FOX Reporter Jamie Little Gets Emotional as Life Comes Full Circle at Indy 500

As a pioneering female figure in the fast-paced world of racing, Jamie Little has already spent more than two decades covering the sport’s biggest moments from the pit road to the broadcast booth. As Danica Patrick returns to the Indy 500 with nostalgia, for Little, the story is something similar.

After a decade, Jamie is making an emotional comeback to the Indianapolis 500, a race that holds special significance in her personal and professional journey. As the engines roar and the green flag drops, Little will be seen across more of FOX’s motorsports coverage this season. As she reconnects with the path where her path was forever changed, new opportunities and exciting broadcasting await the viewers.

Beginning her career in the early 2000s as a pit reporter for ESPN, she quickly earned respect for her knowledge and ability to connect with drivers and fans alike. Jamie Little made her mark early by covering motorcycle racing, particularly in Supercross and Motocross, and became a familiar face on the X Games and the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, serving as a pit reporter and interviewer. In 2004, Jamie covered her very first Indy 500, an experience that set her on a permanent path from motorcycle racing coverage to the world of four-wheel motorsports, helping her earn credibility in a male-dominated field.

Her return to the pits of the Indianapolis 500 as a broadcaster in 2025 is a deeply personal and professional milestone, marking her first time covering the event in a decade. She posted a picture from her first moments at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, writing, “As I get ready to tuck into bed, I can’t describe how excited and happy I am to return to the #Indy500 after 10 years away. I’ve been reflecting on my first 11 races here & truly believe that my first race in 2004 set the path for my career to move from two wheels to four permanently. See you all on FOX, 10am ET”

The full-circle moment did not come easily in a male-dominated field. Before joining FOX, Jamie was widely recognized for her work with ABC News, where she covered the Indy Racing League (IRL), including notable appearances at the Indianapolis 500 in 2007 and 2008 and again at the 2013 Firestone 550. But broadcasting wasn’t the only thing she did on track.

In 2008, Little demonstrated her own racing skills by winning the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at Long Beach, edging out NASCAR’s Mike Skinner by just 0.324 seconds, an impressive accomplishment that underscored her credibility in the driver’s seat as well as on camera, proving that she understood the sport from more than just the reporter’s perspective.

Little reminisced about her victory by sharing a snippet on Instagram saying, “The older I get the cooler I was. Winning the @tgr_na pro celebrity race in Long Beach in 2008 ranks up there at the top! I worked my butt off for that day & that moment. That weekend was also the ChampCar/IndyCar combo race, ChampCar’s last race ever. Pretty cool to win on Saturday and work that historic race from pit road Sunday.”

In 2015, Jamie Little made a move to FOX Sports, where she became a pit reporter for the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Craftsman Truck Series. But her most groundbreaking achievement came in 2021, when she became the first woman to serve as a full-time play-by-play announcer for a national motorsports series, leading FOX Sports’ coverage of the ARCA Menards Series.

Talking to FOX Sports about her experience at the ARCA, Jamie replied, “Getting to a place that the broadcast is seamless. Eliminating those ‘learning curve’ moments and having more commanding, seamless shows would be a great place to be. That will come. I’d love to do an entire series where I have races more consistently. It’s just like a driver, the more seat time, the better.”

While her journey in the broadcasting world continues, she definitely has a long way to go as she inspires several women both through her personal life and professional world.

Jamie Little Makes Remarkable Heartwarming Impact With Rescue Mission

In Women’s History Month in March, Jamie Little revealed that along with her broadcasting journey, she has also been a dedicated advocate for animal welfare, using her platform to speak up for rescuing dogs and other animals in need. Her love for animals began during her childhood growing up near a ranch in Lake Tahoe, where she and her mother often cared for puppies and kittens.

“We used to have puppies and kittens at the ranch all the time and I would smuggle them home and put them in the closet and think my mom wouldn’t see them in our 1,000-square-foot house!” she recalled. “I’m all about being an advocate for the voiceless and those dogs that need a second chance.”

While not on the pit road, broadcasting the race, Jamie has been active in covering the Westminster Dog Show for FOX each year. “I think when I’m working in an all-male dominated world, I know to the outside that must seem really crazy and must be really hard, but I’ve never thought anything of it. Yeah, there are certain people that are a pain in the neck to deal with. You would have that no matter if male or female.”

Being a wonderful human being and a passionate professional has its own benefits as she continues to spread the love and her mother’s teachings to her own family.

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