Dr.
Jerry Punch, who has been associated with ESPN since 1984 as a motorsports and
college sports announcer, has agreed to a new contract to remain with the
network and extend his run as one of ESPN’s longest-tenured announcers.
Punch,
who was a pit reporter as well as a lap-by-lap announcer on ESPN’s NASCAR race
telecasts through the network’s recently-completed final season of live NASCAR
racing, will return to ESPN’s college football and basketball coverage in
various roles. He worked on college sports telecasts from 1989-2006 as both a
play-by-play announcer and sideline reporter while also covering motorsports.
In
addition, Punch will remain connected to motorsports as a pit reporter on ABC’s
telecasts of the Indianapolis 500 and other races in the Verizon IndyCar Series.
“ESPN
has been my home for a long time and I’m grateful for the opportunities
presented to me to remain part of the team,” said Punch. “I love the passion of
college sports and look forward to helping bring those stories to our viewers
and to reconnecting with the college coaches and staffs I’ve enjoyed
relationships with over the years.”
His
first game will be Jan. 15 as he calls the Murray State vs. Belmont Ohio Valley
Conference matchup on ESPNU.
In
his on-air work, Punch has sometimes called on knowledge from his first career
as an emergency room physician to explain injuries. He spent 14 years as the
director of emergency room services at a Florida hospital and served two terms
as chief of staff there. He remains active in the medical profession today.
The
North Carolina native worked as a race car mechanic and driver in high school
and college, when he was also a walk-on, backup quarterback for North Carolina
State under Coach Lou Holtz.
After
working as a track announcer at Hickory (N.C.) Speedway near his hometown of
Newton, N.C., Punch made his broadcasting debut on radio for the Motor Racing
Network at the 1980 Daytona 500. He branched into television in 1982.
He
is ESPN’s sixth longest-tenured announcer, following Bob Ley, Cliff Drysdale,
Chris Berman, Dick Vitale and Mike Patrick.
He will be missed on pit road!
ReplyDeleteHe has been missed on pit road from the minute the gate closed at Homestead. Fox and NBC will never find someone to match his expertise and stature.
ReplyDeleteHe would be a good speedway legend!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad he will be covering the Indy 500. The most important race in the world should have the best announcers covering it. The good doctor is tops in the field when it comes to sharing developing stories out of the pits.
ReplyDelete