'Chrissy worked so hard on it' - Dominic Herbertson brings back Chasin' the Racin' podcast

Back in January 2019, two charismatic Geordie bike racers Chrissy Rouse and Dominic Herbertson sat down to record the first episode of their Chasin’ The Racin’ podcast.

It was to be a new show providing fans of the sport an inside line into all facets of racing, with Chrissy set to compete in that year’s British Superstock 1000 Championship, and Dom lining up for another year on the roads of Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

“We were a couple of Geordie gibbering gobsh***s with no media training at all,” Dominic reminisced. “I’m a road racer, and he was doing Superstock 1000 and we were like ‘what are we doing?’

“We were living at each other’s houses and meeting up every week and we were ringing each other all the time to get this thing going.”

One of the first podcasts of its kind, the concept grew to gain thousands of weekly listeners plus a YouTube channel with almost 10,000 subscribers and guests including six-time WSB champion Jonathan Rea, and 23-time TT winner John McGuinness.

“We changed things and Chrissy was always that driving force and we worked together as a team to build it,” Herbertson added.

Tragically, this shared success was cut short when Rouse died aged 26 after succumbing to injuries sustained in a British Superbike race at Donington Park on Sunday, October 2 last year. Over 2000 people attended his funeral at Emmanuel College, Gateshead.

“It’s a huge loss, it really is, and I would give anything to get him back,” Herbertson said. “When Chrissy got injured and I was at the hospital and seeing him there, at that point I didn’t want to do this. I wasn’t even asking the question in myself at that point.”

It wasn’t until Chrissy’s younger sister Grace – who has worked behind the scenes since she was 16 – asked to continue it in his memory, that Dominic decided to step back into the studio.

“That Chasin’ the Racin’ pod is giving something back to the sport and Grace made me realise that,” Dom continued. “What I’m scared of with this pod now is me making a mess of it. I’m not planning on it, but Chrissy meant that much to me and everyone.

“It was just me and him and that’s what I’m fearful of. He worked so hard on it and taking that on, I don’t want to meet him in a few years and him say ‘what the hell did you do to the pod?’” he joked.

The episodes are now back in full swing, with recent guests including WSB and World Endurance champion, Sylvain Guintoli and Si King of the Hairy Bikers. But the plans don’t stop there.

“I’d like it to be a hub, that doesn’t need to rely on anyone,” Dom went on. “So, you can imagine putting John McGuinness with Chris Walker, interviewing Michael Rutter – building something that’s really strong, that can be really entertaining.

“People like to see behind-the-scenes video too. I have a face for radio, not television, but it’s a new challenge and we’re going to do short clips a little bit more behind the scenes.”

To support the podcast and take listen for yourself, visit the Chasin’ the Racin’ website.