Therefore, Townsend, his older brother, and their cousin had to get themselves to Mississippi together with their boat. Bad weather near Daytona Beach meant they couldnt land next to the speedway as originally planned. He followed that performance with a victory in the 2014 Rolex 23 at Daytona, and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GT-Am class in 2016. 301. Before joining NBC, Townsend was working as a color commentator for INDYCAR broadcasts on Sky Sports in Europe. Bell is also a color commentator for NBC Sports's IndyCar, Global RallyCross Championship as well as the host of What'Cha Got on Fox Sports 1. His only communication with his family was when he was able to check his email on his computer, and he said his wife didn't want to bother him during the Rolex. He made his first Indianapolis 500 appearance for Vision Racing in 2006, qualifying 15th and finishing 22nd. But surprisingly for a shy personality, his consistent tie to Indy Car is off the track and out of the car, in NBC Sports' television broadcast booth as a color commentator. Subscribers may view the full text of this article in its original form through TimesMachine. Bell is a color commentator for NBC Sports with lead anchor Leigh Diffey and fellow analyst James Hinchcliffe. He is currently competing full-time in the 2017 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona class with Alex Job Racing in an Audi R8 GT3 and will return to Le Mans with Ferrari. After landing, Vasser rented a car and off they set on Interstate 95. Passing Team Penske's Will Power on the last restart, Bell impressed with a fourth-place finish. Trending. "Television was the last thing on my mind, ever," he laughs. At night we'd stay in little motels along the Mississippi.". Throw his broadcasting work with NBC and a hectic family life with two small boys into the mix, and boating had to take something of a backseat for a time. He spent time in karting, Skip Barber, Formula Dodge and the Barber Dodge Pro Series before graduating to Indy Lights in 2000. He is 47 years old. One brother went to Alaska, another to New York. However, due to tragic events, the truth about his failing marriage began to make headlines in 2019. All the work you put in to get all that stuff, and at least you have recognition of the achievement, and now its gone.. Ann Dermody is the former managing editor of BoatUS Magazine. And I haven't had a successful Indy Car career, I've gotten there and had a couple of good runs, but I mean, I have very little to show for it in the fragmented running that I've done. At the 2013 X-Games in Munich, Bell competed in Global Rallycross and finished 6th in the final. Christopher Bell is married to his wife, Morgan Kemenah who is also his best friend. Townsend Bell competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona over the weekend, then flew home to Los Angeles to receive bad news from his wife: Their home had been burglarized and the bulk of his racing memorabilia had been stolen. Another brief dalliance in karting at age 16 followed, but he spent his high-school sports tenure mostly on the soccer field. 2023 NBC Universal, All rights reserved. The issues didnt end there, however. ', So, Jimmy Vasser and I kind of huddled with the pilot and we came up with the plan to fly low. When Bell was growing up in San Francisco, his dad promised him and his two brothers that when each turned 10, he would take them on a father-son bonding trip of their choosing. However, in 2001, Townsend won the title of the Indy Little series. Anyone can read what you share. Notice the aero optimized seating position. $29.03. Townsend Bell had a better idea. In a third, Bell, Sr. had a specially created Styrofoam case for the outboard. "He loved it, and I found myself lingering longer and longer after drop-off in the mornings, wandering around thinking to myself, 'Boy, that sure would be nice '", Eight months later, the family became the proud owners of a Beneteau Barracuda, which they regularly take up and down the California coast or over to Catalina. We will update Townsend Bell's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. All material is intended for informational purposes only and has been obtained from public records, MLS, or other sources believed to be reliable, but not verified. Moreso, Townsend had his debut in the racing career in the Barber Dodge Pro Series before joining the Indy Light series in 2000 where he finished second. "It's the perfect boat for us because it has an enclosed pilothouse and we can spend the night, if we want," he says. Townsend Bell was born on April 19, 1975 in San Francisco, California, USA. 0. His efforts shifted to Europe and in 2003 he was teammate to series champion Bjrn Wirdheim in International F3000 competition. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 alongside Jack Hawksworth and Aaron Telitz. In the famous Indy500 in 2016 Townsend clocked a top speed of 241.637mph.[6]. "Indy Car racing is what I always dreamed of as a kid, I was always fascinated with that. And I've been lucky, too. In 2009, KV Racing Technology entered Bell in the Indy 500. Join the conversation Townsend Bell competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona over the weekend, then flew home to Los Angeles to receive bad news from his wife: Their home had been burglarized and. In 2012, Bell made his professional sports car racing debut with Alex Job Racing, winning the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring on the first attempt. said Bell, who is also an IndyCar analyst for NBC Sports. That season, he drove a Lotus Evora GTE for Alex Job Racing in the American Le Mans Series with Bill Sweedler, before he and Sweedler drove a Ferrari F458 Italia the following year with West/AJR. Before he had his start in the media career, Townsend has been racing motorsports series for at least two decades both at the domestic and international level. Palisades Patrol swore in its seventh town sheriff Tuesday night, race car driver Townsend Bell, to help address quality of life issues in Pacific Palisades. Since his return to the U.S. in 2004 to race in the IndyCar Series, he's competed in the Indianapolis 500 eight times, and in 2012 won the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring race on his first attempt. LIKELY TO SELL OUT*. On Thursday, he flew from his home in California to Daytona for Friday practice with the team. Its first on-air property, "What'Cha Got", Host of "What'Cha Got" on Fox Sports 1. The burglary happened Friday night, but Bell was not made aware of it until he returned home because hed left his cellphone in the Uber he took to the Los Angeles airport when he headed to Florida for the race. Heather Bell Townsend Bell | Wife. In 2015, Bell and co-driver Bill Sweedler took home the IMSA GT Daytona Championship. It all seemed so easy. Furthermore, Townsend has also been a color commentator for at least half a decade. Some of Townsends colleagues at NBC include: In June 2021, Townsend shared an entry for the No. "The only reason I understood that [business stuff] was because I had zero options," he says. His wife is working for The Agency as the director of residential estates. The wedding took place one week before Bell competes in a Cup car for the first time at Daytona International Speedway. 6 Robert Graham Dallara-Chevrolet, marked his eighth start in the event and seventh consecutive. Bell is a color commentator for NBC Sports with lead anchor Leigh Diffey and fellow analyst Paul Tracy. "My first real boating experience was kind of funny," says Los Angeles-based race-car driver and NBC Sports' IndyCar broadcaster Townsend Bell. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. I was 10 years old at the time, and we started out with that boat in San Francisco Bay as the precursor to our Mississippi trip. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Any use, reproduction, modification, distribution, display or performance of this material without NBC Universal's prior written consent is prohibited.Use of the Website signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. "I would say until my second half of my second year of Lights, I was always over my head," he acknowledges. He began his racing career in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, and ascended to the Indy Lights series in 2000, where he finished second behind Scott Dixon before winning the series title in 2001. These people just keep calling me to do TV, maybe I ought to actually put a little effort into it. 524 following. The Agency and The Agency logo are registered trademarks of The Agency IP Holdco, LLC under license to its parents and affiliates. He then drove to Orlando (about an hour away) jumped on a $69 flight to Cincinnati and drove from there to Indianapolis, where he fulfilled his TV duties Saturday. The only problem is when you do that, you burn fuel, so we didnt have enough gas, so then the pilot said, 'Well have to drop you guys and youll have to jump on another charter.' It wasn't because I was a natural-born conversationalist. Furthermore, the announcement of Townsend racing in a Lexus was made by the Vasser Sullivan Racing. Townsends salary is $89,900 annually. He matched his Sebring feat in his first Rolex 24 at Daytona start in 2014, winning that driving with Level 5 Motorsports. He is happily married to his wife Heather Campbell Bell. Gavin will race in the No. Bell has driven in numerous domestic and international motorsport series for more than two decades, and has competed in the Indianapolis 500 on 10 occasions, finishing in fourth place in 2009. I went up and talked to the pilots and they were like, 'We know. It seemed so unattainable and larger than life.". He was born on April 19, 1975, in San Luis Obispo, California, in the United States. Townsend Bell (born April 19, 1975) is an American professional motor racing driver competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and also as a motorsports commentator for NBC Sports' IndyCar Series coverage. Thanks, Dad! By qualifying fourth fastest, he started the 95th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing on the inside of the second row. Bell moved to Europe's F3000 series in pursuit of becoming the first American since Michael Andretti in 1993 to compete in Formula One, and he tested briefly for the Jaguar and BAR Honda F1 teams. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. By qualifying fourth fastest, he started the 95th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing on the inside of the second row. Townsend Bell competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona over the weekend, then flew home to Los Angeles to receive bad news from his wife: Their home had been burglarized and the bulk of his racing memorabilia had been stolen. I'm still working on winning one -- winning the Indy 500 only -- but I am proud of the success of where I started and how I got there, because that's rare. Jun 9, 2015. After college (at UC Santa Barbara, where he was captain of the waterski team), he spent the next several years competing in regional and national events, climbing the race car ladder, before his first big win with the 2001 Indy Lights Championship. His best result in 2008 was an eighth-place finish at Richmond International Raceway in June. The last driver to do this was Kurt Busch in 2014. Townsend Bell competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona over the weekend, then flew home to Los Angeles to receive bad news from his wife: Their home had been burglarized and the bulk of his racing . A proper cruiser, if you will. Townsend Bell drives Indy cars for a living, so it's no surprise he considers doing 40 knots in his Beneteau Barracuda relaxing. #punchonthru pic.twitter.com/MUj19XsOkI. I was just trying too hard, obviously, and I didn't have a strong foundation of confidence, frankly, that I belonged there. By 2000 Bell raced in Indy Lights and collected two wins, finishing runner-up to future Indy Car star Scott Dixon. Verified. Therefore, it goes undisputed that Townsend has been able to cumulate a decent fortune over the years. "All the work you put in to get all that stuff, and at least you have recognition of the achievement, and now it's gone.". Along the way, Bell learned as much about motorsports business and self-promotion as he did driving and race-craft. Early career[ edit] Bell is a color commentator for NBC Sports[2] with lead anchor Leigh Diffey and fellow analyst Paul Tracy. Townsend is the son of Mr & Mrs. Bell. He decided to try to meet both his on-air and racing responsibilities. . , The 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Is Luxury Muscle, GM Plans 4-Door, Crossover Vette EVs, Sources Say, 7 US Entries Confirmed for 24 Hour of Le Mans, Autoweek Racing on TV: February 27-March 5. ", As a family vacation, that wouldn't have been so unusual if it weren't for the fact the Bells lived in San Francisco, some 2,000 miles from the mighty river. Bell made his television debut as a color commentator for INDYCAR broadcasts on Sky Sports in Europe, and also served as an analyst of SPEED's F1 coverage. Plane and weather issues left him little time to make the second race. All rights in such marks are reserved by The Agency IP Holdco, LLC. "We literally took the boat on American Airlines as checked baggage," he laughs. Heather Bell Director, Residential Estates heather.bell@theagencyre.com (310) 779-7211 License: DRE #1897826 A Los Angeles resident for more than 20 years, Heather Bell has built a reputation for her willingness to work tirelessly on behalf of her clients to get the job done. He is happily married to his wife Heather Campbell Bell. The Agency IP Holdco, LLC and its parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, franchisees of its affiliates, and network partners make no representations, warranties, or guaranties as to the accuracy of the information contained herein, including square footage, lot size or other information concerning the condition, suitability or features of the property. 252 posts. He has also been a participant in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. #racersfindaway. Townsend Bell's net worth He earned Roberto Moreno's seat at Patrick that year. Furthermore, Townsends father had the boat inflated and checked in as luggage while they were taking a flight to Minneapolis. 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