INDIANAPOLIS — The racing world is reacting to the loss of longtime IMS and IndyCar announcer Bob Jenkins.
Jenkins passed away Monday, less than eight months after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He was 73 years old.
"Our sport has lost a wonderful man and an iconic voice, but Bob Jenkins is unforgettable," Mario Andretti tweeted.
"We are grateful for his dedication and commitment to always put our sport in the best light," wrote former driver and team owner Sarah Fisher.
"One of the guys you always looked forward to saying hello to at the Speedway, made the place feel like home. Thanks for everything you did for the sport, and rest easy," tweeted driver JR Hildebrand.
Jenkins first broadcast at IMS in 1979 and lent his now-famous voice to broadcasts on ABC and ESPN, the IMS Radio Network and, ultimately, the public address system at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"While his voice on race day will be missed, his legacy at IMS will last forever," read a tweet from the Speedway, accompanied by a video tribute to Jenkins.
"Though known for his immense talent as a broadcaster, Bob's passion for motorsports truly defined what it meant to be a racer," NASCAR tweeted.
“That legendary voice became the soundtrack for the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," said Roger Penske, chairman of Penske Entertainment Corp., which owns IMS. "We will miss Bob’s kindness, his professionalism and his unique ability to bring us all closer to the track with his stories and insights. Our thoughts are with Bob’s family and his many friends throughout the racing community and beyond.”