Seven potential IndyCar commentator options as Fox take over from NBC

The start of the 2025 IndyCar season is just under two months away, and for the first time in years, the series will be leaving NBC and moving to Fox as its broadcast partner.

And yet, we still don’t know how the broadcast crew will shape up for the year, as negotiations are reportedly still underway. Here, we’ve compiled a list of commentators who have expressed interest in joining the IndyCar booth.

IndyCar commentator options for 2025

Adam Alexander

When Fox announced that it would be taking over IndyCar’s broadcasting rights for 2025, the first name to be entered into the conversation was Adam Alexander.

Alexander has served as the play-by-play commentator for the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Fox, as well as serving as a longtime host of NASCAR Race Hub. But Xfinity will be moving to The CW in 2025 and beyond, and Race Hub aired its final episode in 2024. Alexander, a native of Indianapolis and former turn announcer for the Indy 500, would make all too much sense when it comes time for Fox to sign a broadcaster.

Townsend Bell

Former racer Townsend Bell has long been a part of the IndyCar broadcasts on NBC, but he has admitted he’d also be interested in making the move to Fox.

Per Sports Business Journal, Bell has already had talks with Fox, perhaps due to his longstanding ties with the network that date back to the days when it owned Speed, one of America’s primary motorsport channels.

Allen Bestwick

Another name on the potential shortlist for IndyCar commentary is Allen Bestwick. Bestwick has been in the game for decades, becoming a familiar and beloved voice of American motorsport. Further, he has plenty of natural ties to the sport, often serving as the track announcer at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indy 500.

It is currently unclear if Bestwick is still in talks with Fox, but he would be a very strong option.

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Kevin Lee

When Leigh Diffey stepped back from commentating on IndyCar for NBC last season, Kevin Lee slotted in to take over, and he’s been rumored to be on the shortlist for a move to Fox.

According to RACER, Lee is freelance, which means he had no longstanding contractual ties to NBC that would see him have to remain within that broadcast family. That means he’d be free to make the swap to Fox to join that booth.

Dario Franchitti

Admittedly, Dario Franchitti’s presence on this list is something of a curveball; the former racer serves as an advisor for the Chip Ganassi Racing team and would have to abandon that role to take on a career in the IndyCar booth — but it would be a great move if he did.

Franchitti is a former Formula E commentator, helping the electric open-wheel series gain legitimacy during the series’ early years. There, he earned a reputation for being an engaging and insightful color commentator, something he’d also thrive at in IndyCar.

Will Buxton

According to the Sports Business Journal, Will Buxton is the latest name to enter the ring for IndyCar broadcasting in 2025! Buxton is perhaps best known for his work in Formula 1, but he’s also nurtured an unmistakable love of IndyCar, going so far as to attend a handful of events throughout his career.

Buxton’s representative declined to comment on the rumors, but it is worth noting that the Briton has ties to Fox. He got his commentary start at Speed, which was owned by Fox, before moving to NBC Sports when that channel purchased the broadcasting rights for F1.

James Hinchcliffe

When Canadian racer James Hinchcliffe retired from full-time competition, he already had his next step lined up: Commentary. He kicked things off with IndyCar before joining F1TV for a handful of races each season.

Hinchcliffe seems made for motorsport commentary, able to combine technical explanations with interesting observations for an overall enjoyable, and often genuinely amusing, presence.

When PlanetF1.com spoke to Hinchcliffe at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, he noted that his future plans still weren’t set in stone, but that he’s hoping to continue in both the F1 and IndyCar spaces. We’re hoping so, too.

Read next: James Hinchcliffe: From IndyCar driver to rising F1 star commentator