Tracy dropped from NBC Sports IndyCar coverage for 2022 IndyCar

From Racer Magazine | December 8, 2021 1:19 PM ET

NBC Sports has not renewed the contract of 2003 Champ Car champion and veteran NTT IndyCar Series commentator Paul Tracy. The change comes after Tracy produced what was arguably his best season of insights and analysis in the booth alongside Leigh Diffey and Townsend Bell.

Tracy’s eight-year stint at NBC Sports was fraught with self-induced adversity as his social media posts often caused an uproar among fans, and led IndyCar’s broadcast partner to censure the Canadian. More issues, which took place behind the scenes during the height of COVID-19 in 2020, led NBC Sports to reduce Tracy’s role entering 2021, but as he found renewed energy and focus, his calendar was expanded to include nearly all of IndyCar’s races.

Tracy tells RACER he and NBC were unable to create a mutually-beneficial broadcast calendar that would allow the soon-to-be 53-year-old to continue competing in the SRX series and pursue an LMP3 drive in IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

With a new vacancy in the booth to fill, and the recent loss of Robin Miller from NBC’s IndyCar broadcast team, one or more new or returning names can be expected within the announcing and pit reporting group. RACER understands the revised line-up should be confirmed before the end of the year. Tracy’s countryman, former Andretti Autosport driver James Hinchcliffe, is considered to be a leading candidate for a commentary role.

The new IndyCar season launches on NBC across February 27-29 at St. Petersburg.