Getty Kevin Harvick (right) races at Phoenix during the 2005 season.
On Wednesday, June 23, NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon revealed that he would exit the Fox Sports booth and join Hendrick Motorsports as vice chairman. Moments later, social media users began making predictions about who would join Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer for the 2022 season. There is no clear answer, but Larry McReynolds hinted at his own return to the booth.
America’s Crew Chief turned heads on Twitter Wednesday evening with a message to his now-former coworker. McReynolds called Gordon an “amazing teammate” and said that he improved as an analyst while working with the Hall of Famer. McReynolds then capped off his tweet by addressing his future with the Fox Sports team.
“I want to clear 2 things up…I’ve NEVER said I didn’t want to travel to the track and as far as retirement, even semi, I have NO plans as long as God Blesses me!” McReynolds tweeted on Wednesday, June 23.
McReynolds Previously Worked in a Three-Man Booth
GettyKyle Busch (left) speaks with Marc Fein (center) and Larry McReynolds (right) prior to a race.
If America’s Crew Chief headed to the Fox Sports booth for the 2022 season, he would form a three-man booth with Joy and Bowyer. McReynolds has worked with both men while serving as a Fox Sports analyst, but he previously spent considerable time with Joy.
Back in 2000, McReynolds made the decision to leave his role as a crew chief with Richard Childress Racing. He announced that he would join Joy and three-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip in the booth. This decision kicked off a run that lasted from 2001-2015 and featured McReynolds calling some of the biggest races on the NASCAR schedule.
In addition to focusing on the Cup Series, the trio also spent 2001-2006 calling the Busch Series races. They watched rising stars such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., and Kyle Busch shine before they made the leap to the top series in stock car racing.
McReynolds Has Spent Multiple Seasons in the Studio
Join @ShannonSpake @jamiemcmurray @LarryMac28 at 12:30/ET on @FS1 For #RaceDay NXS @TooToughToTame
While his time in the booth came to an end in 2015, McReynolds has remained a critical part of the race weekends. He fulfills multiple roles at Fox Sports, including making appearances on NASCAR Race Hub and NASCAR Race Day. McReynolds works alongside Shannon Spake, Jamie McMurray to preview the biggest races and recap any important news from the week.
Once the drivers fire their engines for the Cup Series races, McReynolds continues to provide analysis from the Fox Sports studio. He uses his considerable experience from working as a crew chief to discuss late-race strategy, tire wear, and how long drivers can make laps around various tracks on the circuit before they need to head to the pits for fuel.
If McReynolds makes a return to the booth to continue working with Bowyer and Joy, he will have to make some changes to his unique form of analysis. He won’t be able to take a grater to a Goodyear tire due to size limitations, but he can still provide necessary information for the NASCAR fans watching from home.
A simple tweet about Fox Sports does not guarantee that McReynolds will return to the booth alongside Joy and Bowyer. However, he has considerable experience in the role, and he made it clear that he is willing to continue lending his expertise to the broadcast.
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Fox Sports Analyst Hints at Return to Booth Following Jeff Gordon Departure