ESPN Announcer Update – Arute Stays

The announcement this week that Rusty Wallace, Jamie Little and Dr Jerry Punch would move from IRL coverage to NASCAR events in 2007 was alarming. While Rusty and Dr Punch have a lot of combined history with stock cars and Jamie deserves maximum exposure, I don’t think any IndyCar fan wanted to see the network completely disassemble the current team.

Well, speculation of a total mass exodus may be premature. Jack Arute was kind enough to let My Name Is IRL know that will he return for his 91st year of IndyCar coverage (OK, maybe not that long, but it does seem like he’s covered every race I’ve ever seen – and I was born in the sixties.)

Arute says he that as far as he knows Marty Reid and Scott Goodyear will remain, and that he expects to be joined in the pits in 2007 by Indianapolis sportscaster Vince Welch. Of course, it’s not Jack's job to set the roster so anything can change (including the addition of more personnel), but the expectation of keeping solid broadcasters like Arute, Reid and Goodyear is heartening.

One other thing Jack made clear: he didn’t want to cover the NASCAR events, stating he turned down the job. Perhaps it’s because NASCAR races eleven months a year or they have 43 pit stalls to cover or their races last five hours. Or maybe Jack’s just So Damn Indy.

Speaking of, click here to read Dan Wheldon’s sadness on the loss of Big Jamie.