.
• 8:28
  So I was lucky.
• 8:29
  So Smalley was on Dave's car.
• 8:32
  And then I remember them saying, hey, you've got James Small as an engineer because it was when someone left.
• 8:38
  Someone left, maybe Campbell, I think it was, and James come across.
• 8:41
  Yeah.
• 8:42
  And it's funny when you're in the team, you see, he was, he was really good.
• 8:47
  He's one of the best engineers I've ever seen ever because he could drive the car, but he could understand it.
• 8:53
  So you just say to him this, this, and this, and you go, cool, go to bed.
• 8:58
  bang, you turn up the next day and it was fast.
• 9:00
  Like he fixed it.
• 9:01
  He was one of those guys that just, he would put it in his head like he was in the car and feel it.
• 9:07
  And he goes, I understand what you're saying.
• 9:08
  Go, go now, leave me alone.
• 9:10
  Let me do my work.
• 9:11
  Um, he was, he was unbelievable.
• 9:14
  So we, we should have won 13, um, championship to be honest, but we had all those crossfitter wheel nuts, um, that cost us a lot of points, but we would have won 13 championship.
• 9:23
  Uh, and.
• 9:25
  He was, he is by far the best engineer in pit lane.
• 9:29
  Like, and he was always going to go on for greatness.
• 9:32
  The only thing he had to solve was his temper.
• 9:34
  Because, um, when we had the eighth Crossfitter wheel, and it's the first guy that I'd ever seen, Tim Edwards come up to him at, uh, and he saw a good job.
• 9:42
  He's like, it's not a good job with Crossfitter wheel.
• 9:44
  And we would have won that race and threw his laptop.
• 9:47
  And it smashed.
• 9:48
  And Tim goes, good luck looking at data on that laptop, mate, and walked off.
• 9:52
  So then he's picking all his keys up, putting them back in his laptop with his smash screen.
• 9:56
  He's like, so Frosty, it doesn't really matter.
• 9:59
  We can't see it, mate.
• 10:00
  But he was one of those guys.
• 10:02
  But at Gold Coast, we hit one of those sausage curbs and it damaged a lot of stuff.
• 10:11
  And they didn't want to replace it.
• 10:14
  So when he actually said he's going, they found half a car in his office.
• 10:19
  Cause he just replaced everything and hid uprights and like steering racks and everything in his office.
• 10:24
  He had them in drawers and all.
• 10:25
  So they walked in there like, there's half a car here.
• 10:28
  And he's like, well, you weren't going to replace it, but you did just so you know.
• 10:31
  Like he's one of those guys that, um, he's the biggest racer you'd ever seen.
• 10:36
  Um, and he was always destined to, to do great things.
• 10:39
  Like after he won Bathurst, he's like, I'm, I'm done.
• 10:42
  I'm fulfilled.
• 10:43
  And he went overseas and he's.
• 10:45
  He's kicking goals over there.
• 10:46
  Like, um, unbelievable.
• 10:48
  They're hard to find someone who can race and understand the car and have both is, is so hard.
• 10:54
  But if we didn't have those cross-threaded wheel nuts, I think we would win 13.
• 10:58
  And if I had him there in 14, we would have won 14.
• 11:00
  Like without, you can never say that, but he was, he is unbelievable.
• 11:05
  And, um, thankfully he didn't go to another team because he would have strengthened them up.
• 11:09
  He went overseas and, um.
• 11:11
  Gave us all a chance because he was one of the best for sure.
• 11:14
  Awesome.
• 11:14
  You talked about the title before in Sydney and so on, 20 minutes down the road from home.
• 11:21
  What would that young bloke have told, or what would the champion have told that young bloke, I should say, if you could rewind the clock or have taken yourself there?
• 11:31
  I mean, you come from a home in Western Sydney, not all that far from Sydney,
• 11:35
  you know, where Sydney Motorsport Park is now.
• 11:38
  If I'm joining the dots right, a little bit of two-wheel activity in the early part of your career, some great titles in Australia, both at state and national level in karting and so on.
• 11:49
  But to think that you could make this a Bathurst champion and a supercars champion out of that, it's pretty amazing.
• 11:54
  What would you have told you?
• 11:55
  Oh, it's, it's hard.
• 11:56
  Like, I think when you race karts, you think it's, I don't know, it's, it's everything to you, but so you went, you're winning races, but you're not thinking about the big picture, you know, like your race, cause you love it.
• 12:10
  Your race, cause you know, it's what you did.
• 12:12
  It was a sport you loved and it's, and, and you'd win races and stuff like that.
• 12:15
  But that transition to the next step seems unrealistic and it's even harder now.
• 12:19
  Like you need someone to.
• 12:22
  Or, you know, a company or a brand or something to just be like, right, we're picking you.
• 12:27
  And this is your one opportunity.
• 12:29
  And when you go there, you make it.
• 12:31
  And then you've got to be good on that one day.
• 12:33
  Cause a lot of people had the forward cast us program that I had as well.
• 12:37
  But on that one test day I did, it was a really good test day with Mike Borland.
• 12:41
  And then he.
• 12:42
  Him and I got along really well and then, you know, he groomed me to be a really ready driver effectively because from cars, you're raw.
• 12:52
  So you need the right person.
• 12:54
  But a lot of others come through that same system and didn't make it.
• 12:58
  So you just, it's so hard.
• 13:00
  Like, I don't know what advice you could give because often people, the only thing you would say, people are watching...
• 13:06
  that you don't even know were there.
• 13:08
  So always portray yourself to the best of your abilities, you know, because if you are that kid that comes in crying, that's a memory that they, they might see once.
• 13:17
  That's what they remember you by.
• 13:18
  If you're a, um, you know, you never know who's watching is what I'd say.
• 13:22
  So, and on that one day that you get that opportunity, it might be your only chance.
• 13:26
  So you've got to do like your life depends on it.
• 13:30
  That means everything.
• 13:31
  Um,
• 13:31
  you make it can be that one moment.
• 13:33
  So for me, you know, I think, um, what would you say to yourself at advice?
• 13:39
  Just, I don't know.
• 13:40
  I think how I was in carding is how I am now.
• 13:42
  So you kind of be yourself and just, yeah, if you don't be fake, don't be something that you're not just, if you've got a character, show it.
• 13:52
  How do you have a point of difference?
• 13:53
  Try and be the point of difference, you know, cause if we're all the same, it's pretty average.
• 13:56
  So you've got to have point of difference, but.
• 13:58
  Um, when you get that one moment, make the most of it.
• 14:01
  Don't be arrogant, be appreciative.
• 14:03
  And, um, you know, if you do a good job, it's always someone watching.
• 14:08
  So, um, yeah, for me, it was, uh, Mike Ball and then it was Mark Roworth at Stone Brothers and then Howard Marsden.
• 14:15
  And then.
• 14:17
  people talk, you know, they're just, he's a good kid.
• 14:19
  Oh, I'll watch him.
• 14:20
  He is a good kid.
• 14:22
  I tell him he's a good kid.
• 14:23
  And then if he watches that day that you've been a little shithead, that's what they'll bank, mate.
• 14:26
  I don't like that kid.
• 14:27
  So it's just, I don't know, be a good person, be yourself.
• 14:31
  Um, you know, appreciate everything.
• 14:32
  Yeah.
• 14:32
  Every opportunity you get might be your last.
• 14:34
  If it's not do a good job at the next one.
• 14:36
  You know what I mean?
• 14:37
  Just give it your all too.
• 14:38
  Give it your all and leave nothing on the table.
• 14:40
  And if, you know, for me, I didn't go to trade.
• 14:42
  I didn't, it was, I worked at a go-kart shop.
• 14:45
  And I'm like, I'm making it.
• 14:46
  And if not, then you start your life at 20 years old, but you have no regrets.
• 14:50
  I didn't buy stuff.
• 14:52
  I bought every dollar went into a set of tires or every dollar went into.
• 14:56
  So you've got to make compromise.
• 14:57
  You've got to, um, treat it like it's your last opportunity.
• 15:00
  And cause often it is, you know, we all, I'm here to tell my story, but.
• 15:04
  And 999 other people, you know, weren't as lucky.
• 15:08
  So, yeah, that's all, I guess, the best advice I could give.
• 15:12
  Your dad, I think, if I know the statistics, was a sprint car champion, wasn't he?
• 15:16
  Yeah.
• 15:16
  He had a speedway background.
• 15:17
  And your mum, mate, your dear mum, she was a battler.
• 15:21
  She gave it all to, didn't she?
• 15:22
  Yeah, she did.
• 15:23
  For you and what you were, you know, what you were pursuing, basically.
• 15:25
  Yeah, she was, you know, both, you know, my dad worked, so he worked.
• 15:30
  work to run the household effectively.
• 15:32
  And then mum was like the emotional support and she was battling like, and that's why I think, um, for me, you know, some moments that feel like overwhelming are not that big a deal because, you know, going out for qualifying at 15 to win the championship, it's not as bad as going to the doctors with your mum to be told she's got cancer and a year to live or something.
• 15:56
  So for me, my whole life was, um,
• 15:58
  going to doctor visits with her, getting bad news.
• 16:00
  So for me, like 15, when you roll up on the grid and it's a bit of understeer, it's like this, I don't know.
• 16:07
  It's probably, it's been a blessing and hard because emotionally you disconnect sometimes because some people's problems aren't big enough for me because...
• 16:14
  Her problems, she talked down, but that were big.
• 16:18
  So, yeah, you try and use negatives in life as positives, you know, and that's what I've always tried to do.
• 16:24
  But, yeah, I was very lucky.
• 16:27
  I had family support and my sister as well.
• 16:30
  She's the only family I've got now.
• 16:31
  She was in Adelaide.
• 16:32
  She flew over there.
• 16:33
  Lovely.
• 16:34
  You know, you need...
• 16:36
  you know, probably going on from another advice, you need good people around.
• 16:38
  You always need to surround with good people because people will prop you up, but people will bring you down too.
• 16:43
  And if you've got people that are propping you up, then you'll be the best version of yourself.
• 16:48
  So I've been very lucky.
• 16:49
  I had a super supportive family, but we had our battles and, um, but we came out the other side, which was good on you.
• 16:55
  That was a bit tender.
• 16:55
  And thank you for sharing that.
• 16:56
  I didn't want to dig too deep unnecessarily.
• 17:09
  I love licorice all sorts.
• 17:11
  It's a bit like Rusty's podcast.
• 17:13
  There's all types of categories and stories for you.
• 17:16
  Make sure you check out the short cars too.
• 17:19
  Frosty is pairing up with Cam Waters for the Enduros next year in the Mustang.
• 17:23
  He called in from California after a cameo in NASCAR.
• 17:28
  Once I got into the race, I think just because it's my discipline, I felt a bit more at home than I was in the truck on an oval, but...
• 17:36
  They race super aggressively, and if you upset someone, they'll tell you.
• 17:40
  I upset someone today, he's given me the bird and run into me and stuff, and you can't do that at home.
• 17:47
  But I was laughing.
• 17:48
  I thought it was awesome.
• 17:51
  Rusty likes to think he's Cole Trickle from Days of Thunder.
• 17:54
  The way he parks here at Listener, it looks like he's hit everything, including the pace car.
• 17:59
  See what I did there?
• 18:00
  Anyway, back to the feature episode with Frosty now.
• 18:06
  Can we talk about a few questions from fans that have come in?
• 18:11
  Firstly, you've made me immediately go to Phillip Island Museum.
• 18:15
  In the last 12 months, I have seen that formula forward.
• 18:17
  I don't know whether it's still there now.
• 18:19
  So, I mean, from the Kartstars program, you know, what Mike Borland and the team there were doing with an Aussie.
• 18:25
  you know, designed and built Formula Ford.
• 18:28
  And you were a part of that at a really important time for that project, weren't you?
• 18:32
  Yeah, well, they built that car for me.
• 18:34
  Like, it's quite narrow and quite small.
• 18:37
  Bosch was a Bosch coverage.
• 18:38
  Bosch car, yeah, that's right.
• 18:40
  And Paul Zitti, who is part of Spectrum there, bought the car.
• 18:44
  So, like, I couldn't have done that.
• 18:45
  And when your opportunity, you know, Mike gave me an opportunity.
• 18:50
  Paul Zitti bought the car because I couldn't afford to buy the car.
• 18:55
  And unfortunately you can't list them all, but like all these, without him, it doesn't happen.
• 18:59
  And he said, he messaged me the other day, a picture of it.
• 19:01
  He's like, righto, we've got a car for you next year because he can't fit in it.
• 19:04
  He was too big for it at the time because it was too narrow.
• 19:07
  They built it really narrow for aerodynamics.
• 19:09
  So he lost a lot of weight and he, um, he actually fit in it now.
• 19:12
  But for guys like that, like you just, yeah, that, that, that car to me was my starter.
• 19:18
  Like, and it was built around my body shape and for me and.
• 19:22
  Without that, I don't make the next step.
• 19:23
  Also, like Mike and that Spectrum crew is, you know, people see a Formula Ford, but for me, that car's really special.
• 19:30
  So, yeah, we might get it out again one day if, you know, if Paul will take it out and kind of have some fun in it.
• 19:37
  Nice.
• 19:37
  You touched on the Super 2 machine, Stone Brothers, Mark Rowworth there before, Milligan's backing, I want to say.
• 19:43
  Yep.
• 19:43
  Where were you the first time you drove one and what impact did it have on you when you first drove a Super?
• 19:49
  Uh, I drove it at, uh, Willow Bank.
• 19:51
  So we went there for a test day.
• 19:52
  There was, um, Bezzy and Marcus in the other car.
• 19:57
  And, um, I drove it there for the first day and like, I was shitting myself.
• 20:00
  Like it couldn't see the tires.
• 20:01
  I couldn't see the, like I locked up a tire and I'm like, did I lock a tire?
• 20:06
  And then I come on exit, there'll smoke in the cabin.
• 20:08
  I'm like, what?
• 20:09
  I can't like.
• 20:10
  they're so fast and so heavy and they don't stop and I can't see my wheels.
• 20:14
  But everything had been carts and open wheelers prior to that.
• 20:15
  Everything was open wheelers.
• 20:16
  So you see your wheels.
• 20:17
  So it's like, it felt like you're in a spaceship type thing and claustrophobic.
• 20:21
  It was hot.
• 20:22
  It was like, it was overwhelming.
• 20:24
  Like, to be honest, I was, I remember going home, going far and like, these are really hard to drive.
• 20:29
  They're overwhelming in many ways.
• 20:31
  And you used to, cause you used to go carts from the Ford supercars.
• 20:35
  There was no tin top experience.
• 20:36
  You just literally went in and that was it.
• 20:38
  So.
• 20:39
  I remember going home and saying to Rene, these things, they're tough.
• 20:45
  And then we went to Wakefield Park.
• 20:48
  And I used to go to the workshop, just sit in the car to try and get spatial feeling normal.
• 20:53
  Yeah, and driving road cars with big bonnets and
• 20:56
  putting my seat really low and just trying to drive into parking spots and like just trying to speed up everything.
• 21:02
  Um, but we went to Wakefield and put on pole at the first round.
• 21:05
  So I was like, okay, I'm good now.
• 21:07
  Like I've got that out of the system far at the first time.
• 21:10
  Like, and I went for a passenger ride with Ambrose and I was like, just,
• 21:14
  blown away because what he was doing and I don't know, stuff happens naturally.
• 21:19
  And when you're watching and then you drove it, you're trying to replicate.
• 21:22
  It's like, it was very overwhelming to be honest, but, um, I don't know.
• 21:26
  First day you drive the car, way too much horsepower and not enough grip.
• 21:30
  The last time you drive the car, not enough horsepower.
• 21:32
  Like you transition pretty, you become a driver pretty quick.
• 21:35
  So you transition.
• 21:36
  Yeah.
• 21:37
  Justin Kelty asking a little bit of an extension of what we were talking about from your karting career there before, just to reflect on your karting days.
• 21:45
  Mate, I don't know if I've done the – off the top of my head, the stats right, but was it like 10 Australian titles?
• 21:50
  There's success internationally and all sorts.
• 21:53
  It was a great part of your life.
• 21:55
  Was it pure?
• 21:55
  Was it like – because like you look at it now –
• 21:58
  And supercars is this addictive thing that you chase that is a business, a pursuit, a profession, but was a pure back then and not, you know, no egos.
• 22:09
  No, like, oh, there's egos.
• 22:11
  There's egos and everything in there.
• 22:12
  I play social tennis on Thursday night.
• 22:14
  There's more egos in that than the supercar category.
• 22:18
  But you did it for fun.
• 22:20
  Like we used to go to Indogokar tracks.
• 22:21
  So that's what we did.
• 22:22
  We go there and you pay tickets and you go race.
• 22:25
  And that was, what do you want to do?
• 22:27
  Please go go-karting.
• 22:28
  Can we like, so you used to pay to go indoor go-karting.
• 22:31
  And then that just become an extension to, oh, can we go go-karting now?
• 22:35
  And you'd go on the tracks.
• 22:37
  And then back then you didn't have the transporters and the race teams.
• 22:40
  You had a pit tent.
• 22:41
  And a van and you take the cart there, you pull out the cart and, um, you'd be having slurpees with that kid.
• 22:47
  And like, it was just, but when you're on track, you still had competitiveness.
• 22:51
  Like it was so competitive.
• 22:53
  There was these kids you raced against and, you know, Ron Briscoe, Troy Hunt, um,
• 22:58
  Um, Neil McFadden, some of the best drivers who... Was Kanto around then?
• 23:01
  I'm trying to remember too.
• 23:02
  Kanto was around.
• 23:04
  Yeah.
• 23:04
  Sort of similar era.
• 23:06
  Yeah.
• 23:07
  James Courtney had just gone.
• 23:08
  Um, but some of the guys, good names.
• 23:11
  Yeah.
• 23:11
  But, and then you'd go to Victoria and you'd race Devo and Winkup and...
• 23:15
  Um, you know, the list goes on and then you go to Queensland, you race, Chris Walton, this guy, this guy, so you kinda, but it was always done super respectfully because I think without the teams and the structure and stuff, it was just you and your family, you wheeled the card out.
• 23:30
  Um, and it was respectful battles.
• 23:33
  So, um, but yeah, it meant a lot.
• 23:35
  Like we were racing for sheep stations back then, you know, like you'd crash into each other and you become arch enemies and.
• 23:42
  It's the same stuff.
• 23:42
  It just becomes more commercialized when you get down the track and you still got the same issues.
• 23:48
  I think Winkup hit me once because I crashed him at Geelong probably go-karting 30 years ago.
• 23:53
  So he probably got me one square there and I've got someone from what they did.
• 23:57
  You know, like it's just stupid.
• 23:58
  30-year-old square ups.
• 23:59
  30-year-old square ups.
• 24:00
  You never forget.
• 24:03
  But no, it was good.
• 24:03
  It was fun.
• 24:04
  Like, karting was fun, really good fun.
• 24:06
  And you did it, first of all, because you loved it.
• 24:09
  And that's really, if you love something you do, you do it well.
• 24:12
  And that's, you know, that's really why we did it.
• 24:14
  We loved it.
• 24:15
  Excellent.
• 24:15
  Brian Wardman asking about sprint cars.
• 24:17
  And I'm trying to remember, have you driven one?
• 24:20
  Would you go for a steering one?
• 24:22
  Take us there.
• 24:22
  Yeah, I drove one.
• 24:24
  So Speedway was an easy transition.
• 24:26
  Like, when we finished karting, it was either go race Speedway or
• 24:31
  And Brian Linegan, who had Kelly and Melinda, the two twins, had a car.
• 24:35
  And he's like, right, 200 bucks a night, you can come and race.
• 24:38
  But I was earning 150 bucks a week.
• 24:40
  So it wasn't, the math didn't.
• 24:41
  But it was really cheap to go literally pay for fuel and then pay for damage if you crash, which they flip over quite easily.
• 24:48
  But did you drive at Granville or Parramatta?
• 24:51
  I went to Newcastle and did a track day there.
• 24:54
  And there was Brock.
• 24:55
  And I was really fast.
• 24:57
  I think the time for memory, say...
• 25:00
  a pole time was a 12.9 and I did a 13.0.
• 25:03
  So it was fast, but then I got to a car.
• 25:06
  I couldn't pass it because I had my line.
• 25:08
  I didn't want to shift off that line.
• 25:10
  And I got stuck beyond this car on a practice day for 30 laps.
• 25:14
  I'm like, just move, you know, I had no horn.
• 25:16
  This is my line.
• 25:17
  And then boom, Tatton all on the inside, bang, slides up high.
• 25:21
  They could read, they could, and that was the stuff that Speedway, I think to drive the car was easy, but to race, you know,
• 25:28
  when you got to pick a low line, pick the higher line, pick the mid track, I was like well out of my depth on that side.
• 25:33
  But then I went and did a wheel packing session at, um, Parramatta at Granville.
• 25:38
  And that was when the track and I drive around and the car was, it was that much banking and on wheel packing, um,
• 25:46
  Those nights it was really clayey and crappy, like on the wheel packing moment.
• 25:50
  And my uncle was Chief Stuart there who, like, I wouldn't say we're the best of mates.
• 25:56
  He's quite an angry uncle.
• 25:59
  And he was crew chair.
• 26:00
  What do they call them?
• 26:02
  Cloak of the course.
• 26:04
  And I went out and wheel packed.
• 26:05
  It was sliding down the track.
• 26:07
  And I didn't want to give it throttle because...
• 26:10
  there was all these cars around.
• 26:11
  So I just slid down the track and stopped.
• 26:13
  And I was like, oh shit.
• 26:13
  And he comes over and he's like, don't you know how to drive a sprint car?
• 26:16
  Our family name is Sprint Cars.
• 26:18
  He's into me and I'm like, I don't think I want to do this anymore.
• 26:22
  So that was the last time I drove a sprint car.
• 26:24
  But
• 26:25
  Yeah, I think out of anything you can do, bang for your buck, Speedway is the most fun.
• 26:32
  If you had a crop of land and you said, righto, build a track and give me a car, I'd build the biggest World of Outlaws track and drive sprint cars all day because they are...
• 26:41
  Like they are so cool.
• 26:43
  That was good at Adelaide too, wasn't it?
• 26:44
  The fact that they brought that to the table.
• 26:46
  I actually listened.
• 26:47
  I was in my room and I had the balcony door open and the noise, like when I, you can probably tell off this talk, I like engine noise.
• 26:56
  Um, and I, and I messaged Reynolds.
• 26:57
  I'm like,
• 26:58
  dude, open your door.
• 26:59
  Can you hear this?
• 26:59
  He's like, I'm looking at crypto.
• 27:01
  Leave me alone.
• 27:02
  I'm like, open your door.
• 27:03
  Open your door.
• 27:03
  Like, um, and he's like, what?
• 27:05
  And I go, Speedway.
• 27:06
  And that was it.
• 27:06
  Like pretty well.
• 27:07
  So yeah, beautiful, beautiful cars.
• 27:09
  But one that I wish I had have driven a race to try, but then it was either do that or circuit racing and.
• 27:18
  I wouldn't have done what I've done now if I took Speedway.
• 27:21
  If you took that turn.
• 27:22
  Arman Sharma asking what the biggest challenge was going from Ford and FPR to the other side of the fence to GM and Team 18.
• 27:29
  What was the switch like?
• 27:31
  How difficult was that?
• 27:32
  Was it as significant a switch between the two marks?
• 27:35
  Um, well, when you cut yourself, you had to put a bandaid on cause when the blue blood comes out, you couldn't be seen bleeding blue.
• 27:41
  Um, no, it's tough.
• 27:43
  Like the hard, it was, that was one of the hardest things for me to get over because, um, loyalty is a big thing and the teams picked the brand and I kind of, I don't
• 27:53
  Yeah, it was the hardest thing to go there, but in terms of driving the cars, they weren't like, they set up unique.
• 28:00
  It doesn't matter if it's a Ford or a Holden, they kind of, you can set them up to whatever you want.
• 28:04
  Um, but yeah, just some, you know, the, the people, I was lucky cause a lot of Ford people still have the soft spot for me.
• 28:12
  They still, um, cause I'm not a controversial guy, so they didn't just wipe you, but they
• 28:17
  um, excuse me, people that were, I don't know, Ford fans wearing one of your shirts.
• 28:24
  It didn't have a Holden logo on it.
• 28:25
  It had a Barry Burke logo on it.
• 28:26
  It was like, I don't know, it was just a weird, a weird transition.
• 28:30
  Just, it was very, very strange.
• 28:32
  But, um, but yeah, yeah.
• 28:36
  Driving the cars and stuff from the inside, they all look the same, but from the outside, the, the feeling of.
• 28:41
  I don't know.
• 28:42
  It was a really weird feeling.
• 28:43
  I was really hard to get my head around.
• 28:45
  And that was one of the things that was stopping me from ever shifting because, um, I remembered the opportunity that they gave me and Howard Marston and Ford and without them, I wouldn't have got in.
• 28:56
  But then I'd sort of repaid enough that I felt I'd repaid back, but-
• 29:01
  Like some have said, why?
• 29:02
  Like, why did you, did you do it?
• 29:04
  But obviously you're at a stage in life where you wanted to challenge yourself, something fresh.
• 29:06
  I wanted to challenge and I got sold an opportunity and, um, you know, Tickford is, they're a race team.
• 29:13
  You go there as a driver and everything's done for you.
• 29:16
  And, um, where the challenge of going to Charlie's I played more, uh, management role.
• 29:21
  And so I was enjoying the just shift, I guess, of doing the same thing for a lot of years to a new challenge.
• 29:28
  But then you kind of think that you can.
• 29:32
  um, change things, but some things don't change and you're like, oh, that, that driving is pretty attractive because when you provide a good equipment and winning, that was a hard part seeing Cam or Randall winning in a car that.
• 29:44
  you're like, oh, I could have been in that car.
• 29:46
  It was tough.
• 29:47
  It was really tough transition, but, um, the good part about, you know, life and sport and whatever is nothing's forever, is it?
• 29:54
  And it can go full circle.
• 29:56
  And, um, what I, I just had a six year gap year, I guess.
• 30:00
  And now I go back to, to blue, but, um, it really, really tough.
• 30:04
  It was really hard to swallow that to shift.
• 30:06
  Yeah, for sure.
• 30:07
  Stuart Lanham asking in that period, did you seriously, and maybe with time now you can share this, maybe you couldn't before, did you seriously consider offers from other teams?
• 30:15
  Were there other options beyond 18 that you could have gone to in that move?
• 30:18
  Yeah, there was.
• 30:20
  There was other options and opportunities.
• 30:22
  But, yeah, I like the challenge of what I was offered.
• 30:28
  So, but, yeah, I kind of probably got...
• 30:33
  emotion connected as opposed to thinking the whole thing.
• 30:37
  But, um, but yeah, there was other opportunities.
• 30:40
  You make the best call at the time.
• 30:42
  Yeah.
• 30:42
  And I don't regret anything.
• 30:43
  That's the thing.
• 30:43
  Like you, you sign up for something and you do the best you can.
• 30:46
  And sometimes it,
• 30:48
  turns into a crisp, like a, uh, like the diamond type thing.
• 30:52
  And other times it doesn't work out the way you want, but like you never, I never regret anything.
• 30:56
  So you sign up, I think I did a really good job there for six years and improved it and got sponsors on and team.
• 31:02
  And we took it from the back to a good level.
• 31:05
  And then Scotty Pye come and we had two strong cars and then Dave come and, um,
• 31:09
  Um, so like you don't regret anything, but, um, yeah, there was other offers and the Brazil one was quite appealing to be honest, because yeah, if, if it was a proper contract, I would have really looked at it because we could have lived in Miami.
• 31:22
  We could have lived in like, we didn't have to live in Brazil or we could have lived in Australia and flown or, um, and the money was decent there.
• 31:29
  Um,
• 31:30
  But the opportunity and a new challenge and I don't know, it was quite serious, but then they don't, everything's handshake.
• 31:37
  And when you're getting paid cash and stuff, it didn't, you know, you weren't, you're at a point in your life, you didn't have to do that, if that makes sense.
• 31:44
  But that was quite serious.
• 31:45
  If it had been a contract, I would have looked at that for sure.
• 31:48
  Amazing.
• 31:49
  Came late in the game, obviously, the change here for you and you've gone to a scenario that isn't full time, but a great contract.
• 31:58
  you know, a great chance to reunite with a team that you've had so much success with.
• 32:03
  Were there other potential moves to stay full-time?
• 32:06
  Did you get close maybe at a new lawn or a BJR and things like that?
• 32:09
  No, there were potential opportunities, but everything's complicated.
• 32:14
  That's the problem.
• 32:14
  So, yeah, I think...
• 32:19
  Cause I was left late in the piece that hurt, like getting told.
• 32:22
  So I said no to a lot of people, um, effectively not a lot of people, but options because, um, I was done.
• 32:28
  So I'm like, Oh, I'm not even on the table.
• 32:30
  So, but when I did become on the table, other things that already been down a long pathway to doing things.
• 32:37
  So, um, you know, there was potential, but at the same time you want to, I want to win and you want to race to win.
• 32:45
  And.
• 32:45
  um, you know, I think Premier will be a really good seat and I'm actually happy for Richie because I really like Richie anyway.
• 32:51
  So it's awkward when you're, um, kind of not battling for a seat, but like, I think they've chose well there and actually really enjoyed chatting to Pete too.
• 33:01
  He's a good guy, really good guy.
• 33:02
  And, um, genuinely hope they do well because I like Richie and I liked Pete and I think that's a good fit.
• 33:08
  I would have done a good job there, but,
• 33:10
  Um, I think, yeah, they've done well and BJR, there's, there's a lot going on that, um, it was a waiting game in many ways.
• 33:17
  And Brad was really, really good guy to chat to too.
• 33:19
  But, um, but sometimes you just got to look at it and just, what are you hanging on to?
• 33:24
  What are you doing?
• 33:26
  Um, how can you change it?
• 33:27
  What can you contribute to it and all that sort of stuff.
• 33:30
  And, um, I don't know, Bathurst, I had a lot of people come up saying, please go back to Tickford and please race with Cam.
• 33:37
  And then, um, yeah.
• 33:39
  It feels right.
• 33:40
  Sometimes you've got to do what's right.
• 33:42
  Clearly that does feel right, mate.
• 33:43
  It feels good.
• 33:43
  It feels really good.
• 33:44
  And I feel happy.
• 33:45
  And, you know, it's a really good role that's more than just the driving.
• 33:50
  It's, you know, so there was options.
• 33:52
  But whether they, they were all time waiting ones.
• 33:54
  And I didn't want to miss the Tickford opportunity.
• 33:57
  And it just felt right.
• 33:58
  So you've got to do what's right.
• 33:59
  And now we set up businesses and whatnot.
• 34:01
  And, yeah, go with our next part of our life.
• 34:04
  Good on you.
• 34:05
  One thing I've never asked you about, before I end up in a wooden box one day, I want to do a voiceover in a cartoon or in a movie of some kind.
• 34:13
  I've never done that.
• 34:14
  Yep.
• 34:14
  You have had the chance to do that in the regional or Australian version of Cars.
• 34:20
  Iconic freaking movie.
• 34:22
  What was that like?
• 34:23
  Did someone from whatever ring you and say, hey, I'm from Pixar or whatever and
• 34:28
  Can you come and do this?
• 34:29
  Tell me about that.
• 34:30
  And what did you do it like in a voiceover studio in Melbourne?
• 34:33
  Yeah, it was in a studio in South Melbourne.
• 34:35
  Um, but it's really funny cause with supercars, they did a deal with Disney.
• 34:39
  So it was a family fun zone, which was really cool.
• 34:42
  And then they need, needed a ambassador for the fun zone.
• 34:45
  So I become that.
• 34:46
  And then, um, we met Disney CEO of Disney and he said, oh, you know, thanks so much for being involved.
• 34:53
  And.
• 34:54
  you know, there's this potential of, um, doing this.
• 34:58
  And we're like, what?
• 34:59
  Bang.
• 34:59
  We're on it.
• 35:00
  E-ma, E-ma, E-ma, ring, ring.
• 35:02
  And this bloke's probably going, shit, just give this guy a spot.
• 35:04
  Like he's annoying us.
• 35:05
  So, um, so we got, yeah, got the heads up to do that.
• 35:08
  But the hardest part was that they had to get Owen Wilson back in and refer, because I wanted to call it clutch Corvette.
• 35:14
  And I'm like, I can't be clutch Corvette.
• 35:16
  I'm so far from clutch Corvette.
• 35:18
  I'm.
• 35:19
  40 frosty or whatever you want to call me.
• 35:20
  Like I'm, I can't be clutch Corvette.
• 35:22
  So they had him already voiced over to clutch Corvette.
• 35:25
  So they had to get him back in the studio, Owen Wilson in America to say, Hey, frosty.
• 35:30
  So, um, that was the hardest part and that probably cost him a fortune.
• 35:33
  So good.
• 35:34
  His day rate is probably quite high.
• 35:36
  Um, and then for me, I went to South Melbourne and they had the
• 35:40
  Um, animation on the screen, it was still raw.
• 35:42
  So black and white.
• 35:43
  And, um, there's a sound bar and it counts you in.
• 35:45
  It's like, and the, the lips move and that's counts in and you've got to.
• 35:49
  You've got to try and sync it.
• 35:50
  You've got to sync it.
• 35:51
  Oh, wow.
• 35:52
  And, um, I can't remember the producer's name, but he was the producer in America and he's on the, he gets on the webcam.
• 35:58
  He's up in the, in the screen.
• 36:00
  He's like, hey, g'day there, Frosty.
• 36:02
  And he had a singlet on, 40s and a VB.
• 36:05
  He was the best.
• 36:06
  And he goes, I don't know how to make you relax, but g'day, mate.
• 36:11
  Like, he was just like, he was a pisser.
• 36:12
  Like, he was really funny.
• 36:14
  And he goes, right, let's do this line.
• 36:16
  And I did it.
• 36:17
  He's like, okay, can you just speak normal?
• 36:20
  Because we don't need another American car as an Aussie.
• 36:22
  Because you start going into this, hey, Frosty, man.
• 36:25
  And he's like, okay, just...
• 36:27
  Be you.
• 36:27
  Be you.
• 36:27
  And I said it, and he's like, yep, perfect, done.
• 36:30
  It was 30 minutes, and we were done.
• 36:32
  Unreal.
• 36:33
  And he's like, cool, love your frosty air.
• 36:36
  And off he goes.
• 36:38
  That must rate high with the kids.
• 36:40
  The dads in cars, that must rate high.
• 36:42
  The best, and it was when the Ford Territory had the DVD player, so I just used to play it, hey, frosty air, and the kids would be like, yeah, I've seen this movie.
• 36:49
  It's like, watch it again.
• 36:50
  So, but the best association you can have,
• 36:55
  with any brand in the country when you've got two kids is Disney because Toy Story would rock up.
• 37:00
  Um, you know, all the, all the character, Mickey Mouse, like everything had this big, like that Christmas time, boom, Palette comes to home and it's like, righto, rap, rap.
• 37:10
  Right.
• 37:10
  Merry Christmas.
• 37:11
  Where'd you get this from?
• 37:12
  It's like, oh, like it was the best.
• 37:13
  So, um, and then, yeah, I went to the premieres here in Australia and, um, that was really cool.
• 37:20
  That was really, really good stuff.
• 37:22
  But then I'd go to kinder and they're like, oh, Frosty.
• 37:24
  And I'm like.
• 37:25
  I just won Bathurst.
• 37:26
  They're like, what?
• 37:28
  You're like, oh, I drive race cars.
• 37:30
  They're like, yeah, yeah.
• 37:31
  You're that car that talks.
• 37:32
  You're like, I've done years of racing to try and earn credibility.
• 37:36
  And all you've got to be is an animated car that has, you know, has a chat.
• 37:39
  But, um, so cool.
• 37:40
  Like, and that's the thing about this sport.
• 37:42
  Like, that's what I love.
• 37:42
  Like, I actually...
• 37:44
  That's why you got to be positive about the sport and what you've done and opportunities and windows.
• 37:47
  You never know where it might lead.
• 37:48
  Indoors.
• 37:49
  It's just like, so cool.
• 37:51
  Like if anyone ever said, you know, that kid chat, you'll be a frosty car in like, no way.
• 37:57
  So this sport is, it opens up so many doors.
• 37:59
  That's a cool part.
• 38:00
  And Disney, that's something on my list that not many people can say they've done.
• 38:04
  And, um, yeah, it was a lot of fun.
• 38:07
  yeah, really cool.
• 38:08
  Like just cars too.
• 38:09
  But then when we went to America, we watched it and it was Jeff Gordon and the kids are like, what?
• 38:13
  Like, why are you not on this one?
• 38:15
  It's like, oh, it's original.
• 38:16
  Original thing.
• 38:16
  Yeah.
• 38:17
  Yeah.
• 38:17
  So, um, but no, really, really cool.
• 38:19
  Congratulations, mate.
• 38:20
  It's been, um, awesome to shoot the breeze with you.
• 38:22
  We could talk, you know, probably for twice the, the length here.
• 38:26
  I reckon I can remember being in Lithgow, standing up high on the commentary there and you as a young fella, and then to see where you've come, what you've done, but importantly, the way that you've done it.
• 38:41
  And I know that by the sounds of things, with next year and beyond, there's going to be a good chance to add some more to that cup again, mate.
• 38:47
  So congratulations.
• 38:49
  Thank you.
• 38:49
  And yeah, go get them in 2025 in the Enduros.
• 38:52
  Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
• 38:53
  And yeah, thanks to everyone that's obviously supported me too,
• 38:56
  it's a journey.
• 38:57
  That's the thing about this sport.
• 38:58
  It's a journey.
• 38:59
  And, um, that's what makes it sad.
• 39:01
  People have been on it since day one.
• 39:02
  And, um, you know, I have photos of people that were four years old when they start supporting me and they're 25 now and they've got beards and they're big grown men, you know, and the first photo you're holding them in your arms and stuff like that.
• 39:15
  So, um, no, it's a great journey, a great sport.
• 39:17
  And, you know, any young kids coming through, it's, it's everything you ever wish for and more.
• 39:22
  And, um, it's a privilege to do it.
• 39:24
  So, um, love it and,
• 39:26
  Just be yourself and have fun and never know.
• 39:28
  It could be your last race, you know, so I love it.
• 39:30
  Go and set that locker up at, that new locker up at Tickford and I look forward to catching up with you and talking about it during the season next year.
• 39:38
  Well done.
• 39:38
  Thanks, mate.
• 39:46
  Rusty's Garage is written and presented by me, Greg Rust.
• 39:50
  Series editor and producer is Thomas Dullard.
• 39:53
  Audio production by Link Kelly.
• 39:56
  If you've got a guest suggestion, get in touch with me via social media.
• 40:00
  The Garage, that's where a journey begins with a tank full of passion-fueled stories.
• 40:06
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