Scott Pye is joining the Supercars broadcast for Ipswich. Image: Richard Gresham
What makes his inclusion sensation is his rise to media prominence through his Apex Hunters United brand, which is famously anti-establishment in its stance on the sport.
Pye has regularly been critical of the broadcast product, produced in-house by Supercars Media, and even had a public run-in with host Jess Yates after he made claims of being shadowbanned on the coverage.
Speaking ahead of his debut alongside Yates and co on the broadcast, Pye said he will remain true to his commitment to honest opinion – even if it means he isn’t invited back.
“I’ve probably got myself in trouble more often than people realise over the years,” Pye told Speedcafe.
“I’m 35 and it’s not like what I say on the podcast is anything new. I don’t really know how to be anyone else and I’m prepared that this is a one and done thing.
“Im not too stressed about that. I’m very happy with what I’m doing, and if I don’t get asked back it doesn’t really change my day.
“My strength, and equally my weakness, has always been that if there is an elephant in the room I tend to talk about it. I can’t just avoid it.
“And if I disagree with someone, I just can’t sit there and pretend that it’s okay.
“I also may be wrong, but that’s what a conversation is about. And I think what the broadcast misses sometimes is an opposing side, and the opposing side might also be the wrong opinion, but that’s okay. We still need that because there’s going to be someone, somewhere, that agrees or wants to hear a different side of things.”
Pye admitted that it wasn’t a straightforward decision to take up the offer to join the broadcast team.
“It’s something I had not even thought would ever come across my desk as an option,” he said.
“When [Supercars TV boss] Nathan [Prendergast] reached out to me and asked if I would consider being part of the team, I wasn’t sure what that would look like at the beginning.
“And obviously I’m someone that has been critical of the format, not so much of the individuals. But some of the people aren’t put in the right position to really do their best.
“I wanted to have a think about how I could bring something slightly different. What capacity would allow me to be myself and be authentic?
“I thought about it for a little while and I went back-and-forth with them in email around what my role would look like. The day after Nath called me, I sent back an email with some concerns, I guess, and also thoughts on what I could maybe bring.
“I did say that if you’re effectively looking for another head on a white shirt to just drop in and do what’s being done already then I’m probably not your guy.
“But they seemed pretty open. It was kind of like, ‘we want you involved and kind of appreciate a difference of opinion’.
“So I was like, ‘okay well if I can have some conversational moments where we can discuss and debate some things that are happening in the sport, then I’ll be a part of it’.”
Pye is also expecting to better arm himself with insight into the inner workings of the TV world, to ensure his own opinions when on Apex Hunters United are as rounded as possible.
“I’ll make notes across everything and debrief on our podcast at the end of it,” he explained.
“That’s why I thought this was a good opportunity, because then I can see the inside and also then see what some of the challenges are.
“Because I do not underestimate how hard this is for the guys. I think it’s a very difficult job.
“When we say the commentators miss things, one of my concerns is, when you’re in broadcast, are you able to actually sit and watch the race? When you’re out asking questions after the fact, will I have seen everything? I think that’s going to be a real challenge.
“And I might end up coming across uneducated, or miss the point sometimes. And that’s something that I actually want to see first hand.”