Sunday marks the 22nd Daytona 500 on Fox — and the 22nd for Larry McReynolds. A two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief, McReynolds has been a fixture of NASCAR on Fox since the network began covering the Cup Series 25 seasons ago. This year, he’ll once again provide analysis alongside Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick, with coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. However, McReynolds never anticipated transitioning into a full-time broadcast role.
In a conversation with host Brandon Contes on the Awful Announcing Podcast (with the full episode releasing Friday), McReynolds shared how his journey into television began in 1995, prompted by a phone call from longtime producer Pam Miller, who is still involved with Fox’s racing coverage. “She called me out of the clear blue in 1995 and asked if I would entertain doing some broadcast work on a Saturday for an Xfinity Series or truck race. They really enjoyed my interviews and thought I’d do a good job,” McReynolds recalled. From 1995 to 2000, he participated in five to eight broadcasts a year, treating it as just a fun side gig and never envisioning leaving the pit box.
That perspective shifted when he received a pivotal call from Fox legend David Hill in late 1999. “When the new TV package was put in place for 2001, I got a call from an Australian-speaking gentleman named David Hill, who was the chairman of Fox Sports,” he explained. Hill informed him about Fox obtaining the TV rights for the first half of the 2001 season and expressed interest in having McReynolds as their crew chief analyst. The offer left McReynolds stunned; he had always considered himself a crew chief. “I didn’t know how to respond. I felt like I’d be a crew chief to the day I died. It was a tough decision, and I involved my wife and children. It took me five or six months to make up my mind,” he said.
Ultimately, McReynolds took the leap on a trial basis. “From a monetary standpoint, it was almost a lateral move, which I liked, as it allowed me to process the two situations. I worried that if I didn’t take the opportunity, it might never come again, and I’d always wonder, ‘What if I had taken that deal with Fox?’ They offered me a two-year deal, so I figured if I didn’t like it or they didn’t like me, I could return to being a crew chief. I’ve never looked back at that decision,” he concluded.
Listen to the full episode of the Awful Announcing Podcast featuring Larry McReynolds beginning Friday, Feb. 14. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. For more content, subscribe to AA’s YouTube page.
