Townsend Bell to be Featured in January Episode of Palisades Podcast

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The first episode in 2021 of Palisades Podcast, hosted by longtime community members Steve Cron and Maryam Zar, will feature Palisadian and professional race car driver Townsend Bell.

“Townsend Bell is a professional race car driver in the open-wheel and sports car racing circuits,” Zar shared ahead of the episode. “Bell is also a commentator for NBC Sports’ coverage of the NTT IndyCar Series.”

Bell competes in various national and international speed circuits, Zar explained, with championships under his belt from the American IndyCar circuit to Europe’s prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. He is also a motorsports commentator for NBC Sports and Fox Sports.

“He made his race car debut in 2003 when teamed up with series champion Björn Wirdheim in the International F3000 competition and become the first American to score to reach the winner’s podium with a third-place finish,” Zar added. “His performance led to Formula One but then eventually [he] came back to the U.S. to make his first Indianapolis 500 appearance in 2006, again in 2008 finishing in eighth place and in 2009 finally finishing in fourth place.”

Bell’s sports car debut came in 2012, when he won the 12 Hours of Sebring race and then competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race with the Ferrari team, according to Zar. In 2015, Bell and his co-driver Bill Sweedler took home the IMSA GT Daytona Championship and had podium finishes in both the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“In 2016, Bell, along with his teammates, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in only their second try,” Zar said. “Later that year, in the famous Indy500, Bell clocked a top speed of 241.637 mph.”

Bell is a color commentator for NBC Sports with lead anchor Leigh Diffey and analyst Paul Tracy. He is also a color commentator for NBC Sports’ IndyCar, Global RallyCross Championship and the host of “What’Cha Got” on Fox Sports1.

“I’ll start my 10th season as a color-commentator for NBC Sports,” Bell shared. “Specifically their auto racing coverage of the IndyCar and IMSA racing series, the highlight being the Indy 500 in May.”

His 2021 schedule includes competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona on January 30-31.

“I won the race in 2014,” Bell shared, “[I’m] trying to win my second.”

He recently signed on as an ambassador for Lexus, under a multi-year agreement, that includes promotional work with their marketing campaigns, dealer and customer events.

“He lives in the Palisades with his wife, Heather, and their two high school-aged sons,” Zar concluded.

In the Palisades, Bell was named honorary sheriff for 2013-14 at Patrick’s Roadhouse, where he was sworn in by past honoree Rich Wilken. He received the honor in part due to his help with efforts made through community organizations to address homelessness.

The Palisadian-Post has partnered with Zar and Cron to present the Palisades Podcast. Each month, an interview, hosted by Zar and Cron, will be released, highlighting extraordinary lives listeners might not have otherwise had a chance to meet.

Previous guests include Anne Kerr-Adams, Lisa Sweetingham Wallin, PPCC Chair David Card and Councilmember Mike Bonin.

To listen to this episode of Palisades Podcast and more, visit palipost.com/palipodcast.