Not today, but I think I actually could maybe get there.". Bell has filled in for Formula One coverage on NBC, most notably in 2016 when he replaced Will Buxton, who was on bereavement leave for the races at Sepang and Mexico City. Bell was on a limited-month schedule but had an impressive race day, advancing from 24th on the grid up to the top five. Bell is a color commentator for NBC Sports[2] with lead anchor Leigh Diffey and fellow analyst Paul Tracy. I did it and it was fun, and then you just keep getting calls. Naturally, a broke Bell in November 1996 did the reasonable thing: He pulled out his credit card and paid for a Skip Barber Racing School three-day program. Well, maybe not that easy, but at least doable. He competed in the Formula Dodge Western Championship. A weekend boater gets hung out to dry when she joins the enthusiastic fray of Radio Control Sailboat Racing. "I went to the Indy 500," he says. He qualified 4th and led 12 laps in the 2016 Indy 500, racing for Andretti Autosport, before an incident on pit road during caution. ", The temptation of bigger boats always lurks, though, and the day he talked to BoatUS Magazine he was heading to Catalina on a borrowed Gran Turismo. Bell finished 9th in the 2012 Indianapolis 500 with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Thanks to the same storms that prevented them from landing in Daytona, the start of the race was delayed, and Bell made it to the speedway in time, pulling into the infield just before 6 p.m. Vasser was able to see his Lexus team finish first and second in the GTD class, and Bell was able to smile after finishing second. San Luis Obispo's 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 . He is happily married to his wife Heather Campbell Bell. "The first television job I did I believe was for Sky Sports in the U.K. doing Indy Car. Furthermore, Townsend and his wife Heather had their first date at the . He's got a Porsche and a Bimmer (his wife drives the Porsche). Subscribers may view the full text of this article in its original form through TimesMachine. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The burglary happened Friday night, but Bell was not made aware of it until he returned home because he'd left his cellphone in the Uber he took to the Los Angeles airport when he headed to Florida for the race. CalDRE #01904054. or 'Test Drive' with Tommy Kendall. Townsend Bell and his wife Heather onboard their Beneteau Barracuda. His efforts shifted to Europe and in 2003 he was teammate to series champion Bjrn Wirdheim in International F3000 competition. Bell was the first American to score a F3000 podium with a 3rd place at the Hungaroring and he finished 9th overall in a field covered with future Formula One talent - Giorgio Pantano, Patrick Friesacher, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Nicolas Kiesa among them. (KAIT) - A White County woman faces two counts of Medicaid fraud after authorities said she turned in over 300 fraudulent claims to the system over a three-year period. Bell is a color commentator for NBC Sports with lead anchor Leigh Diffey and fellow analyst Paul Tracy. Townsends height is 5 ft 11 in ( approx. Bell made his television debut as a color commentator for INDYCAR broadcasts on Sky Sports in Europe, and also served as an analyst of SPEEDs F1 coverage. "I probably would've been totally out of racing by 2008 if the merger [between CART and the IRL] hadn't happened," he says. He is from American. "Behind me was nothing, just a brick wall. "You've gotta hear this thing," Townsend Bell greets us as he grins and climbs from a gunmetal gray metallic -- Grigio Silverstone in Maranello parlance -- 2015 . He was born on April 19, 1975, in San Luis Obispo, California, in the United States. Verified. To see suggested results, please type at least 2 characters to specify a city, neighborhood, address, or agent. "I don't really think I'd be focused on a stolen Rolex while I was racing. , 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. 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. His performance in F3000 led to Formula One tests with the Jaguar and BAR Honda F1 teams. "You've gotta hear this thing," Townsend Bell greets us as he grins and climbs from a gunmetal gray metallic -- Grigio Silverstone in Maranello parlance -- 2015 Ferrari FF. "The only reason I understood that [business stuff] was because I had zero options," he says. The Agency fully supports the Equal Housing Opportunity laws. His wife is Costa Rican, and the couple has been dating since 2013. Townsend Bell nationality American age 47 years old born April 19, 1975 hometown San Francisco, California Racing highlights Racing career summary Esports career summary (work in progress) Disclaimer: the data and summaries are all taken from the data available in the career details section further below on this page. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 19 April. We were like, Splash and go. He raced a partial season and scored a best finish of fourth at Portland. Well, actually, I'm back to zero now on Rolex watches, so maybe I would have been thinking during the race I had to win because I've got to start my whole collection over now.". Anyone can read what you share. He also was entered in a third team car in the Indy 500, where he qualified twelfth and finished tenth. $29.03. Oliver Gavin and Townsend Bell join Vasser Sullivan Racing as part of the two-car driver lineup for the 24 Hours of Daytona. 2023 Boat Owners Association of The United States. Along the way, Bell learned as much about motorsports business and self-promotion as he did driving and race-craft. Exclusive: Early-Bird Tasting Tour of Pike Place Market. So that reignited my interest to stay involved, and I've been involved ever since.". Its two-and-a-half minute format pits MLS players and personalities against one another in an autocross elimination tournament, with the winner driving home in a Lamborghini. 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 . "It's funny 'cause when you're in the Ferrari race car, it's very much a race car," Bell says later. Bell told The Associated Press on Monday the burglars made off with the 10 rings from his Indianapolis 500s, his ring for winning the 2001 Indy Lights championship, his Rolex watch from his 2014 victory in the 24-hour race and the Rolex he received for winning the IMSA title the next season. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Bell was on a limited-month schedule but had an impressive race day, advancing from 24th on the grid up to the top five. "Indy Car racing is what I always dreamed of as a kid, I was always fascinated with that. Then again, so is Townsend Bell, cramming new pieces of technology into the small office of his three-bedroom home in Los Angeles. I told her Its just a car race! said Bell, who is also an IndyCar analyst for NBC Sports. HIS OWN DRAMATIC STORY In His Poor, Warped Mind His Love for His Dead Wife Became a Craze for. He won the Indy Lights championship in 2001 and earned two starts in a Champ Car in a joint effort between Patrick Racing and Dale Coyne Racing as a test for a full-time seat in 2002. Townsend Bell, former INDYCAR, and CART and Champ Car driver, serves as an analyst for NBC Sports' INDYCAR coverage. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. . Bell still races in the IMSA series as part of the AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus team. 23 car in events where Milka Duno was not scheduled to race. 1.8m ). His wife is working for The Agency as the director of residential estates. 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. "It was almost ridiculous that I went from being a college student Indy-car fan to, 'Holy shit, somebody's going to pay me like a lot of money to drive their Indy car.' Furthermore, Townsend has also been a color commentator for at least half a decade. 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The accelerated climb to the sport's summit was almost unheard of, but natural talent and driving for Dorricott Racing, at the time Indy Light's best team, masked his inexperience only so much. His wife is Heather Bell Townsend Bell Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. LIKELY TO SELL OUT*. 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. "It almost feels so much more special, the road-car experience. Additionally, the couple is proud parents of two handsome sons namely Jensen and Jaxon. However, in 2001, Townsend won the title of the Indy Little series. 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. "I was totally mesmerized I just loved cars, I grew up on a very regular diet of [car- and speed-related TV like] 'CHiPs,' 'Knight Rider,' 'Air Wolf,' 'Street Hawk,' 'Dukes of Hazzard' -- that's the fab five. It all seemed so easy. He has also been a participant in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Now I really enjoy it, which is neat because television, selling an idea for TV, leverages a lot of what I've learned through racing: trying to convey an opportunity that is largely intangible in the beginning.". CA Notice.Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Second place here at Daytona, not bad for an old guy that only was here for a few hours yesterday. He is a local of San Luis Obispo, CA, in the United States. It's just been fun and great, and it would be hard to do anything else probably.". It wasn't because I was a natural-born conversationalist. By 2000 Bell raced in Indy Lights and collected two wins, finishing runner-up to future Indy Car star Scott Dixon. In a third, Bell, Sr. had a specially created Styrofoam case for the outboard. ', "In the back of my head I always was confident I was a good driver, because when I did go-karts, I only raced for about a year and a half but I just was good at it. "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. In addition, they had a dominant win at VIR and podium finishes in the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of LeMans. Former IndyCar driver Townsend Bell, who now works as an NBC analyst for the IndyCar series decided early last week he would try his own double duty this past weekend. Bell has contested nine Indianapolis 500s, including this year's, with a best finish of fourth in 2011. In 2009, KV Racing Technology entered Bell in the Indy 500. He started one race as an injury replacement for Tom Enge in the same car in 2005. I had never really made any kind of plan like, 'This is what I'm going to do when I get older. Bell finished 9th in the 2012 Indianapolis 500 with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Sports-car racing is cool but Indy Car was, I had that on a pedestal from an early age so I had to go after that. 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. I think I enjoy getting in the Ferarri road cars 'cause it reminds me of the brand, the mystique, if you know what I mean. He matched his Sebring feat in his first Rolex 24 at Daytona start in 2014, winning that driving with Level 5 Motorsports. Were working on it.' Former IndyCar driver Townsend Bell, who now works as an NBC analyst for the IndyCar series decided early last week he would try his own double duty this past weekend. He was a passenger on a plane chartered by team co-owner Jimmy Vasser that had an in-flight emergency. In 2015, Bell and co-driver Bill Sweedler took home the IMSA GT Daytona Championship. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? #racersfindaway. But no rides emerged and Bell returned to the U.S. in 2004, where he joined the Indy Racing League's field. Despite earning a test with British American Racing at year's end, Bell returned to America where he replaced Mark Taylor for Panther Racing in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series midway through 2004, and posted a best finish of fifth. 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. He hit trade shows carrying business cards. And I was like, 'Theres no way after all of the effort put into this that Im missing the race. Additionally, Townsend and his wife are proud parents of two sons, Jensen and Jaxon. During his leisure, Bell enjoys spending his time with family members and friends. The pairing finished fourth overall in the full season GT Daytona class points. Therefore, Townsend, his older brother, and their cousin had to get themselves to Mississippi together with their boat. 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. "I told her 'It's just a car race!'" He is a man of above-average stature. 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. But Bell was also scheduled to be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the IndyCar race on Saturday. It was one of those things where we could tell on takeoff that the pressurization was kind of in and out, he added. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. In addition, they had a dominant win at VIR and podium finishes in the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of LeMans.[5]. 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