Bob Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Bob Jenkins is an American television and radio sports announcer with NBC Sports Network, also known for his work at ABC
and ESPN
calling IndyCar and NASCAR
telecasts. He is currently the lead commentator for the IndyCar Series
on NBC Sports Network.
and grew up in the nearby town of Liberty
. He was one of the original cornerstone anchors on ESPN
when it debuted in 1979, working there as one of the most senior members of the network until 2003. His primary duty was anchoring NASCAR on ESPN from 1979-2000 with Ned Jarrett
and Benny Parsons
. The trio was one of the most popular announcing crews in NASCAR
. By the early 1990s, the crew (sans Jarrett
, who was contracted with CBS
) would also cover races on ABC Sports. During the 1980s, Jenkins also occasionally called CART
races on ESPN, prior to the arrival of veteran Paul Page
.
Jenkins hosted the weekly racing magazine show Speedweek
during most of his tenure at ESPN. Jenkins was the television announcer of the Brickyard 400
on ABC from 1994-2000.
Concurrent to his work on ESPN & ABC, from 1979–1998, Jenkins worked on the IMS Radio Network
. He reported various positions including the backstrech, turn four, and served as chief announcer of the Indy 500 from 1990-1998.
By 1999, Jenkins quit the radio crew to focus on television full-time. The ongoing IRL/CART
split forced changes in the announcing crews at ESPN/ABC. In addition, ESPN/ABC would be losing NASCAR rights at the end of the season. Paul Page
was assigned to the CART series
broadcasts, and Jenkins was moved exclusively to the chief announcing position of the IRL and Indianapolis 500
broadcasts. The arrangement would continue through 2001.
For 2002, with CART floundering, Page
was moved back to the IRL, and Jenkins was shifted to the lesser host position. The arrangement created a "crowded" booth with two veteran announcers. In 2003, on Bump Day at the Indy 500 on ESPN, Jenkins made an impassioned commentary, defending the event from media detractors. Many were ridiculing the race and the IRL for struggling to fill the field to the traditional 33 cars.
At the end of the 2003 season, Jenkins was released from ABC/ESPN.
staff in various roles including public address announcer and designated emcee
of various events and press gatherings (such as the Victory Banquet, Last Row Party, and press conferences). In 2004, he had a short stint as an announcer for Champ Car
on Spike TV
but was soon fired by the production company. He joined SPEED and was an anchor for Speed News
for a little over one year. Jenkins has also been a contributor to WIBC radio in Indianapolis.
In June 2006, Jenkins was released from his contract with SPEED. According to Jayski's Silly Season Site
, in early 2006 Jenkins became the communications director for the Premier Racing Association.
In July 2006, he was the chief announcer of the IMS Radio Network
for the U.S. Grand Prix
. In 2007, he was the announcer of Indy Pro Series broadcasts on ESPN2
. He anchored the Allstate 400
on the radio, his first NASCAR race call since November 2000. For 2007-2008, he returned to the IMS Radio Network
for the Indy 500, reporting from the turn two position.
In 2008, Jenkins returned to the ESPN booth for two IndyCar races, the Rexall Edmonton Indy and the Nikon Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise
. Regular play-by-play announcer Marty Reid
was unable to broadcast because of prior engagements.
, Jenkins, and King
) participated in the broadcast.
In 2011, Jenkins continued at NBC Sports Group. During the month of May, and on race day at Indianapolis, he continued his part-time work on the public address announcing team.
were the actual ESPN crew of the time, which meant Jenkins was the announcer in several voice-over scenes. While at Speed Channel in 2005, he was the Speed anchor in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
. He also did voice over work in the movie Kart Racer
.
His voice was used in the EA Sports
NASCAR
video game series, from NASCAR 98
to NASCAR 2001
, the Codemasters
video game IndyCar Series
and IndyCar Series 2005 as well as the Destineer Games video game Indianapolis 500 Evolution.
His most recent work can be heard in the trailer for the independent film Trifocals (March, 2007).
area with his wife Pam.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
calling IndyCar and NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
telecasts. He is currently the lead commentator for the IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
on NBC Sports Network.
ESPN and ABC
Bob Jenkins was born in Richmond, IndianaRichmond, Indiana
Richmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...
and grew up in the nearby town of Liberty
Liberty, Indiana
Liberty is a town in Center Township, Union County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,061 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union County.-Geography:Liberty is located at ....
. He was one of the original cornerstone anchors on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
when it debuted in 1979, working there as one of the most senior members of the network until 2003. His primary duty was anchoring NASCAR on ESPN from 1979-2000 with Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett is a retired race car driver and two-time NASCAR champion.Jarrett was best known for his calm demeanor, and he became known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett", yet he was an intense competitor when he put his two hands on the steering wheel of a NASCAR Grand National stock car...
and Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
. The trio was one of the most popular announcing crews in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
. By the early 1990s, the crew (sans Jarrett
Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett is a retired race car driver and two-time NASCAR champion.Jarrett was best known for his calm demeanor, and he became known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett", yet he was an intense competitor when he put his two hands on the steering wheel of a NASCAR Grand National stock car...
, who was contracted with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
) would also cover races on ABC Sports. During the 1980s, Jenkins also occasionally called CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
races on ESPN, prior to the arrival of veteran Paul Page
Paul Page
Paul Page is an American motorsports broadcaster who was the lead announcer for ABC Sports' coverage of CART and the IRL from 1988 to 2004. He currently is the lead announcer for NHRA.-Early life and career:...
.
Jenkins hosted the weekly racing magazine show Speedweek
SpeedWeek
SpeedWeek is an American television program on ESPN. For 14 years, the weekly show aired multiple times in a week. When SpeedWeek ended in 1997, it was the longest-running motorsports magazine show...
during most of his tenure at ESPN. Jenkins was the television announcer of the Brickyard 400
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
The Brickyard 400 is an annual 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup points race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The event, when first held in 1994, marked the first race other than the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1916...
on ABC from 1994-2000.
Concurrent to his work on ESPN & ABC, from 1979–1998, Jenkins worked on the IMS Radio Network
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network , is an in-house radio syndication arrangement which broadcasts the Indianapolis 500, IndyCar, and the Brickyard 400 to radio stations covering most of North America....
. He reported various positions including the backstrech, turn four, and served as chief announcer of the Indy 500 from 1990-1998.
By 1999, Jenkins quit the radio crew to focus on television full-time. The ongoing IRL/CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
split forced changes in the announcing crews at ESPN/ABC. In addition, ESPN/ABC would be losing NASCAR rights at the end of the season. Paul Page
Paul Page
Paul Page is an American motorsports broadcaster who was the lead announcer for ABC Sports' coverage of CART and the IRL from 1988 to 2004. He currently is the lead announcer for NHRA.-Early life and career:...
was assigned to the CART series
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
broadcasts, and Jenkins was moved exclusively to the chief announcing position of the IRL and Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
broadcasts. The arrangement would continue through 2001.
For 2002, with CART floundering, Page
Paul Page
Paul Page is an American motorsports broadcaster who was the lead announcer for ABC Sports' coverage of CART and the IRL from 1988 to 2004. He currently is the lead announcer for NHRA.-Early life and career:...
was moved back to the IRL, and Jenkins was shifted to the lesser host position. The arrangement created a "crowded" booth with two veteran announcers. In 2003, on Bump Day at the Indy 500 on ESPN, Jenkins made an impassioned commentary, defending the event from media detractors. Many were ridiculing the race and the IRL for struggling to fill the field to the traditional 33 cars.
At the end of the 2003 season, Jenkins was released from ABC/ESPN.
Post ABC/ESPN
After being released from ABC/ESPN in 2003, Jenkins joined the Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayIndianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
staff in various roles including public address announcer and designated emcee
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
of various events and press gatherings (such as the Victory Banquet, Last Row Party, and press conferences). In 2004, he had a short stint as an announcer for Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
on Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
but was soon fired by the production company. He joined SPEED and was an anchor for Speed News
The Speed Report
SPEED Center is Speed Channel's news show that debuted on February 13, 2011, replacing The SPEED Report. Airing on Sunday evenings at 7:00 PM EST, it has rotating anchors though its most noted are Leigh Diffey, Adam Alexander, Bob Varsha, and Krista Voda.SPEED Center and its predecessors have been...
for a little over one year. Jenkins has also been a contributor to WIBC radio in Indianapolis.
In June 2006, Jenkins was released from his contract with SPEED. According to Jayski's Silly Season Site
Jayski's Silly Season Site
Jayski's Silly Season Site is a web site focusing primarily on NASCAR news and rumors, created and run by Charlotte-area resident Jay Adamczyk , a former United States Air Force mechanic, on August 25, 1996. Adamczyk started the site after having difficulty finding news regarding the Melling Racing...
, in early 2006 Jenkins became the communications director for the Premier Racing Association.
In July 2006, he was the chief announcer of the IMS Radio Network
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network , is an in-house radio syndication arrangement which broadcasts the Indianapolis 500, IndyCar, and the Brickyard 400 to radio stations covering most of North America....
for the U.S. Grand Prix
United States Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the...
. In 2007, he was the announcer of Indy Pro Series broadcasts on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. He anchored the Allstate 400
2007 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
The 2007 Allstate 400 at The Brickyard was the twentieth race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season and the first race under the ESPN/ABC section of the TV coverage. It was held on July 29, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana....
on the radio, his first NASCAR race call since November 2000. For 2007-2008, he returned to the IMS Radio Network
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network , is an in-house radio syndication arrangement which broadcasts the Indianapolis 500, IndyCar, and the Brickyard 400 to radio stations covering most of North America....
for the Indy 500, reporting from the turn two position.
In 2008, Jenkins returned to the ESPN booth for two IndyCar races, the Rexall Edmonton Indy and the Nikon Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise
Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Surfers Paradise is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Surfers Paradise had a population of 18,501....
. Regular play-by-play announcer Marty Reid
Marty Reid
Marty Reid is an American television sportscaster who has worked for ESPN since 1982.Reid is currently the lead television announcer for ESPN on ABC's coverage of the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, and was the lead announcer for ESPN and ABC's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage for the...
was unable to broadcast because of prior engagements.
NBC
In 2009, the IndyCar Series started a new television contract with Versus. Jenkins was signed as the chief announcer, and returned to Indy racing full-time for the first time since 2001. He opted out of reprising his turn two role on the radio network, because Versus was hosting a post-race show, and Jenkins would not have time to arrive at the studio in time. Jenkins, however, did record segments for air on the radio broadcast, as all three living "Voices of the 500" (PagePaul Page
Paul Page is an American motorsports broadcaster who was the lead announcer for ABC Sports' coverage of CART and the IRL from 1988 to 2004. He currently is the lead announcer for NHRA.-Early life and career:...
, Jenkins, and King
Mike King (radio announcer)
Mike King is an American radio broadcaster, currently the chief announcer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network and Indy Racing League....
) participated in the broadcast.
In 2011, Jenkins continued at NBC Sports Group. During the month of May, and on race day at Indianapolis, he continued his part-time work on the public address announcing team.
Movie credits
Jenkins also has three movie credits, one of which was an on-camera appearance. In order to be realistic, the race announcers in the movie Days of ThunderDays of Thunder
Days of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...
were the actual ESPN crew of the time, which meant Jenkins was the announcer in several voice-over scenes. While at Speed Channel in 2005, he was the Speed anchor in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a 2006 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film also features John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Various Saturday Night Live alumni also...
. He also did voice over work in the movie Kart Racer
Kart Racer
Kart Racer is a 2003 Canadian feature film starring Will Rothhaar, David Gallagher and Randy Quaid. In the United States, it premiered on television on ABC Family in 2005....
.
His voice was used in the EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
video game series, from NASCAR 98
NASCAR 98
NASCAR 98 is a racing simulator video game published and developed by EA Sports and released on October 31, 1997 for the Sega Saturn, and on November 17, 1997 for the PlayStation...
to NASCAR 2001
NASCAR 2001
NASCAR 2001 is a racing simulator video game developed and published by EA Sports. The game was released on September 19, 2000 for the PlayStation, and became the first from EA Sports' NASCAR series to be released for the PlayStation 2 on November 7, 2000. The game was not released to the Xbox...
, the Codemasters
Codemasters
The Codemasters Software Company Limited, or Codemasters is a British video game developer founded by Richard and David Darling in 1986...
video game IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
and IndyCar Series 2005 as well as the Destineer Games video game Indianapolis 500 Evolution.
His most recent work can be heard in the trailer for the independent film Trifocals (March, 2007).
Personal life
Jenkins is a colon cancer survivor and resides in the IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
area with his wife Pam.