From IMS
INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013 – Veteran motorsports broadcaster Paul Page will return in 2014 as chief announcer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, a role he also held from 1977-87.
Page will serve as the lead voice on IMS Radio Network broadcasts of the Indianapolis 500 and all other IndyCar Series races on terrestrial stations nationwide, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, indycar.com and the INDYCAR app from Verizon. The Indianapolis 500 race broadcast also is available globally on the American Forces Radio Network and LeSEA Broadcasting Network.
“The Speedway has always been my first love, and it’s good to be home again,” Page said. “There is no better racing than IndyCar.”
Page began his first tenure with the IMS Radio Network as a pit reporter from 1974-76 before becoming the chief announcer in 1977 after the death of the legendary Sid Collins. As chief announcer, Page called a number of iconic moments during the Indianapolis 500, including A.J. Foyt’s historic fourth victory in 1977, Gordon Johncock’s triumph in 1982 after a thrilling late-race duel with Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan’s “spin and win” in 1985 and Al Unser’s fourth victory in 1987.
Indiana native Page moved to television to become the lead announcer of NBC and ABC-ESPN’s coverage of CART and the IndyCar Series from 1979-2004. He led an admired and respected booth trio with three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser and Indianapolis 500 veteran Sam Posey during part of that tenure.
Page then became the lead announcer for NHRA Drag Racing coverage on ESPN2 from 2006-12 while also serving as a color commentator for the IMS Radio Network from 2009-13.
“Radio and its theater of the mind have always been special for me,” Page said. “Since I left the chief announcer’s post after 10 years in 1987 to work in television, returning to radio has always been my hope. The past five years as a booth expert for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race have shown me how very special this broadcast is and how far it has come. The broadcasters are excellent. They are a very skilled and professional team, and I am proud to be one of them.”
Said IMS President J. Douglas Boles: “We’re happy to welcome Paul back to the IMS Radio Network’s main chair. His voice is immediately associated with exciting IndyCar racing through more than three decades of describing the action of the sport. He has an incredible passion for IndyCar and is the consummate professional.”
Page and his wife, former IMS Radio Network pit reporter Sally Larvick, live in Indianapolis. They have a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.
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2014 ticket information: Ticket information is available for the four events in 2014 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, 98th Indianapolis 500, Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard and Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
Fans can order tickets at www.ims.com/tickets, by calling 800-822-INDY or 317-492-6700 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are available. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at 866-221-8775 for more information.