Leigh Diffey stepped into the spotlight as NASCAR’s newest voice, but not everyone rolled out the welcome mat. The Australian-American announcer, whose distinctive accent has narrated some of American motorsports’ most thrilling moments, found himself defending more than just his commentary style. When critics targeted his voice rather than his expertise, Diffey decided it was time to address the elephant in the room head-on.

How Did Leigh Diffey Respond to Critics Targeting His Australian Accent?

Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, Diffey doesn’t deliver the classic Southern drawl that some NASCAR fans expect from their broadcast booth. What he does bring is decades of experience calling everything from Formula One to IndyCar to Olympic coverage on American television.

During an exclusive interview with the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Diffey fired back at his detractors with a simple truth. “Look, the majority of the critics, or the negative Nellies… simply because of the way I speak,” he said, acknowledging the obvious reality of his Aussie accent. “I can’t choose the way I speak, nor can any of them. We are who we are. We’re all different for a reason… You gotta take the positives and plow on.”

Diffey: “Look, the majority of the critics, or the negative Nellies … simply because of the way I speak. I can’t choose the way I speak, nor can any of them. We are who we are. We’re all different for a reason. .. You gotta take the positives and plow on.”https://t.co/YKGV4OkKnJ

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) August 22, 2025

The controversy reached a boiling point earlier this month when longtime ESPN associate John Kernan took aim at the commentator in a particularly harsh social media post. The former pit reporter wrote on X, “I think I’m done with NASCAR. After further review stage racing SUCKS! And I’m sure Leigh Diffey is a great guy but, if I want to hear that accent, I’ll watch Formula 1. Sorry, guess I’m xenophobic.”

I think I’m done with NASCAR. After further review stage racing SUCKS! And I’m sure Leigh Diffey is a great guy but, if I want to hear that accent, I’ll watch Formula 1. Sorry, guess I’m xenophobic.

— John Kernan (@John_KernanIND) August 3, 2025

The backlash against Kernan’s comments was swift and decisive. 23XI Racing spotter Freddie Kraft delivered one of the strongest defenses of Diffey during an episode of “Door Bumper Clear.” The veteran spotter didn’t mince words about the criticism.

“Leigh Diffey is fantastic at his job. One of the best in the business, and if you’re going to say you don’t like the guy because of his accent, that says more about you than it says about anybody else,” Kraft said to his co-hosts.

Kraft went on to praise Diffey’s broadcasting abilities, focusing on what actually matters in the booth. “Obviously, his accent is fun for us. We’ve had him on the show before. It’s fun to give him s**t about it, and the people mix up. They are like, ‘Oh, this British guy,’ and he’s obviously not British. I don’t care what he sounds like. The guy does a great job there. He paints a picture better than almost anybody in our sport.”

At the end of the day, outrage over an accent doesn’t hold much weight. The race that helped launch NASCAR into the national spotlight, the legendary 1979 Daytona 500, featured David Hobbs providing commentary. Hobbs brought a distinctly British voice to that iconic broadcast, one that’s still remembered as a pivotal moment for the sport.