Godwin Kelly, Motorsports Editor of the Daytona Beach News-Journal did a nice behind the scenes writeup last week on pit reporter Matt Yocum that I found very interesting.
Mary Yocum with son, Matt at age 3
Yocum's love of sport grew as he did here
By GODWIN KELLY
MOTORSPORTS EDITOR
Daytona Beach News-Journal
May 10, 2012 12:55 AM
Many NASCAR fans know Matt Yocum as one of the sport's top television pit reporters.
But some might not know he spent his teenage years in the Daytona Beach area, falling head over heels for racing.
Yocum works the garage and pits for Speed, Fox and TNT and holds the distinction of being the only pit reporter to work six complete Cup seasons.
From 2001-06, he migrated from Fox to TNT to NBC covering NASCAR's top touring series.
"I think I did more than 300 races those years," Yocum said in a recent telephone interview from his home in Huntersville, N.C.
Yocum feels at ease in the garage. His mother, Mary Yocum, worked in racing and Matt tagged along as a youngster, charming the likes of Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison and actor James Garner.
One of Yocum's fondest childhood memories was going to Daytona International Speedway in 1972 at the age of 5 and having Garner carry him on his shoulder half the day.
"We all just were hanging out around The King's (Petty) garage," Yocum said.
The Yocums lived near Michigan International Speedway before settling in Ormond Beach. Matt didn't grow up as a fan of racing. He grew up in racing. His mother worked in the sport for 35 years in marketing.
"Richard Petty has been a family friend almost my entire life," Matt said.
Mary said Petty would often come to the house and pick up Matt and his friends and take them to his fan club meetings.
"He'd entertain the boys on the way by driving with his knees and elbows," she said.
Yocum was the ultimate track brat. He sold programs in the Michigan grandstands during races as Mary kept an eagle eye on him from the race operations room above the seats.
When he got older, Yocum enjoyed one of his best childhood paydays -- managing Jackie Stewart's ABC Sports blazer.
"He would lay it down and forget where he left it," Matt said. "They'd be ready to do a shoot and no one knew where his blazer was."
Matt earned $25 for that blazer baby-sitting job.
He was at the track and on the road so much with his mother that during fifth grade, he said he missed more than 50 days of school.
"I'm not exactly proud of that, but I had such good grades, I still passed," he said.
When Matt got a bit older and the Yocums moved to Ormond Beach, his commitment to the sport became much deeper.
Matt went to Seabreeze High School, graduating in 1986 before heading to Florida State.
During the summers as a teenager, he had a job with the International Race of Champions, which was based in New Jersey. He started as a tire specialist and progressed into car preparation and maintenance. IROC had its own fleet of cars to prep for each year.
After graduating from FSU -- yes, he remains a die-hard Seminoles fan -- Matt worked for WESH, an Orlando TV station.
He commuted from Ormond Beach to Orlando. With that experience, he became the sports anchor at a station in Bristol, Tenn., then soon started his work as a network pit reporter.
There is no doubt Matt has a unique skill set.
"I have worked with Matt on Fox and Speed since 2001 and also on TNT, and I couldn't be more impressed with everything he adds to our broadcasts," racing analyst Larry McReynolds said. "He does a great job of providing solid, concise information, and he effectively balances catering to our traditional, hardcore NASCAR fans while also accommodating and educating our casual fans."
Matt will return to Daytona International Speedway for the July 7 Coke Zero 400. He will have his TNT hat on for that race.
He's sure to see his No. 1 fan that week.
"I'm very proud of Matt's work ethic and career accomplishments," Mary Yocum said. "I'm most proud of the way he lives his daily life; his honesty, loyalty, generosity and his respect to everyone regardless of age or station in life."
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
