Supercars boss opens door for shock return of axed duo Neil Crompton and Mark Skaife

The long-time callers were both cut from the commentary team ahead of the 2026 Supercars season in a move Skaife later referred to as a “captain’s call” from departed chief executive James Warburton.

Crompton and Skaife, who have shared the commentary box for almost two decades, were both moved to the side as part of sweeping changes to the series’ commentary line-up.

As part of the commentary shake-up, Garth Tander has stepped in as the lead analyst with fellow former Supercars champions James Courtney and Mark Winterbottom to provide support in the expert role.

Chad Neylon, Matt Naulty and Richard Craill, who called the action in Taupo, will share the play-by-play calling duties.

The commentary changes were the most controversial move made during Warburton’s short second stint as Supercars chief executive.

Now Nettlefold, who has stepped in as interim chief executive while the sport searches for a replacement in the role, has had his say on the commentary shake-up, acknowledging the broadcast team “needed to be changed up”.

Asked if there was any chance of either of the duo making a return at any stage following Warburton’s departure, Nettlefold kept the door open for a cameo appearance during the endurance season.

“They have been great for our sport. There is a lot of support behind those two as Hall of Fame champions in our sport,” Nettlefold said.

“The whole intention of change was not just to remove them, it was to actually re-shape the look and feel of our motorsport commentary team and I think it got lost in the process.

“Certainly we would love to see one of the guys back helping us through the enduros, say, where we are undermanned because James Courtney is driving still, Mark Winterbottom is driving still, Craig Lowndes is driving still in the enduros.

“We have got opportunity, we have got space, we have got a need to have the expertise of the guys, but again that is not something that we have discussed yet, but it is an area the broadcast team knows is a void.”

But Nettlefold poured cold water on the prospect of a more regular return for either of the long-time callers.

“I certainly know Neil has moved on with his life,” Nettlefold said of Crompton, who has taken on a role as a motorsport advisor for Toyota.

“We are talking about what other things he can do in the sport with us, but I certainly would like to see him on the screen in some shape or form.

“Skaifey has got a very polarising following. There is a whole group of them that love him and there is a whole group of them that don’t.

“But that’s that real era that he was in …. they were hard core, either Holden fans or Ford.

“At this stage we have not had any future discussion (about broadcast). (Skaife) is on motor sport 360 and he is doing a great job but we will keep all those things open.”

Nettlefold said Supercars was committed to supporting its new-look commentary team.

“At the moment we are committed to what (Supercars head of broadcast) Nathan (Prendergast) is dealing with now under his structure,” Nettlefold said.

“We certainly realised it needed change and needed to be changed up.

“Change is good, but it’s just how you do it.”

WOOD’S HOME COOKING

There were plenty of New Zealanders celebrating Kiwi young gun Ryan Wood’s first victory on home soil in Taupo, but no more so than his countryman Greg Murphy.

The four-time Bathurst 1000 champion has been in Wood’s corner since he burst onto the Supercars scene and remains his racing mentor.

“The feeling of actually achieving here for a Kiwi driver is hard to explain, but it is obvious to see when you see the emotion and how the crowd reacts to it,” Murphy said.

“It is a mega thing for him now to have felt that same feeling that Matt Payne, that Andre Heimgartner has felt and Scotty Mc (McLaughlin), Shane van Gisbergen and myself included in that list.

“Winning is what it’s about, but sometimes there is that added feeling of it being special and that’s like when you win Bathurst as well and those kinds of really big races.”

The Taupo win was Wood’s second Supercars career victory and his second podium of the season after claiming Toyota’s first at Albert Park.

Murphy never had any doubt 22-year-old Wood belonged – and could make an impact – in Supercars.

“I felt pretty early on that it was going to be part of his destiny, really, because of the skill sets that he has,” Murphy said.

“You can say that about the other drivers that have had success in Supercars, and certainly those that have multiple successes – this is where they are supposed to be.

“He showed that quite early on and in how quickly he has progressed through the ranks in Australia.”

Wood qualified for the Supercars finals last year, but fell short of securing a spot in the semi-final after a luckless round on the Gold Coast.

Murphy had no doubt Wood was “in the mix” for the championship this year, but stopped short of predicting he could be a winner in his third year in the series.

“There are a bunch of guys that you would put on the list and why would you not say he isn’t one that is on that list?” Murphy said.

“But when you look at the racing we have seen already this year and the amount of people that have won races, the amount of people that have won podiums, it’s not going to be a walk in the park for anybody.

“How that all plays out later on …. the finals are such a significant part of it and it can change things right down to the last race.

“He already is in the mix … but there are too many things that can contribute to what ultimately becomes the outcome and who wins this thing.”

SAINT: He might have been painted as the villain by some in last year’s season finale, but there weren’t many people who didn’t get swept up in Kiwi Ryan Wood’s emotional victory on home soil in New Zealand on Saturday, which delivered Toyota’s maiden win in Supercars. Wood wasn’t afraid to show his emotions after the Taupo win. “My emotions, I hope it wasn’t too much, but I’m a pretty emotional person,” Wood said after his win. “Those last two laps were very, very emotional seeing every Kiwi stand up.”

SINNER: Ralf Schumacher — the former F1 driver turned Sky Sports Germany pundit and the little brother of a certain seven-time world champion — for his matter-of-fact declaration that Max Verstappen will waltz into McLaren and nudge Oscar Piastri out the door. Someone might want to remind Ralf that Oscar — who has a contract until 2028, is called a cornerstone of his team’s long-term vision, and has the momentum to back it up — is more than capable of deciding his own future. Oscar has earned the right to choose. Neither Ralf nor Mad Max gets to make that call for him.

SPOTTED 1: Motor Racing 360 co-host Paul Murray somehow wrangling himself to the front and centre of the Bristol Motor Speedway grid for a stirring rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner ahead of the Food City 500.

Pity that Shane van Gisbergen couldn’t give him anything to sing about. SVG spun on his own out of Turn 2 on Lap 160, collected three other cars, and spent the rest of the afternoon in the garage. He finished 34th, more than 100 laps down.

SPOTTED 2: Oscar Piastri rubbed shoulders with tennis royalty after an appearance at the Monte-Carlo Masters with some of his fellow Formula 1 drivers at the weekend. Taking advantage of the F1 hiatus during April, the McLaren star, Alex Albon, Ollie Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto met Italian tennis ace Jannik Sinner while attending the event. Sinner is a big F1 fan and gave a shout out to his countryman Kimi Antonelli after his maiden F1 win at the Chinese Grand Prix during his Indian Wells title-winning speech last month.

SHOOSH: Toyota’s stunning first-up win has not gone unnoticed by rival manufacturers — or rival boardrooms. Young Kiwi Ryan Wood’s Race 9 victory at Taupo, in just the third round of the championship, was the first time in 2,884 days that anyone other than Ford or GM had taken a chequered flag in this country’s premier category. The speed with which Toyota’s win came has caught the eye of several manufacturers. We are hearing of at least one serious contender to become the fourth manufacturer on the grid. Stay tuned…