Rhode Island’s Bestwick to remain at ESPN/ABC to call Indy Car races when NASCAR departs that network

Allen Bestwick will be sticking with ESPN/ABC when that network ends it's NASCAR TV rights contract at Homestead Speedway on Sun., Nov. 16. (Credit: ESPN photo)

Allen Bestwick will be sticking with ESPN/ABC when that network ends it’s NASCAR TV rights contract at Homestead Speedway on Sun., Nov. 16. Obviously Bestwick will miss the much busier NASCAR action when he moves to the IndyCar scene.  (Credit: ESPN phot0)

By Lou Modestino

Allen Bestwick’s broadcasting career began at the age of 15, when he did on-air work for the high school radio station (Coventry High school) located in Coventry, Rhode Island. Bestwick began announcing auto racing at age 16, when he called the action at Seekonk Speedway, where his father raced.

He then was hired by Charlie Roberts, founder of MotorNet (www.motorsportsreport.com) in New Jersey, to be the radio network’s Director of Affiliates and Associate Producer.

In 1986 Bestwick joined Motor Racing Network (MRN) as a race reporter and eventually became co-lead announcer with Joe Moore and Barney Hall. While still employed at MRN, Bestwick took over for Ken Squier as TBS’ lead NASCAR commentator for its abbreviated schedule.

In 2007 Alan Bestwick, of Coventry, RI, joined NASCAR on ESPN as lead pit reporter, as well as occasionally being race coverage host on Nationwide Series races, and rare NASCAR Now hosting duties. In 2008, he was moved up to full-time race coverage  and hosted a weekly Monday round table edition of NASCAR Now.

On July 20, 2011, it was announced that Bestwick would replace Marty Reid for the 17 Sprint Cup races hosted by ESPN alongside Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. Nicole Briscoe would replace him as host of NASCAR Countdown alongside Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty. Later Bestwick replaced Marty Reid as play-by-play announcer for the Sprint Cup Series races starting at the Brickyard 400, and returning him to the position for the first time since 2004.

Bestwick also called the Nationwide Series for the remainder of the 2013 season after Reid was fired from ESPN. As a result of ESPN leaving NASCAR after the finale at Homestead Speedway in Florida on Sunday, Nov. 16,  Bestwick was announced to be Reid’s replacement for the IndyCar telecasts for ABC in 2015.