How Leigh Diffey became the voice of American motorsport

You recognize his voice, even in case you’ve by no means seen his face. It’s heat but pressing, authoritative but inviting with an unmistakable timbre just like the hum of a V8 engine earlier than it roars to life. When the race is calm, his voice is regular and measured, however because the motion reaches a fever pitch, he crackles with pleasure whereas delivering every syllable with the arrogance of somebody who has spent a long time dwelling and respiration motorsport. Way more than only a commentator, Leigh Diffey is a maestro who may inject a burst of vitality right into a tortoise race – and he doesn’t solely inform you what’s taking place, he makes you are feeling it. 

You’ve heard Diffey’s Australian lilt in all places. The 100m dash finals on the Paris Olympics with one of many closest finishes in historical past? That was Diffey. The Indy 500? You wager, and he was the voice of IndyCar for over a decade. He’s soundtracked NBC’s Formulation 1 protection within the US and continues to steer the community’s slate of motorsport choices, together with NASCAR and the Rolex 24, the place I managed to steal a second of his time throughout a business break.

Leigh Diffey, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, mid-interview through the 2022 IndyCar Portland GP race weekend

Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Pictures

Though the commentary field wasn’t on his radar till early maturity, Diffey’s ambition grew shortly, and he left the job of a lifetime in Australia to chase an excellent larger dream on the opposite aspect of the world. Nevertheless, the 53-year-old’s path to the top didn’t start within the paddock, however in a classroom exterior Brisbane, the place he labored as a schoolteacher in his early twenties and toyed with the thought of a profession in farming.

Earlier than Diffey’s dulcet tones had been heard world wide, he was juggling an eclectic mixture of jobs. “I labored within the health trade as a health club and aerobics teacher, I labored on constructing websites as a chippie’s laborer [Ed. note: a carpenter, in Australian], and I labored on the theme park Warner Brothers Film World,” he remembers. “This was all on the similar time — I used to be doing all the pieces and something.” At the same time as a young person engaged on a tomato farm, he absorbed classes that formed his work ethic. “I had an amazing boss who taught me there’s no such factor as a free lunch.”

After taking a job as a bodily schooling trainer at a prestigious all-boys faculty, Diffey was met by destiny when some buddies he used to race filth bikes with requested him to deal with public-address asserting duties at a neighborhood motorbike membership meet. “I naturally had a really energetic model,” he says, admitting a few of his early commentary “in all probability wasn’t all that factual.” His enthusiasm, nevertheless, laid the groundwork for mastering the artwork of race calling. “My ardour helped lead me to all the different intrinsic components of constructing a great race name,” he explains, attributing his storytelling abilities to energetic conversations across the household dinner desk. “Perhaps it got here to me by way of osmosis,” he muses.

Doorways quickly began to open for Diffey as he ascended the ranks in Australia, finally touchdown a coveted job that nearly definitely would have seen him change into one of many nation’s most recognizable figures in sport. “I used to be a reporter on Sports activities Tonight protecting so many alternative motorsport classes, and I began to get alternatives overseas actually early on in my profession. I bought the bug for [moving overseas], and I would met a gentleman within the UK who was very properly related, so I left what may have been the job of a lifetime in Australia to chase the massive dream,” he remembers. 

That lofty dream was maybe the loftiest dream potential within the small world of commentating: supplanting the long-time, deeply beloved voice of Formulation 1 when he retired in 2001. “I’d satisfied myself that I used to be going to interchange Murray Walker, which was an exquisite naivety and youthful exuberance,” he says with fun. He even cold-called Bernie Ecclestone to throw his hat within the ring. “I bought shut, I bought to the ultimate three.”

James Allen (now this publication’s president of motorsport enterprise) in the end secured the function at ITV, the place he was the community’s lead commentator for seven years till they misplaced the printed rights in 2008. However I ask Diffey what life might need regarded like if he was profitable, and dove headfirst into Formulation 1 within the early 2000s. “I believe it might have been powerful purely as a result of I might have been a foreigner stepping in and I used to be nonetheless so younger and so inexperienced …  have a look at the hardship and the criticism that James confronted. He was already a part of the group, and he’s English,” Diffey says of the fixed comparisons made between different pundits and the late, nice Walker . “I’m now well-tenured having lived within the US for over 20 years. I do know what it’s prefer to be a foreigner doing huge, huge occasions, however again then … I believe it might have been considerably of a poisoned chalice.”

After a brief stint within the UK with the BBC, he moved stateside to affix Velocity Channel as a play-by-play announcer, earlier than inking a take care of NBC in 2013. The community held F1’s American broadcast rights till 2017, which means Diffey was the voice of the collection for 4 years. “I actually get pleasure from strolling by way of airports now and seeing youngsters, and adults, carrying Crimson Bull shirts or McLaren caps, as a result of whilst not too long ago as after we had been doing F1 on NBC, that was fairly sparse,” he remembers, noting that the rise of F1 fandom represents a broader victory for all types of motorsport. “As an alternative of carrying a New York Yankees shirt, they’re carrying a McLaren shirt, and that’s nice for our sport.” 

Additionally nice for the game, in Diffey’s eyes: an American driver in F1: “I might be stunned in case you did not see Colton Herta in one of many seats,” he predicts after I ask about Cadillac’s 2026 arrival, referring to the IndyCar star who partnered Lando Norris of their junior single-seater careers. “That’s the final lacking piece of the puzzle of the American Formulation 1 success story: having a [competitive] driver.”

AJ Allmendinger, Leigh Diffey, Calvin Fish, for NBC at Street Atlanta, 2019 IMSA race

Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Pictures

As we communicate, Diffey is gearing up for one of the vital notoriously grueling challenges in racing: the Rolex 24 on the Daytona Worldwide Speedway. “Now we have a rotating group, so all of us faucet out and faucet in, however you’ll be able to’t go too far-off. You’ve bought to maintain your eye on the race to take care of the thread of the story,” he explains. Throughout a go to to race management, within the room subsequent door to the NBC sales space, I spot blow-up mattresses below desks, makeshift hammocks between workstations and trash cans filled with espresso cups. Sleep is tough to come back by throughout an endurance race, so that you relaxation wherever you’ll be able to. “We’re both behind the sales space or we’re within the manufacturing trailer,” Diffey tells me. Though there are lots of of drivers and numerous tales to inform, 24 hours remains to be loads of airtime to fill. “When there’s not a lot occurring, that is whenever you earn your cash,” he says with fun.

Exterior of motorsport, Diffey’s voice has change into a staple of Olympic broadcasts, together with the most-watched 10 seconds of the Paris Video games: the 100m dash closing. “There’s loads of parallels and crossover between motorsport and observe and area,” he says. “With the 100-meter, me and my teammate Ato Bolden, the 4 time Olympic medalist, may have a pre-set rhythm in order that the printed is seamless. Usually we’ll have a little bit of silence so you’ll be able to hear the gun and construct anticipation, then you definately get into the race name.” 

He goes together with his intestine and 99% of the time he will get it proper, however he’s additionally the primary to confess when he’s made a mistake. “I bought it improper,” he wrote on Instagram final summer season after incorrectly figuring out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson because the winner of the 100m closing, relatively than American sprinter, Noah Lyles. “You’ve simply bought to go together with what your eyes see,” he tells me. With six Olympics below his belt, Diffey hopes to name the 2032 Video games in his hometown of Brisbane. “That may be one thing particular,” he says.

His subsequent huge problem, nevertheless, is constant to win over hardcore NASCAR followers unaccustomed to listening to an Aussie accent within the commentary sales space. Diffey joined analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte because the collection’ lead announcer after IndyCar moved to FOX final 12 months, and he’s already incomes rave opinions.  

“You are by no means going to please all people, however I used to be completely sincere and open with the fan base by saying ‘I’ve by no means been to Talladega, I’ve by no means been to Bristol, I’ve by no means been to Martinsville.’ 

“I had this child-like enthusiasm and wonderment, and I believe viewers bought to see the actual me,” he explains. When he headed to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 for his first race within the huge chair final August, he made certain his homework was achieved. “It was powerful coming in later within the 12 months after I had already achieved Supercross, IMSA, IndyCar, the Indy 500, and the Olympics. I put together finest after I compartmentalize. I had so many different issues I needed to deal with and do a great job with first, particularly Paris,” he says. “When it’s lastly go-time, I watch each race of the season and write myself notes that I can refer again to.”

Leigh Diffey, Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett and Steve Letarte communicate to media throughout a press convention at NASCAR Championship 4 Media Day at Phoenix Raceway, 2024

Picture by: Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures

Diffey shortly earned his stripes within the eyes of NASCAR faithfuls after he energetically declared, “Jeff, your little boy has achieved it,” when Harrison Burton took residence a shock victory at Daytona throughout his maiden outing within the sales space. “I don’t know if nervous is the appropriate phrase … I used to be anxious. I actually wished to have a great begin and make a great impression. I informed myself what I inform my youngsters after they have a college examination: only one step at a time. I made certain I’d achieved my homework as a result of I wished to do a great job for the corporate, for the followers, and for myself,” he says, describing Harrison’s win as “a kind of epic moments” that he’ll bear in mind endlessly.

My dialog with Diffey finally circles again to the thought of legacy. With two younger sons rising up on motorbikes, I’m wondering if he envisions a Diffey dynasty. “In no way,” he laughs. “Our boys are into so many sports activities, the motorbikes are only a enjoyable factor on the aspect.” In truth, his sons’ races could be the one motorsport occasions the place he isn’t calling the photographs. “I work most weekends so my spouse is a full moto mother. She’s unbelievable,” he says. “She’s the one loading the pickup truck with the bikes, the gasoline cans, the ramps and the gear.” Diffey’s function? Maintaining quiet. “I get tense when my youngsters compete,” he confesses. “After I’m at a race, I’ve to maintain my mouth shut.”