Hodges Motorsport - a passion project for Warrnambool-raised Tim Hodges - is hoping James McFadden can drive into victory lane.

The Standard will introduce the team to speedway fans in each edition this week.

The final person to answer the tough questions is James McFadden himself.

You've won two classics. Do the nerves subside?

Once I got my first one it definitely eased the nerves.

Now it's probably not nerves, it's more excitement.

It's one of the best races of the year for us.

I have been racing a long time now so nerves aren't really a huge thing.

This project with Hodges Motorsport is unique in that you're mixing with people involved in different sports, like Richmond footballer Jack Riewoldt.

What's your knowledge of AFL like?

My knowledge is absolutely horrible.

I could probably name five or six teams and that would be it.

I can say I've never watched a whole game of AFL before.

I knew who Jack was and knew Tim through being in Warrnambool, outside of that it's all pretty fresh for me.

It is really good to have major players in a sport that's so big in Australia be a part of ours.

Do you think your knowledge has improved at all since this team started up?

I still don't know how to kick a footy.

I have taken a little bit more interest now you have some personal connections with Jack.

I might have to become a Richmond fan I guess.

If you were to take a set shot at goal from 40 metres out at the MCG, would you make the distance?

Absolutely not.

Is it called a torpedo when you get it that far?

I kicked the footy at school every now and then but it's definitely not something I would bet my life on that's for sure.

In all seriousness, the cross-code promotions have helped take speedway to the broader public.

How important is that?

I think our sport is in a spot where it's in a little niche of its own so to have some high-profile with (IndyCar racer) Scott McLaughlin, Jack and (broadcaster) Gerard Whateley is obviously huge and what Tim's been able to with the media side of things, it's changed the eyes that we have on our sport.

There's a lot of closet speedway fans who went to the speedway when they were younger with their parents and now it might have sparked a new kindling with them with their kids, so I think what the team's done has been incredible and it's great to be a part of.

You race full-time in America now so how much do you enjoy coming home for a couple of months each year?

I love being home, it's unreal - (son) Mav getting to hang out with his grandparents and obviously (wife) Zoe and I have been able to catch up with our parents and hang out and have a bit of a chill out.

It's always nice to be at home, in Warrnambool, eating some good food and drinking some good coffee.

It is important to get home and get back to some sort of reality with a house and getting out of the motor-home for sure.

Hodgey has said Tim Kaeding's epic burnout display after his 2014 win was a personal classic highlight.

If you win the 50^th classic on Sunday night, can you guarantee some fireworks like that?

I am a bit of an engine guy and I know how harsh that is on the engine, so I probably wouldn't go to that point.

But we'd definitely be excited about it and maybe bringing out a shoey in front of Mount Max would be pretty fun.