Jerry Punch
Encyclopedia
Dr. Jerry Punch is an American
auto racing
and college football
commentator on ESPN
. Punch also does local radio spots in Knoxville
.
station Staff of Newton-Conover High School
. The local radio station, WNNC in Newton, NC, provided free air time to the local high school broadcasting organization with rotational assignments to the aspiring broadcast journalists. Students at the high school auditioned for the much sought after staff positions. Jerry was successful and was selected by fellow students to become a new reporter and, thus, he was permitted to participate in the weekly Saturday morning live broadcasts on WNNC.
He served as backup quarterback for coach Lou Holtz
at NC State
and graduated magna cum laude in 1975. He received a M.D.
degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine
.
before moving to ESPN in 1984 as a pit reporter for NASCAR
races. In 1988, in two separate incidents, he helped with the rescue efforts after the serious wrecks of Rusty Wallace
and Don Marmor. In the case of Rusty Wallace's front-stretch crash at Bristol Motor Speedway
, Punch happened to be on Pit Road at the time, and as a result, was the first person on the scene before the rescue crew could be scrambled. Punch's medical training proved pivotal, as Wallace was initially unconscious following this practice-session crash. Punch revived Wallace, who was able to start the following night's race with only minor injuries, driving for about half the race before giving his seat up to a relief driver. Wallace now works with Punch in ESPN's coverage of NASCAR.
Punch is also credited with helping to save Ernie Irvan
following a practice crash at Michigan International Speedway
in August 1994. Punch also had aided injured pit crew members on pit road in several races in the 1990s.
While Punch was addressing a Nashville Superspeedway
media luncheon he was interrupted by a loud crash from the back of the room. Punch immediately rushed from the podium to the back of the room where Jenny Gill (daughter of singer/musician, Vince Gill
), a Nashville Superspeedway intern, had fainted. Punch helped revive the Middle Tennessee State graduate student. She was taken to a local care center for observation and soon recovered, according to Sean Dozier, the Superspeedway's public relations director. Punch returned to the podium and resumed his speech.
He is also a renowned neurological physician.
and football, and has served as a sideline reporter
for college football. He also was consulted as a doctor in 1996 to report the condition of Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier
who would go undrafted in the NFL due to a blood clot in his left leg.
On October 12, 2006, he was named the lead lap-by-lap commentator for ESPN's coverage of the Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide Series starting in 2007 along with Rusty Wallace
and Andy Petree
. Punch and Petree were joined by Dale Jarrett
in 2008 and stayed together until the end of the 2009 season; ESPN replaced Punch with Marty Reid
for 2010 and returned him to pit road.
In addition to his pit reporter roles, Punch served as the lead play-by-play voice for ESPN's coverage of the Craftsman Truck Series until the network lost that contract to SPEED
following the 2002 season.
, which starred Tom Cruise
and Robert Duvall
. Punch also acted as a technical advisor in the development of the movie.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
and college football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
commentator 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....
. Punch also does local radio spots in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
.
Early life and career
Jerry began his broadcasting career in Newton, NC, when he was selected to join the local high school radioHigh school radio
High school radio within the United States is almost as old as radio broadcasting itself. Simply defined as a radio station, with its studios located at a high school and usually operated by its students with faculty supervision, stations fitting this description existed in the mid-1920s...
station Staff of Newton-Conover High School
Newton-Conover High School
Newton-Conover High School is a public secondary school located in Newton, North Carolina. It is the larger of two high schools in the Newton-Conover City Schools system ....
. The local radio station, WNNC in Newton, NC, provided free air time to the local high school broadcasting organization with rotational assignments to the aspiring broadcast journalists. Students at the high school auditioned for the much sought after staff positions. Jerry was successful and was selected by fellow students to become a new reporter and, thus, he was permitted to participate in the weekly Saturday morning live broadcasts on WNNC.
He served as backup quarterback for coach Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
at NC State
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
and graduated magna cum laude in 1975. He received a M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
The Wake Forest School of Medicine is the medical school of Wake Forest University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is affiliated with North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Wake Forest University Physicians, forming part of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center system...
.
ESPN career
Punch worked as an emergency room physicianPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
before moving to ESPN in 1984 as a pit reporter for 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...
races. In 1988, in two separate incidents, he helped with the rescue efforts after the serious wrecks of Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace
Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
and Don Marmor. In the case of Rusty Wallace's front-stretch crash at Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
, Punch happened to be on Pit Road at the time, and as a result, was the first person on the scene before the rescue crew could be scrambled. Punch's medical training proved pivotal, as Wallace was initially unconscious following this practice-session crash. Punch revived Wallace, who was able to start the following night's race with only minor injuries, driving for about half the race before giving his seat up to a relief driver. Wallace now works with Punch in ESPN's coverage of NASCAR.
Punch is also credited with helping to save Ernie Irvan
Ernie Irvan
Virgil Earnest Irvan, more commonly known as Ernie Irvan is a former race driver in NASCAR. He is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head injury at Michigan International Speedway which earned him numerous awards and respect from his fellow drivers...
following a practice crash at Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
in August 1994. Punch also had aided injured pit crew members on pit road in several races in the 1990s.
While Punch was addressing a Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
media luncheon he was interrupted by a loud crash from the back of the room. Punch immediately rushed from the podium to the back of the room where Jenny Gill (daughter of singer/musician, Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
), a Nashville Superspeedway intern, had fainted. Punch helped revive the Middle Tennessee State graduate student. She was taken to a local care center for observation and soon recovered, according to Sean Dozier, the Superspeedway's public relations director. Punch returned to the podium and resumed his speech.
He is also a renowned neurological physician.
Other assignments for ESPN
Punch also has been ESPN's expert for discussion of medical issues, has called play-by-play for college basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football, and has served as a sideline reporter
Sideline reporter
A sideline reporter, also known as a field reporter, courtside reporter , clubhouse reporter or dugout reporter , rinkside reporter or inside-the-glass reporter , on-court reporter , hole reporter , or boundary rider , is a member of the...
for college football. He also was consulted as a doctor in 1996 to report the condition of Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier
Tommie Frazier
Tommie James Frazier, Jr. is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He played quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers....
who would go undrafted in the NFL due to a blood clot in his left leg.
On October 12, 2006, he was named the lead lap-by-lap commentator for ESPN's coverage of the Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide Series starting in 2007 along with Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace
Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
and Andy Petree
Andy Petree
Andy Petree , is a long-time fixture in NASCAR. After racing for years at local short track , Andy became part owner of the #32 Busch Series car for Dale Jarrett. By the age of 28, Andy was already a NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief on the Leo Jackson racing team...
. Punch and Petree were joined by Dale Jarrett
Dale Jarrett
Dale Arnold Jarrett is a former American race car driver and current sports commentator known for winning the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship...
in 2008 and stayed together until the end of the 2009 season; ESPN replaced Punch with 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...
for 2010 and returned him to pit road.
In addition to his pit reporter roles, Punch served as the lead play-by-play voice for ESPN's coverage of the Craftsman Truck Series until the network lost that contract to SPEED
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
following the 2002 season.
Brief movie career
Punch also appeared as himself as an ESPN commentator, in the 1990 film 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...
, which starred Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
and Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
. Punch also acted as a technical advisor in the development of the movie.