Neil Crompton

Following eight years of motocross dirt bike racing, 22 years of car racing (including 15 years as a professional driver) and 12 years as a commentator, it's no wonder Neil Crompton is Australia's leading television motorsports specialist.

Neil has contested 345 car racing events all up, including 57 top 3 finishes, 119 top 6 finishes and 195 top 10 finishes. He has also participated in 21 major events at Mt. Panorama and often led the Bathurst Classic, winning the 12 Hour Enduro in 1994 and scoring two third placings in the coveted Bathurst 1000 in 1992 and 1995.

To succeed in V8 Supercar racing requires many elements to align perfectly, he says. Teams must be operating at or near perfection to achieve anything in this sport and obviously that's not an easy place to be, which makes it great to observe.

Neil's own vast experience has seen him race and test a huge variety of vehicles from V8 Supercars to Indy Cars and on circuits around the world, including New Zealand, England, France, the U.S.A. and Canada. Neil was also chosen for the official racing return of both the Holden and Ford factories to Australian motorsport first as a foundation member driver with the Holden Racing Team with Win Percy in 1989, then, in 1999, with Glenn Seton when Ford Tickford Racing was created after Ford's 26 year official factory absence from the sport.

Neil's team mates have included Craig Lowndes, Glenn Seton and Mark Skaife as well as veteran champions Peter Brock, Jim Richards and World 500cc motorcycle champion Wayne Gardner.

And, chosen as the senior driver trainer for Holden's Grand Prix Celebrity Team on three occasions, Neil counts Dame Edna Everage among many other star pupils. Rising V8 Supercar star James Courtney is also jointly managed by Neil.

Between 1996 and 2006, he presented and commentated on V8 Supercar and FiA Formula One World Championship events for Channel Ten and he's now about to embark on his third year as an expert commentator for Seven.

He is also the host of the network's V8 Supercar magazine series, V8Xtra.