View source for Allen Bestwick

{{Short description|American sportscaster (born 1961)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Allen Bestwick
| image              = Allen bestwick (51222251867) (cropped).jpg
| alt                = 
| caption            = Bestwick in 2021
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1961|9|24}}
| birth_place        = [[Newport, Rhode Island]], U.S.
| other_names        = 
| occupation         = Sportscaster
| known_for          = 
| employer           = {{plainlist|
* [[NBC Sports|NBC]] (1999–2006) 
* [[TNT Sports (United States)|Turner Sports]] (2001–2006) 
* [[ESPN]] (2007–2018, 2023)
}}
}}
'''Allen Bestwick''' (born September 24, 1961) is an American [[sportscaster]]. Known for his work covering [[NASCAR]] for [[NBC]] and [[ESPN]], he is one of the lead track announcers at the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]] along with Dave Calabro and was the lead broadcaster for the [[Superstar Racing Experience]] racing series. He is the lead play-by-play voice for [[UConn Huskies women's basketball|University of Connecticut women's basketball]] telecasts for [[SNY]].

==Biography==

===Early life and career===
Bestwick was born in [[Newport, Rhode Island]]. His broadcasting career began at the age of 15, when he did on-air work for his [[high school radio]] station in [[Coventry, Rhode Island]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.athletespeakers.com/speaker/allen-bestwick |title = Allen Bestwick Speaking Fee and Booking Agent Contact}}</ref> Bestwick began announcing auto racing at age 16, when he called the action at [[Seekonk Speedway]], where his father raced.

He then was hired by Charlie Roberts, founder of MotorNet in New Jersey, to be the radio network's Director of Affiliates and Associate Producer.

In 1985, Bestwick joined [[Motor Racing Network]] (MRN) as a race reporter and eventually became co-lead announcer with [[Joe Moore (racing driver)|Joe Moore]] and [[Barney Hall]]. While still employed at MRN, Bestwick took over for [[Ken Squier]] as [[NASCAR on TBS|TBS']] lead NASCAR commentator for its abbreviated schedule.

===NBC Sports and Turner Sports===
Bestwick joined [[NASCAR on NBC|NBC]] in 1999 as its lap-by-lap commentator for its lone race, the [[Ford EcoBoost 400|Pennzoil 400]] at [[Homestead-Miami Speedway]]. When NBC acquired rights to the second half of the NASCAR season, Bestwick was joined by [[Benny Parsons]] and [[Wally Dallenbach Jr.]] as the network's full-time broadcast team. Bestwick also continued to work for [[TNT Sports (United States)|Turner Sports]], as [[NASCAR on TNT Sports|TNT]] served as NBC's broadcast partner on cable.

In 2005, Bestwick and [[Bill Weber]] switched positions on the broadcast. Bestwick took Weber's position as lead pit reporter while Weber, who had substituted for Bestwick for two races in 2004 as he recuperated from a broken leg, moved to the booth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nascar.com/2004/news/headlines/cup/12/14/nbc.booth/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041215131728/http://www.nascar.com/2004/news/headlines/cup/12/14/nbc.booth/index.html |archive-date=2004-12-15 |title=NASCAR.com - Weber to assume lead on NBC/TNT race coverage - Dec 14, 2004}}</ref> Bestwick substituted for Weber from 2005 to 2006 at Standalone Busch Series races.

Also in 2005, Bestwick made a [[cameo appearance]] as himself, being the lead announcer, in the movie ''[[Herbie: Fully Loaded]]''. During his tenure at NBC, Bestwick also called [[Arena Football League|Arena football]] games, as well as other minor duties.

After NBC lost rights to NASCAR following the 2006 season, Bestwick decided to leave the network after seven years. Despite TNT retaining its NASCAR rights in the new contract that was signed, Bestwick opted not to stay with them and instead signed on with [[ESPN]].

===ESPN===
For 2007, Bestwick joined the ''[[NASCAR on ESPN]]'' package as lead pit reporter, as well as occasionally being race coverage host and play-by-play announcer on Nationwide Series races, and occasional ''[[NASCAR Now]]'' hosting duties. In 2008, he was moved up to full-time race coverage host and hosts a weekly Monday roundtable edition of ''NASCAR Now''. As lead pit reporter, from 2008 to 2010, he also hosted ''[[NASCAR Countdown]]''.

On July 20, 2011, it was announced that Bestwick would replace Marty Reid for the 17 Sprint Cup races hosted by ESPN alongside [[Dale Jarrett]] and [[Andy Petree]]. [[Nicole Briscoe]] would replace him as host of NASCAR Countdown alongside [[Rusty Wallace]] and [[Brad Daugherty (basketball)|Brad Daugherty]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Hall|first=Andy|title=Bestwick, Briscoe to Expand Roles in ESPN's NASCAR Coverage|url=http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/07/20/bestwick-briscoe-to-expand-roles-in-espn%E2%80%99s-nascar-coverage/|work=ESPN.com|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=July 20, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724173652/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/07/20/bestwick-briscoe-to-expand-roles-in-espn%E2%80%99s-nascar-coverage/|archive-date=July 24, 2011}}</ref> Bestwick replaced [[Marty Reid]] as play-by-play announcer for the [[Sprint Cup Series]] races starting at the [[Brickyard 400]], returning him to the position for the first time since 2004. Bestwick also called the [[Nationwide Series]] for the remainder of the [[2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series|2013 season]] after Reid was fired from ESPN.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/29/marty-reid-fired-espn-announcer-nascar_n_4013945.html|title=Marty Reid Fired: ESPN Replaces NASCAR, IndyCar Announcer After Nationwide Gaffe (VIDEO)|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=September 29, 2013|access-date=September 29, 2013}}</ref>

With the end of ESPN's NASCAR coverage after the 2014 season, Bestwick became the lead announcer for ESPN's broadcasts of [[IndyCar Series on ABC|IndyCar]] races for [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]] beginning in 2014, also replacing Reid. Bestwick also began to perform play-by-play duties for non-racing events, including [[ESPN College Football|college football]].<ref name=thatsracin-bestwickirl>{{cite news|title=NASCAR broadcaster Allen Bestwick to move to IndyCar Series broadcasts |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/02/4583744/nascar-broadcaster-allen-bestwick.html |access-date=20 January 2015 |work=Charlotte Observer |date=2 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015160928/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/02/4583744/nascar-broadcaster-allen-bestwick.html |archive-date=15 October 2014 }}</ref><ref name=sportingnews-endofera>{{cite web|title=Farewell: ESPN departure marks end of an era for NASCAR|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2014-11-26/espn-race-broadcasts-departure-tv-rights-networks-dale-jarrett-rusty-wallace-allen-bestwick-jerry-punch|website=Sporting News|access-date=20 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120073317/http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2014-11-26/espn-race-broadcasts-departure-tv-rights-networks-dale-jarrett-rusty-wallace-allen-bestwick-jerry-punch|archive-date=20 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On [[Halloween]] night in 2015, Bestwick called the [[2015 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami]]-[[2015 Duke Blue Devils football team|Duke]] college football game, when Miami was down 27–24 with 6 seconds in the game and won the game on a controversial kickoff return touchdown after lateraling the ball eight times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carolinagridiron.com/2015/10/duke-hosts-miami-in-acc-coastal.html?m=1|title=Duke Hosts Miami in ACC Coastal Division Action|website=Carolina Gridiron}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/10/miami-kickoff-return-duke-video-lateral|first=Nick|last=Schwatrz|title=The ACC confirms that referees botched the thrilling end of the Miami-Duke game|website=FORTHEW!N|date=November 2015 }}</ref>
 
<blockquote>Taken short... lateral... they practiced that on Wednesday. Time's going to expire on the game, so this either goes or this doesn't. Ball's still alive! It's got to be a backwards lateral! Get behind it... still alive. They've got blockers, they've got blockers! They've got a lane! 40 yard line! ''No black shirts between the goal line! CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU JUST SAW?!?!''</blockquote>

On April 28, 2017, Bestwick confirmed that he was being released by ESPN after the 2017 IndyCar double-header Detroit Grand Prix and would call his last Indy 500. However, in February 2018, ESPN announced that they would be bringing Bestwick back to call the Indy 500 in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apexoff.com/2018/02/08/terrible-news-abc-bringing-back-the-same-indy-500-announcing-trio-for-2018/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012143458/http://www.apexoff.com/2018/02/08/terrible-news-abc-bringing-back-the-same-indy-500-announcing-trio-for-2018/ |archive-date=2019-10-12 |title=Terrible News, ABC Bringing Back The Same Indy 500 Announcing Trio For 2018 - Apex Off}}</ref>

In 2023, the [[Superstar Racing Experience]] signed a deal with [[ESPN]] to broadcast the 2023 season on their channels with Allen Bestwick returning as play by play commentator for the broadcasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/allen-bestwick-matt-yocum-return-to-srx-telecasts-joey-logano-darrell-waltrip-conor-daly-to-alternate-as-driver-analysts/|first=Andy|last=Hall|title=Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum Return to SRX Telecasts; Joey Logano, Darrell Waltrip, Conor Daly to alternate as Driver Analysts|website=ESPN Press Room|date=25 April 2023 }}</ref>

===CBS===

On April 14, 2021, it was announced that Bestwick will be the play{{endash}}by{{endash}}play commentator for the [[Superstar Racing Experience]] (SRX) racing series for [[CBS]] starting in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/04/14/srx-allen-bestwick-brad-daugherty-lindsay-czarniak-matt-yocum-cbs/|first=Ryan|last=Mayer|title=Superstar Racing Experience Names Broadcast Team For Debut Season On CBS: Allen Bestwick, Brad Daugherty, Lindsay Czarniak And Matt Yocum|website=BostonCBS4|date=14 April 2021 }}</ref> Bestwick also did PA work for IMS during the Month of May the same year in addition to the NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader weekend in August.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Bestwick |first=Allen |author-link=Allen Bestwick |user=AllenBestwick |number=1393285277788033028 |date=May 14, 2021 |title=Yes, I'm on the @IMS PA for the Month of May - but that part about keeping @calabro13sports in line?? https://t.co/aVW92OtUGO |language=en |access-date=June 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515205333/https://twitter.com/AllenBestwick/status/1393285277788033028 |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In the summer and autumn of 2022, Bestwick was a sideline reporter during the inaugural season of the [[Professional Bull Riders]] (PBR) Team Series.<ref>{{cite web|title=Allen Bestwick joins PBR Team Series broadcast team|url=https://pbr.com/news/2022/07/decorated-sportscaster-allen-bestwick-joins-pbr-team-series-tv-broadcasts/|website=Professional Bull Riders|access-date=July 26, 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before=[[Marty Reid]]| title=Television voice of the<br>[[List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters|Indianapolis 500]]| 
years=[[2014 Indianapolis 500|2014]]–[[2018 Indianapolis 500|2018]]| after=[[Leigh Diffey]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Indy 500}}
{{NASCAR on ESPN}}
{{NASCAR on NBC}}
{{NASCAR on SPEED}}
{{IndyCar Series on ABC}}
{{Fox Sports}}
{{NASCAR on Fox}}
{{Fox NFL}}
{{NASCAR on TBS}}
{{Superstar Racing Experience}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bestwick, Allen}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Motorsport announcers]]
[[Category:People from Newport, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Arena football announcers]]
[[Category:College football announcers]]
[[Category:Track and field broadcasters]]
[[Category:College hockey announcers in the United States]]
[[Category:American television reporters and correspondents]]
[[Category:College basketball announcers in the United States]]
[[Category:American tennis commentators]]
[[Category:SportsNet New York people]]
[[Category:American golf commentators]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]