Craill takes Supercars commentary role

Long-time motorsport broadcaster Richard Craill has been appointed the permanent lead play-by-play commentator for the Repco Supercars Championship, taking over as the new ‘voice of Supercars’ ahead of next week’s NTI Townsville 500.

Craill, one of Australia’s most experienced motorsport commentators, will officially begin in the role when Supercars heads to the streets of Townsville on July 10-12. Joining him in the commentary booth will be six-time Bathurst 1000 winner Garth Tander, who continues as colour analyst, while former Supercars champions James Courtney and Mark Winterbottom are expected to make occasional guest appearances throughout the season.

The appointment marks a significant milestone in Craill’s broadcasting career after years covering top-level motorsport across Australia and New Zealand.

“An opportunity like this is something you work towards for your entire career and it’s unlike anything I ever expected to be able to do, so it’s absolutely not something you take for granted,” Craill said.

The Barossa Valley-born commentator has become a familiar voice to Australian racing fans through his work across the Australian Grand Prix, Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, Shannons SpeedSeries, New Zealand’s Repco NextGen Championship and Supercars support categories.

Craill lead Supercars commentary team during the championship’s New Zealand events at Taupo and Ruapuna earlier this season, experience that helped pave the way for his permanent appointment.

Reflecting on his new role, Craill said he had long admired the iconic broadcasters who inspired him to pursue a career behind the microphone.

“My personal motorsport heroes weren’t just the drivers I followed when I was growing up, but the iconic broadcasters who told their stories,” he said.

Craill believes the current Supercars Championship provides the perfect backdrop for his new role, citing the competitiveness of the field and the unpredictable nature of this year’s title fight.

“We’re going into every weekend with little clue of who’s going to win the trophies and that is the best possible thing for us, for the people at the track and everyone watching at home,” he said.

Fellow race callers Chad Neylon and Matt Naulty – who were commentating on a rotating basis with Craill this season following Supercars parting ways with stalwarts Neal Crompton and Mark Skaife – will remain key members of the broadcast team. Neylon will take on an expanded on-screen role, while both broadcasters will continue calling Supercars sessions and support categories throughout the season.

The championship resumes with the NTI Townsville 500, where fans will hear Craill’s voice leading Supercars television coverage for the first time in his new permanent position.