Indy fans, are you ready to fasten your seatbelt? The open-wheel racing series is about to accelerate into multiple gears. However, some recent news might temper your excitement for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  Let’s clarify the situation with a closer look at the details. Although Roger Penske recently rejected a proposition to bring a NASCAR style playoff system, he has brought someone over from NASCAR.

It’s none other than Jamie Little, the commentator who received scathing remarks for her work during the Daytona weekend. Now, with Penske bringing her on for Indy Car, he received warnings from fans about the same.

FOX Sports PR took the X and shared the exciting news marking significant importance in the IndyCar season, they wrote, “FOX Sports broadcaster Jamie Little, the first female pit reporter for the television broadcast of the prestigious Indianapolis 500 (2004), returns to familiar ground this weekend, filling in for Georgia Henneberry as a pit reporter for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Little also will return to Indy in May for FOX Sports.” 

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg roars to life on March 2, marking the start of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. FOX Sports is all set to uplift the excitement with their veteran broadcaster booth team, where Will Buxton will do the play-by-play commentary, alongside expert race analysts James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell. However, the fans’ criticism came for Jamie Little, who made history in 2004 as the first female pit reporter for the Indianapolis 500. 

“Corey Heim, behind him. They’re wrecking behind him. Lane Riggs goes around. More trucks wreck. Caution light is out.” This is the taste of blunt commentary viewers experienced in the recent Daytona Truck Series race. That became the recent big reason for Jamie Little’s receiving backlash from fans who were used to hearing out seasoned veterans. However, her transition to play-by-play commentary has not been well-received due to a perceived lack of excitement and in-depth knowledge, as perceived by unsatisfied fans. 

Little’s career spans over two decades, with a strong presence in motorsports broadcasting. This year as well, she set to mark as the first female reporter at the Grand Prix to fill in for Georgia Henneberry, who is on maternity leave. This return after years to the world of open-wheel racing from the world of NASCAR is for selected races like the Indianapolis 500, but this decision does not align with fans’ expectations. Reason? As they described! 

Fans are whooping over the new pit reporter

During NASCAR’s Daytona 500, Jamie Little seemed to have misinterpreted a car slowing down for a scheduled pit stop, getting excited about a potential issue that wasn’t there. Fans might find her more suitable for pit reporting, where she can ask straightforward questions, rather than interpreting race dynamics in real-time. If she mistakenly called a routine pit stop a critical moment, it could reinforce this perception. As one fan wrote, “As long as she isn’t in the booth I don’t care.”

This fan might want to reach beyond the extreme to get what he wants as he exclaimed, “NOOOOOOO! She’s Awful! Screeeeeeching Jamie!” He strongly opposes Jamie Little’s involvement in commentary, possibly due to her delivery style being perceived as annoying. During a critical moment in a Daytona race, Jamie Little seemed to have raised her voice emphasizing a minor incident, such as a car going off-track without much impact, something fans saw as an overreaction.

Fans also might be skeptical about Jamie Little’s performance, such as her slow reaction to incidents like Justin Allgaier’s cut tire, where she seemed to rely heavily on her analysts. Even if she took a few seconds to realize a car had spun out and needed to pit, her analysts were already discussing the implications. This fan hinted in disguised wishes for Little, “oh god good luck” 

Another wrote, “Keep her away from NASCAR” This clever part played with his words, straight and simple, don’t spoil my game, rest you are free to do your stuff. She has even struggled to keep up with the pace of a chaotic restart at Talladega, failing to clearly describe the positions of the top drivers, which could reinforce this sentiment. This criticism is often tied to her being better suited for pit reporting rather than booth commentary.

Whereas this comment seems to be questioning the relevance or importance of posting about Jamie Little’s return. The tone is likely sarcastic, suggesting that the fan does not see her involvement as significant news or believes it has been overhyped. “Why is this worth a post again? Oh that’s right” Moreover the last part, add a hilarious touch from his end, pointing out, as if thanks for informing, will stay out of it.