The ever competitive 'Neils on Wheels'

twinwebbers · 20 Apr 2006, 01:34 (Ref:1589273)

Having seen the results from the Aussie Racers at BIMF it seems Mr Crompton remains relatively competitive. I always rated him highly as both a driver and a commentator.

What I want to know is does he do anything to keep his eye in or has he just stepped back into one of these things following a long gap and nailed it?

RotorFan · 20 Apr 2006, 01:37 (Ref:1589274)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinwebbers

Having seen the results from the Aussie Racers at BIMF it seems Mr Crompton remains relatively competitive. I always rated him highly as both a driver and a commentator.

What I want to know is does he do anything to keep his eye in or has he just stepped back into one of these things following a long gap and nailed it?

He drives the HRT PR2 car occasionally apparently, and remember he had a go in the champ car at Indy.

He's younger than John Bowe - he can't use the age excuse. He should be in the drivers seat more often

He apparently got a little emotional when he realised he wasn't going to run in Bathurst anymore in... 2003 or whenever it was. You'd have to really like commentating to be as committed to it as he has been.

cav · 20 Apr 2006, 01:54 (Ref:1589276)

It is quite impressive that a guy can be so good behind the mike and can steer as well. He was really full of praise for the Aussie Racing Cars and it is fantastic that there is such a class that gives so many that opportunity, wonder if we will see him have another go.

twinwebbers · 20 Apr 2006, 02:11 (Ref:1589283)

I must admit if I was a man such as Neil it would be mighty hard to resit stepping into one of them for a season or two of fun. (Depending on my Channel Seriously contract of course...)

Quannie · 20 Apr 2006, 02:27 (Ref:1589290)

I think he is a better commentator then driver. not saying he cant drive just saying he is excellent at what he does now and there would be a huge gap to fill if he left channel ten and went back to racing.

Notso Swift · 20 Apr 2006, 02:30 (Ref:1589292)

Quote:

You'd have to really like commentating to be as committed to it as he has been.

Had a discussion with the man on this subject once, Commentary was never an intended career choice, it just kind of happened because he couldn't get a paid drive... Aus didn't have the same feeders that exist now for 2nd level/up-n-commers to prove themselves to step up to the main game, everyone thought he could drive, but there weren't any seats, just enduro's.
Remember when he went to the US for Supertourers, that was to get his first regular drive after WG's Coke team and to break the run

TSR · 20 Apr 2006, 03:52 (Ref:1589319)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notso Swift

Had a discussion with the man on this subject once, Commentary was never an intended career choice, it just kind of happened because he couldn't get a paid drive... Aus didn't have the same feeders that exist now for 2nd level/up-n-commers to prove themselves to step up to the main game, everyone thought he could drive, but there weren't any seats, just enduro's.
Remember when he went to the US for Supertourers, that was to get his first regular drive after WG's Coke team and to break the run

Yes I to have had a rather long chat with Cromerly in the mid to late 80's and his main goal was to drive, he got a couple of good drives in the 90's and a couple of crap ones as well, but just like SETO this year the seats run out for Cromerly.The good news out of him missing a drive is that his knowledge behind the mic is spot on and what we need, compared to the other dribblers he works with.

RotorFan · 20 Apr 2006, 03:58 (Ref:1589327)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notso Swift

Had a discussion with the man on this subject once, Commentary was never an intended career choice, it just kind of happened because he couldn't get a paid drive... Aus didn't have the same feeders that exist now for 2nd level/up-n-commers to prove themselves to step up to the main game, everyone thought he could drive, but there weren't any seats, just enduro's.
Remember when he went to the US for Supertourers, that was to get his first regular drive after WG's Coke team and to break the run

Yeah but he must like it if he is as committed as he is after all this time.

He can commentate well into his 60s (not that far away crompo!), driving competitively is something else.

It doesn't have to be V8s, does it?

retro · 20 Apr 2006, 03:59 (Ref:1589328)

You will probably find he is a married man with kids and a mortgage and he needs a stable income (ie wife is on his back) to pay it off so he has settled for the job at 10.

cav · 20 Apr 2006, 04:12 (Ref:1589335)

Having a person of the stature of Niel Crompton taking the time to race in Aussie Racers is certainly a strong certification of the quality and value of the class as a very important part of Australian motorsport and I just wish I had the bucks to be a part of it as well. I really think this class will just go from strength to strength, I dont think there is anything else in the sport that can genuinly rival it.

Seton Fanatic · 20 Apr 2006, 06:24 (Ref:1589375)

Cromley's career like so many others in Australian Motorsport belongs to the 'could've, should've, never quite' category. I was a fan of Neil Crompton's, particularly when he was at FTR/GSR alongside Glenn Seton. He alone kept the team's profile up there, thanks to his media commitments, when other at-the-time less successful teams other than FTR/GSR were taking a lion's share of the non-HRT air time. It was just a pity that P12 to P18, punctuated by the odd podium or win chance, which was inevitably ruined by stop-go penalties or incidents with other drivers, was where Cromley ended up, compared to Glenn's P3 to P5.

I'm not surprised that Neil was as competitive as he was; the real surprise, was that it was maintained over the entire weekend, after nearly three years between drinks driving a racing car in anger.

I think that historians of the sport will categorise Neil, along with Brad Jones, who is of similar vintage, in that aforementioned category, for there were multiple opportunities to win, in both drivers' cases at Bathurst and other locations, but for whatever reason, the job was never quite done.

Aarrgh8 · 20 Apr 2006, 06:27 (Ref:1589377)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RotorFan

He can commentate well into his 60s (not that far away crompo!), driving competitively is something else.

Commentate well into his sixties? How old is Murray Waker? 83 this year, isn't it?

RotorFan · 20 Apr 2006, 06:53 (Ref:1589391)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aarrgh8

Commentate well into his sixties? How old is Murray Waker? 83 this year, isn't it?

Yeah I was thinking that but I can't imagine he'd want to keep up the commentating caper that long.

racer69 · 20 Apr 2006, 07:33 (Ref:1589417)

Neil Crompton's career is similiar to Tiff Needell's, the goal was professional racing, the TV stuff was meant to help, but became the job, and thereafter any time they stepped into a car they were labelled at 'Telly Tart' (Tiff's words).

Of course Crompton was well into the TV stuff before he even got his racing licence, so one could say he was doomed from the start.......

His driving career was full of deadends (HRT, WGR, Tasman in the US). How different would it have turned out had he accepted the second Brock Sierra drive in 1989..............

Robert Ryan · 20 Apr 2006, 20:54 (Ref:1590171)

As a commentator he is great, makes the others look 2nd rate.I laughed when he was trying to get out of the Champcar and Paul Tracy walked past and said "I think you got P1!!" It was raining and Neil was the only one on the circuit.

Buckshot · 21 Apr 2006, 04:52 (Ref:1590457)

Have always liked Crompo but he would have to be the unluckiest guy ever to drive a V8 Supercar - always seemed to be getting tangled up in something not of his own doing.

The guy was so unlucky I wouldn't be surprised if a piano fell on him going down Conrod Straight.

retro · 21 Apr 2006, 05:02 (Ref:1590460)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckshot

The guy was so unlucky I wouldn't be surprised if a piano fell on him going down Conrod Straight.

Ha Ha we used to do worst case senarios at work and the best one we could come up with was a Jumbo jet crashing on to Lang Park on State of Origin night.

williamsf1 · 25 Apr 2006, 03:57 (Ref:1594283)

I think you will find there are few drivers current, past or future with the technical ability to communicate what the car is doing to an engineer better than Neil, he is certainly a good talker, and puts it to great use...

As for BIMF he drove with a cool head, and no ego at all! he did plenty of smart things with the most notable sitting in the garage for qualifying till all the cars had left, knowing the track was a long track and then calmly went out and did the lap required....

I have always rated him as a driver, and a commentator but now I rate him as a good bloke too!

on a side note phil did seem to struggle all weekend out if his normal car

(tengtools car driven by said crompo)....

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