PART ONE: How Fox’s first Daytona 500 broadcast in 2001 came together.
PART TWO: What was different about NASCAR on Fox?
PART THREE: Coverage of Dale Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500.
PART FOUR: Looking back at some memorable Daytona 500 races.
PART FIVE: How Fox’s NASCAR coverage has changed in recent years.
PART SIX: Looking at 20 years of NASCAR on Fox, and what’s ahead.
After 20 years of NASCAR on Fox, these broadcasters are still excited for the Daytona 500, with Yocum saying it’s been a privilege to be involved with it all these years.
“It’s kind of like when you have a kid and then all of a sudden that kid is off in college, 20 years old. There are so many stories that have been told on NASCAR on Fox over the
past 19 years, getting ready to kick off 20, that when you sit back and you think about it, it’s been an amazing opportunity for us to watch history take place in the sport and then be the conduit from that special moment to the fan at home. To be able to leave that story for their enjoyment. That’s been a tremendous honor.”
Yocum said the Fox broadcast has evolved with new technology.
“I think you look at from 2001 to present, it just seems like technology has given us the opportunity to have more toys, better in cars, better radio communications, more opportunity to listen in on driver to crew audio as technology has come on. It’s given Artie Kempner, our director, the opportunity to tell and weave his story with Barry Landis, our producer. So the faces may have changed through the years, but it’s still that same Fox look, same Fox feel that debuted in 2001.”
Yocum said covering NASCAR has been special for him, and a fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
“When I was a little kid, all I ever wanted to do is be around racing. When I was, I guess, 10 years old, I followed the guy who was the PA announcer at Michigan International Speedway, Wayne Blackmon. My mom worked at the track, so I could go anywhere, and I followed Wayne Blackmon around. He had his tape recorder and microphone and he would interview drivers and crew chiefs, and I’d follow him around and I’d sit in the PA booth with him.”
“And I loved the opportunity to tell stories. And so I was able, very fortunately, which is why I feel so blessed, to be able to match up my number-one passion, which is auto racing, with storylines. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do and this is why I feel today…I heard Billy Joel say on Siriux XM the other day, and a fan asked him what was his favorite decade, and he said ‘This one.” And I could totally relate, because I feel as blessed about my third decade of NASCAR as I did my first year with a microphone.”
Myers said Daytona always brings special memories for him.
“It’s always special to me. It’s a part of Fox and their sports history. And although I only do the Daytona 500 now as the host, because I do football, baseball, and other things, it has me maybe especially proud. I’m proud of the fact that we took on a sport like this. When Fox first came to the NFL, the critics would be more skeptical because they just hadn’t seen Fox do it before. People are used to one thing, but they warm up to it. And there was the same kind of skepticism for Fox in general, not only in terms of what what we were doing with NASCAR. And people warmed up to it and became familiar with it, whether it was with the Hollywood Hotel or the ‘Crank it up’ or some of the other things with our audio crew and the sound and the camera angles. I feel proud to be a part of something, and I still get that from people, that loyal audience, they’re still there, and it’s kind of a warm feeling when I get there, when I go back.”
“And it’s a big event, it’s not just a race, it’s an event. And it’s a whole season, and they start with it. I like being a part of of something, of a big sporting event that’s on Fox. And I’ll always like that. And I’ll always be grateful for that opportunity, and I’ll always look forward to doing it. And the drivers and their children, young generations of races and their children are starting to talk about racing. …There’s always new ways to kind of go back to it, and be a part of American sports history.”
Joy said covering Daytona and other Fox NASCAR events has been a dream for him.
“I worked my first 500 broadcast in 1977 for radio, and it’s been a dream job. It comes with a great amount of responsibility, but it’s the most fun thing I’ve been doing. And I love it and hope to do it for a long time.”
PART ONE: How Fox’s first Daytona 500 broadcast in 2001 came together.
PART TWO: What was different about NASCAR on Fox?
PART THREE: Coverage of Dale Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500.
PART FOUR: Looking back at some memorable Daytona 500 races.
PART FIVE: How Fox’s NASCAR coverage has changed in recent years.
PART SIX: Looking at 20 years of NASCAR on Fox, and what’s ahead.
[Top photo from FoxSports.com]
