DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Townsend Bell faced an unexpected challenge as he was preparing to begin his role as an analyst for Fox Sports’ first season of IndyCar coverage. Just as he received the call from his new producer, his wife rushed into his office in California, alerting him that a fire had ignited in their Pacific Palisades neighborhood and they needed to evacuate.
The couple made their way to Santa Monica to stay at his mother-in-law’s house, where they tuned into the local television reports about the raging wildfires devastating the Los Angeles area. While trying to remain calm, Bell kept in touch with neighbors via text and monitored his home using footage from his Ring security camera.
Amidst the chaos, he realized he had left vital racing gear at his house, just a day before he was due to depart on a three-week trip that included competing in the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona. He persuaded his wife to allow him to make a quick trip back home to retrieve his belongings, but first he needed to navigate through the overwhelming traffic jam.
To bypass the gridlock, Bell opted to rent a scooter he saw on the street. Unfortunately, his scooter ride was cut short, forcing him to run the final two miles uphill to reach their home. As the wildfire edged closer, he called his wife to ask what three essential items she needed him to grab. He darted through the house for 12 intense minutes, snapping pictures for insurance documentation as he went.
He was able to collect his racing helmet and ear plugs before heading to the Fox Sports booth introduction in Indianapolis, and then onward to Daytona International Speedway, where he is set to race for Vasser Sullivan Racing. While he has accommodation planned in Daytona, Bell is left uncertain about his housing situation post-race. Though his home in Pacific Palisades survived, it suffered extensive smoke and soot damage, leaving it likely unlivable for about a year. His two rental properties in Malibu, unfortunately, were completely destroyed in the fires. When Bell departed California last week, his wife had taken refuge in a friend’s guest house in Sherman Oaks.
The traumatic scooter journey still lingers in his mind, particularly the sight of mothers rushing to collect their children from schools that no longer exist. “The whole Palisades looks like a nuclear bomb went off,” Bell stated, expressing the stark reality of his neighborhood, which lacks water, power, gas, schools, and even a post office.
The year didn’t start as planned for Bell, who was on a family vacation in New Zealand on New Year’s Day. His boys had urged him to stop at the Rolex store, which made him feel heavy-hearted as the prestigious watch he won at Daytona in 2014 had been stolen during a burglary in 2018.
However, the sentiment shifted when he received a call from Jimmy Vasser inviting him to join this year’s Lexus program for the Rolex race. Just the day before, he had resigned himself to the fact that he might never get another chance to reclaim his lost watch since he hadn’t raced in three years.
Now, Bell will both compete and contribute to NBC Sports’ coverage of the race. Despite the looming uncertainties awaiting him back in California, he maintains an optimistic outlook as he hopes to recover his stolen watch before diving into his new Fox Sports role.
“I was racing here when my home got burglarized, and now I am racing again with no clarity on what’s next except dealing with insurance when I return,” Bell reflected. “So, Daytona has an odd and haunting vibe. Nonetheless, I’m excited to have this opportunity.”
