Neylon 'pumped' for career step-up in Darwin
Long-time support category commentator Chad Neylon is “pumped” to call main game action for the first time at this weekend’s Merlin Darwin Triple Crown.
Neylon will split Repco Supercars Championship sessions with 2007 series champion Garth Tander, with five-time champion and six-time Bathurst winner Mark Skaife to anchor the commentary.
Two-time series champion Marcos Ambrose, who made a popular debut at April’s Beaurepaires Tasmania SuperSprint, will also return in a race analysis role.
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Neylon, who has been part of the broadcast team for the past eight years, admitted the circumstances of his main game debut are not ideal.
“It’s not the way I ever wanted to be get the opportunity,” Neylon told the V8 Sleuth Repco Supercars Weekly Podcast.
“Obviously Crompo is a dear friend and my boss as well.
“For him to go through a tough time, this is really, really sad and unpleasant; it’s not the way I would have liked to have a crack at the big boy chair, but excited all the same.”
Neylon and Tander both call the Dunlop Super2 Series alongside their pit reporter roles for the main game.
"It’s funny, I’ve waited so long to call Supercars..."
While used to juggling broadcast duties throughout a busy race weekend, this weekend marks a key opportunity in the broadcast careers of both Neylon and Tander as they cover a doyen in Crompton.
Neylon explained both he and Tander will relish the opportunity, regardless of which sessions they will call alongside Skaife.
“I think we will do paper, scissors, rock to decide who does what,” Neylon joked.
“I know Garth always goes scissors so I’ve got a bit of a game plan.
“Garth and I will come and go; I’ll do a little bit in the lane, and he will do a bit in the lane, he’ll do a practice session, I’ll do a practice session, we will mix up qualifying and the races.
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“It will be a cool way to see how everyone sounds together.”
A well-known voice and face in Australian motorsport in his own right, Neylon has over a decade's experience calling the Australian National Drag Racing Series and Australian Rally Championship, and also hosts World Series Sprint Cars.
He has also worked as a producer and presenter for Crompton’s company AirTime Media for the past four years, but spent much of the 2020 COVID-affected season in quarantine between reporting roles and hosting the Supercars All Stars Eseries.
The bumper line-up of motorsport at Hidden Valley this weekend provides a unique opportunity for Neylon, who revealed his bucket list roles.
“The dream is to call Bathurst one day; that would be the ultimate for me,” he said.
Neylon with Briony Ingerson
“I started in 2013 and I always wanted to get to the point where I can do it... but it’s funny, I’ve waited so long to call Supercars.
“I’ve always wanted to call Superbikes and amazingly that is happening on the same weekend.
“I’ve waited forever to do live drag racing and now that’s happening on the same weekend.
“I’m not joking when I say this is the coolest weekend of motorsport that I’ve ever had the chance to work on.”
Supercars Hall of Famer Skaife will be a constant voice throughout the weekend, with the Darwin event also featuring as a crossover of Seven and Fox Sports talent, with Seven to broadcast the event live and free.
“Hopefully it goes well, and I get the chance to do it again,” Neylon said.
“To be able to call with Neil one day though, that would be special.
“But I’m looking forward to being beside Skaifey, I don’t think I’ve called with him before; I’ve worked with him on the broadcast for years but never actually commentated together.
“I’m really, really pumped.”
The Repco Supercars Championship field will return to the Northern Territory this weekend for the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown. Tickets are available here.
The event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo, and will be broadcast live and free on Seven.
