Matt Yocum
Encyclopedia
Matt Yocum is a long standing reporter in motorsports. He is best known for his pit reporting in the sport of NASCAR
.
(IROC) as a tire specialist and eventually moved on to racecar preparation and maintenance. In 1991, Yocum graduated from Florida State University
with a degree in political science and communications.
) as a pit reporter and Motorsports Bureau reporter. He also appeared on the network’s racing magazine show, “Raceday”. From 1995 through 1998 Yocum covered an array of motorsports events on TNN, including NASCAR
Winston Cup, Busch Grand National, Craftsman Trucks, Busch Grand National North, ARCA
, as well as other series. In that time he was awarded several honors and awards.
During the 1999 and 2000 seasons, Matt Yocum’s talent for motorsports reporting was put to use working for ESPN
in a number ways including televised reporting for SportsCenter
, RPM2night, and NASCAR2Day and as a radio broadcaster for RPMnow radio and ESPN radio. He also wrote a regular column for ESPN.com.
In 2001 Yocum joined the Turner Sports
team as the first NASCAR reporter scheduled to cover every Cup series race telecast on TNT, Fox
, and NBC
and the only broadcaster to work for both Fox and NBC at the same time.<
In 2007, two time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart
welcomed Mr. Yocum as co-host of his two hour weekly radio show. The show was titled "Tony Stewart Live" and broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio
. The show was primarily a commentary on current events in NASCAR as well as a listener call in show. The show ran from 2007 through 2008.
Matt Yocum continues to work in the NASCAR community primarily reporting from the pits at all of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races.
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...
.
Biography
Matt Yocum's exposure to automobile racing began at an early age. This was due, at least in part, to the fact that his mother has been involved in automobile racing for over 35 years owning her own sponsor services and motorsports management company. In high school and college Yocum began working for the International Race of ChampionsInternational Race of Champions
International Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
(IROC) as a tire specialist and eventually moved on to racecar preparation and maintenance. In 1991, Yocum graduated from Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
with a degree in political science and communications.
Career
Matt Yocum began his broadcast career in 1992 as a sports reporter and anchor with NBC affiliates in Orlando, Florida and Bristol Tennessee. In 1995, he joined TNN (The Nashville NetworkThe Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
) as a pit reporter and Motorsports Bureau reporter. He also appeared on the network’s racing magazine show, “Raceday”. From 1995 through 1998 Yocum covered an array of motorsports events on TNN, including 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...
Winston Cup, Busch Grand National, Craftsman Trucks, Busch Grand National North, ARCA
Automobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
, as well as other series. In that time he was awarded several honors and awards.
During the 1999 and 2000 seasons, Matt Yocum’s talent for motorsports reporting was put to use working for 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....
in a number ways including televised reporting for SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
, RPM2night, and NASCAR2Day and as a radio broadcaster for RPMnow radio and ESPN radio. He also wrote a regular column for ESPN.com.
In 2001 Yocum joined the Turner Sports
Turner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
team as the first NASCAR reporter scheduled to cover every Cup series race telecast on TNT, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and the only broadcaster to work for both Fox and NBC at the same time.<
In 2007, two time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...
welcomed Mr. Yocum as co-host of his two hour weekly radio show. The show was titled "Tony Stewart Live" and broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
. The show was primarily a commentary on current events in NASCAR as well as a listener call in show. The show ran from 2007 through 2008.
Matt Yocum continues to work in the NASCAR community primarily reporting from the pits at all of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races.