Replies

Dr. Jerry Punch will remain with ESPN: Dr. Jerry Punch, who has been associated with ESPN since 1984 as a motorsports and college sports announcer, has agreed to a new contract to remain with the network and extend his run as one of ESPN's longest-tenured announcers. Punch, who was a pit reporter as well as a lap-by-lap announcer on ESPN's NASCAR race telecasts through the network's recently-completed final season of live NASCAR racing, will return to ESPN's college football and basketball coverage in various roles. He worked on college sports telecasts from 1989-2006 as both a play-by-play announcer and sideline reporter while also covering motorsports. In addition, Punch will remain connected to motorsports as a pit reporter on ABC's telecasts of the Indianapolis 500 and other races in the Verizon IndyCar Series. "ESPN has been my home for a long time and I'm grateful for the opportunities presented to me to remain part of the team," said Punch. "I love the passion of college sports and look forward to helping bring those stories to our viewers and to reconnecting with the college coaches and staffs I've enjoyed relationships with over the years." His first game will be Jan. 15 as he calls the Murray State vs. Belmont Ohio Valley Conference matchup on ESPNU. He is ESPN's sixth longest-tenured announcer, following Bob Ley, Cliff Drysdale, Chris Berman, Dick Vitale and Mike Patrick.(ESPN)(12-22-2014)

Jeremy Bullins named crew chief for Wood Brothers, Blaney: Wood Brothers Racing announced that Jeremy Bullins will rejoin the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion team next season to serve as the crew chief for Ryan Blaney in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, beginning with the 2015 Daytona 500. Bullins returns to the Wood Brothers organization following a successful three-year tenure with Team Penske's #22 NASCAR Nationwide Series team that produced 21 wins and two consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series Owners' Championships. Bullins first worked with the Wood Brothers in 1999 on the Pro Cup and Late Model cars driven by Jon Wood. In 2000, Bullins became race engineer for the iconic No. 21 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, a position he held until June of 2002. Bullins moved on to work with ST Motorsports, Robert Yates Racing and Richard Childress Racing, where he helped drivers Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer claim a total of nine Sprint Cup Series victories as a race engineer. A native of Walnut Cove, NC, Bullins joined Team Penske in 2012 to serve as the crew chief for the #22 car in the Nationwide Series, earning three wins in his first full season at the helm. In 2013, Bullins led the team to 12 wins with four different drivers and the team's first Nationwide Series Owners' Championship. The #22 Ford team won the Owners' Title again this season behind six series victories. In total, Bullins earned 21 wins, 14 poles, 57 top-five and 79 top-10 finishes in 99 starts with the #22 Team Penske Nationwide Series program.(Wood Brothers Racing)(12-22-2014)