Bob Jenkins ( Announcer ) was a television and radio sports announcer know all about Bob Jenkins Family, Net Worth, Parents, Wife, Children, Biography in this article.
Bob Jenkins Biography
| Bio | |
| Name | Bob Jenkins |
| Birthdate ( Age) | 4 September 1947 |
| Place of Birth | Richmond, Indiana, United States |
| Marital Status | Married |
| wife/Partner | Pam Jenkins (m. ?–2012) |
| Children | Not Known |
| Parents | Not Known |
| Profession | Announcer |
| Net Worth | $3 Million |
| Last Update | 2022 |
Bob Jenkins was a television and radio sports announcer,primarily calling IndyCar and NASCAR telecasts for ESPN/ABC and later NBC Sports. His most recent position was the lead commentator for NBC Sports on coverage of the IndyCar Series.
He retired from broadcasting after the 2012 IndyCar season finale to care for his wife Pam who was battling brain cancer. After his wife’s death that offseason, it was announced by Indycar and NBC officials that he would come out of retirement for Indianapolis 500 final practice coverage in 2013, and would be available in a reserve role.
Bob Jenkins Family, Parents
Bob Jenkins was born in Richmond, Indiana, and grew up in the nearby town of Liberty. He graduated from Short High School in 1965 and Indiana University in 1969. A music aficionado, Jenkins wanted to be a radio disc jockey, but instead found work as a radio news reporter.
During this timeframe, Jenkins befriended Paul Page, who worked at 1070 WIBC-AM. Page helped Jenkins get his start in motorsports broadcasting, inviting him to serve as a pit reporter for Indy car races on the radio, as well as on television.
Bob Jenkins Wife
Bob Jenkins married with wife Pam . His wife Pam died from complications of brain cancer in Carmel, Indiana on October 25, 2012.Jenkins revealed on February 16, 2021, that he himself had been diagnosed with brain cancer about two months earlier after further examination following a stroke he suffered on December 25, 2020. In the interview, Jenkins stated “I had colon cancer in 1983 and I survived that, and with God’s help and my beloved race fans, I’m gonna make it.”Jenkins died of brain cancer on August 9, 2021, aged 73.
Bob Jenkins Net Worth
Bob Jenkins was a television and radio sports announcer,primarily calling IndyCar and NASCAR telecasts for ESPN/ABC and later NBC Sports who has an estimated Net Worth of between $ 3 million in 2021. The earnings listed mainly come from his salary.
Professional Career
Jenkins was one of the first anchors on ESPN when it debuted in 1979,working there as one of the most senior members of the network until 2003. Despite his status, he rarely, if ever, visited the Bristol, Connecticut studios. Nearly all of his work with the network was at the race track, or at satellite studios in Indianapolis or Charlotte.
His primary duty was anchoring NASCAR on ESPN from 1979 to 2000. His first booth partner was Larry Nuber. Later, he was teamed 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. Jenkins (with Parsons) was the television announcer of the Brickyard 400 on ABC from 1994 to 2000.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Jenkins also called CART series races, IMSA, Formula One, drag racing, and various other races on ESPN and ABC. By the late 1980s, Paul Page took over as anchor for Indy car racing on ABC/ESPN, with Jenkins focusing primarily on NASCAR. Jenkins hosted the weekly racing magazine show SpeedWeek during most of his tenure at ESPN.Concurrent to his work on ESPN & ABC, from 1979 to 1998, Jenkins worked on the IMS Radio Network.He reported various positions, including the backstretch, turn four, and served as chief announcer of the Indianapolis 500 from 1990 to 1998.
By 1999, Jenkins quit the radio crew to focus on television full-time. The ongoing IRL/CART split saw changes in the announcing crews at ESPN/ABC. In addition, ESPN/ABC would be losing NASCAR rights at the end of the 2000 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.
In 2009, the IndyCar Series started a new television contract with Versus. Jenkins was signed as the chief announcer, and returned to Indy car racing full-time for the first time since 2001. He opted out of reprising his turn two role on the radio network, but recorded segments for air on the radio broadcast, as all three living “Voices of the 500” participated in the broadcast. Jenkins worked for Versus in 2009 and 2010.
In 2011, Versus was bought by NBC Sports Group, becoming NBCSN. NBC inherited the IndyCar rights and hired Jenkins to continue as lead announcer for IndyCar on NBC. During the month of May, and on race day at the Indianapolis 500 , he continued his part-time work on the public address announcing team. Jenkins was involved in NBCSN’s practice and qualifying coverage at Indy. In 2012, he announced he would retire at the end of the season, in part due to his wife Pam, who had terminal cancer. She died shortly after the season ended.
For 2013, he worked on the public address system at both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the United States Auto Club’s Silver Crown Series. Jenkins made a one-time return to NBCSN in a substitute role during Indy 500 Carb Day coverage, as Leigh Diffey was unavailable that weekend.Jenkins, still at the Speedway for the public address system, has also narrated some vignettes for NBC’s NASCAR coverage on both weekday programs and race weekends.For the 2019 Indianapolis 500, Jenkins and Dan Wheldon were inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum’s Hall of Fame.
