Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network

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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network (known typically as the IMS Radio Network, and formerly the Indy Racing Radio Network) is a broadcast radio network (actually, more properly a radio syndication arrangement) by which the annual Indianapolis 500 automobile race is broadcast on radio stations covering most of North America. This arrangement allows the Hulman-George family, controlling figures in the Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the related Indy Racing League, more control than had they merely granted the broadcast rights to another entity. The network claims to be the largest in the world dedicated to the broadcast of a single annual event. Some 400 radio stations carried the 2006 race.

The longtime flagship of the network is station WIBC in Indianapolis.

Prior to the early 1950s, national radio coverage of the Indianapolis 500 did not include the entire race, but instead the start, the finish, and a few minutes every half hour while the race was in progress. In 1952, the Speedway took radio broadcasting rights in-house and starting in 1953, began broadcasting the race in its entirety.

The play-by-play announcer of the race is known as "The Voice of The 500". Sid Collins was the first voice from 1952 to 1976. Collins committed suicide on May 2, 1977, after being diagnosed with ALS. Paul Page, whom Collins mentored, took over from 1977 to 1987. Lou Palmer then served the shortest tenure to date as "The Voice," calling only the races held in 1988 and 1989. Bob Jenkins replaced Palmer, and called the event from 1990 to 1998 (Jenkins has since said that no event he had ever done left him so physically exhausted when it was over). Mike King is the present voice, having served since 1999.

In addition to King, there are many other announcers on an Indy 500 broadcast. Working the booth alongside King are former IRL driver Davey Hamilton, former Indy racer John Andretti, former comedian and present WIBC afternoon host Dave Wilson, longtime Speedway historian Donald Davidson, and longtime motorsports journalist Chris Economaki, who gives pre-race, mid-race and post-race essays. The booth the five men work in is located on the top floor of the Bombardier Pagoda, which sits next to Victory Lane.

Since King and his colleagues cannot see all the way around the track, each turn is assigned its own announcer. Jerry Baker has been located at Turn 1 for over 30 years. Adam Alexander calls action from Turn 2, Mark Jaynes calls Turn 3, and Chris Denari works Turn 4. Working the pit lane are Dave Argabright, Nicole Manske, Kevin Lee and Kevin Olson. For the rest of the Indy Racing League schedule, Jaynes becomes the backstretch announcer with Manske, Lee and Olson as the pit reporters, but as of the middle of the 2006 season, Patrick Stephan has taken over Manske's spot as she is now working for SPEED Channel. The IRL's road racing events usually bring back some of the Indy-only announcers as well as one or two that are not heard for the rest of the series.

Between 1953 and 1985, the IMS Radio Network had the only live broadcast of the race in the United States, meaning that fans who wanted to follow the race live had no choice.

The network's name was changed in 1997 to the Indy Racing Radio Network to reflect the entire Indy Racing League, and they broadcast coverage of the annual Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, the NASCAR Nextel Cup race that takes place at the Speedway, as well as the Formula One United States Grand Prix. In recent years, it has expanded its activities to include the entire Indy Racing League schedule. Most of the crew that calls the 500 calls these races as well. However, Adam Alexander is employed by International Speedway Corporation, and does not work other races. For the race at Texas Motor Speedway, some of that company's own radio network will assist in the turns and pit areas in a deal in which the two radio networks will share coverage at Texas Motor Speedway, and also at the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. For many years, a radio station which wanted the Allstate 400 was required to carry the Indianapolis 500.

For the first six years, Mike Joy anchored the 400 broadcasts; however, Joy resigned weeks before the 2000 race for paternal reasons for the birth of his daughter Katilyn Jarrett Joy. Since 2000, Mike King has anchored the 400 broadcast.

Because of the joint production with Speedway Motorsports, their main radio anchor Doug Rice joins King in the Bombardier Pagoda. While the Turns 1 and 3 announcers remain the same, Denari, who usually works Turn 4, is moved to Turn 2. Veteran Speedway Motorsports announcer Chuck Carland works Turn 4. Also, Kevin Lee is the only pit reporter from Indy Racing Radio to work that race; NASCAR veteran Ralph Sheheen and Speedway Motorsports radio pit reporters Brett McMillan and Pat Patterson will join Lee.