Motorsport enthusiasts are likely familiar with Jamie Little’s work on Fox’s NASCAR Cup Series coverage. This year, however, Little’s presence will extend across a broader range of Fox’s motorsports programming.
On Sunday, Little will take on the role of pit reporter when Fox airs its inaugural IndyCar race from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. This marks a return to familiar territory for Little, who served as a pit reporter for ESPN and ABC’s IndyCar coverage between 2004 and 2014. After a break, her last appearance being the 2014 Indianapolis 500, she steps in for Georgia Henneberry, who is currently on maternity leave.
Beyond this, Little will be the play-by-play announcer throughout the season for Fox’s coverage of the Truck Series. Her hope is to attract some NASCAR fans to the IndyCar broadcast, which is scheduled to air just before the NASCAR Cup Series road race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
In Little’s own words, “We’re going to try to cross-promote as much as we can. It’s our first doubleheader. IndyCar is the first race followed by NASCAR. I’m the one person that does both, so they’re asking me to be there to try to blend those two worlds.”
One strategy to integrate IndyCar and NASCAR audiences involves a feature on Kyle Larson, with segments airing in both shows. Larson is once again tackling the challenge of participating in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Last year’s attempt was hampered by rain, which delayed the Indy race and truncated the NASCAR event.
Fox’s enhanced coverage represents the first instance of a complete motorsports series being shown on broadcast television. The network has promoted its coverage through ads featuring well-known drivers like Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, and Pato O’Ward which aired during the NFL playoffs and the recent Super Bowl.
As Little notes, “I think there is nothing better that you can do to help grow this sport and grow the viewership than to have it on a network where people will be exposed to it like never before.” She emphasizes the excitement that has been generated by the ongoing promotional efforts.
Another notable change for Little this season is her full-time position covering the NASCAR Truck Series schedule. Previously, she called selected races over the past three seasons and will now fill the position vacated by Adam Alexander, who has moved to the CW to cover the Xfinity Series.
In 2021, Little made history as the first woman to serve as a TV play-by-play announcer for a national U.S. racing series broadcast, a role she initially hadn’t considered. Her perspective shifted after encouragement from Leigh Diffey, a commentator with NBC, who urged her to become a pioneering voice in NASCAR.
Reflecting on this shift, Little acknowledged, “I just didn’t think it was possible because it’s just you always hear a man’s voice. But I wanted to test myself. I want to challenge myself, step out of that comfort zone.” Initially approaching the role as she would a pit reporter, Little has since honed her skills and embraced the broader responsibilities involved.
“It’s a skill set, and you’re a traffic control cop. There is time to tell those stories, to update these drivers, and what’s happening,” Little shared. “But that’s why you have the support of your analysts there explaining what’s happening on the track. It’s about bringing everybody together and keeping that conversation flowing.”
Little’s upcoming schedule is bustling. Since early February, she has reported for the Westminster Dog Show, called two Truck races and an ARCA event, served as a pit reporter for two Cup series races, and even conducted an interview with former President Donald Trump before the Daytona 500.
