The Champ Car World Series has retained the bulk of its 2005 broadcasting team for the new season with host Rick Benjamin and ‘play-by-play' duo Derek Daly and Jon Beekhuis all coming back for another season in 2006.
Former Champ Car pilots Daly and Beekhuis will bring the knowledge learned from thousands of Champ Car laps to the broadcasts while veteran broadcaster Benjamin returns for his third season as host.
The final member of the quartet that will chronicle all of the action of the 2006 season is a new one, as off-road racer and action sports commentator Cameron Steele joins the Champ Car crew as a pit reporter.
“With their vast experience both behind the wheel and behind the mike, this year's broadcast team will give our viewers a real sense of what goes on under the helmet and in the Champ Cars,” said Champ Car President and CEO Steve Johnson. “Our broadcast will be further enhanced by having men that know what it takes to drive in the heat of battle, as well as by having a play-by-play man that has seen as much racing as anyone. We look forward to welcoming Cameron to the Champ Car family as well.”
Daly is no stranger to anyone connected with the Champ Car World Series as the former
Formula 1 driver and veteran of 63 Champ Car starts takes the microphone for his 21st season of television work. His extensive knowledge of the Champ Car paddock allows him to take viewers behind the scenes of a race weekend, providing valuable insights at each and every race.
Benjamin returns for his third season in the booth and will host the events on CBS Sports, NBC and SPEED throughout the 2006 campaign. Benjamin's portfolio includes many years of racing coverage throughout the country and most recently included a stint with the NFL's Carolina Panthers radio network.
The team of Beekhuis and Steele will cover pit lane from front to back, getting all the latest strategies from the key decision makers as the race unfolds. Beekhuis, a four year veteran of the Champ Car battlegrounds and a 14-year veteran of Champ Car telecasts, returns pit side and will use his skills to help viewers better understand exactly what it takes to win a race in the ultra-competitive Champ Car World Series.
