Fox confirms two-person booth with Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon

[TheOldProgrammer]

January 25, 2020 at 6:53 AM

FOX Sports confirmed Friday that the network will go with a two-person booth for its primary NASCAR Cup Series coverage in 2020, with Mike Joy returning as play-by-play announcer alongside analyst Jeff Gordon.

The move comes after the retirement last year of longtime analyst Darrell Waltrip, who had been part of FOX Sports’ NASCAR coverage since 2001. The news of FOX’s new lineup was first reported by Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal.

Joy returns as NASCAR on FOX’s lead announcer for the 20th consecutive season, part of his 50 years of motorsports experience. This season will mark the 70-year-old broadcaster’s 45th Daytona Speedweeks as part of the TV or radio coverage team.

Gordon, 48, is back for his fifth straight season providing color commentary for FOX Sports. The four-time Cup Series champion joined the network after his retirement from full-time driving in 2015. Gordon was inducted to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019.

— Motor Racing Network —

[Rick]

Unless they are claiming that Waltrip is not replaceable, which I find that hard to believe, it sounds like they are cutting costs.

[kantwin]

I've never been a fan of the "boogity, boogity, boogity" . . . thought it was stupid the first time I heard it, and it's been stupid for almost 20 years.

[Rick]

Dumbest #### on tv if you ask me. But that's what you get from someone lacking intelligence.

[gnatsum]

Two in the booth? What about the guys in the pits? Fox still going to let Michael Waltrip wander around the starting line?

Look at NBC's coverage--they've got Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett sitting in a booth in the pits, they've got Jeff Burton and ...whatshisname...doing color commentary upstairs, and then there's "Junebug" and Steve Letarte paired op..or is it Burton with Letarte?

[mac]

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Two in the booth? What about the guys in the pits? Fox still going to let Michael Waltrip wander around the starting line?

Look at NBC's coverage--they've got Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett sitting in a booth in the pits, they've got Jeff Burton and ...whatshisname...doing color commentary upstairs, and then there's "Junebug" and Steve Letarte paired op..or is it Burton with Letarte?

i really like burton in the booth......didn't like it all when they put him there, thought it was a mistake,...... but i was really wrong about it. hands down, he's gotta be the most knowledgeable guy on the tube when it comes to anything to do with racing nascar style.......mac

[Rick]

Those three are horrible. They need voice lessons. Their screeches are ear piercing. I think I prefer one boogity to three hours of their screeching.

[kantwin]

Burton’s voice sounds like he never got out of puberty.
Dale Jr isn’t much better.

[gnatsum]

Re: Jeff Burton's voice,'
Could be a LOT worse--they could've hired his brother Ward to do broadcasts! Hearing Ward speak is like pouring molasses out of a jar--it's slow coming out...

On another message board years ago, I put forth the idea of having an interview between Ward...and NHRA funny car racer John Force. The "feedback" was unanimous--just THINKING about that occurring made people's heads hurt!