Matthew "Matt" Yocum is a long-standing reporter in motorsports. He is best known for his pit reporting in the sport of NASCAR.
Biography
Yocum's exposure to automobile racing began at an early age. This was due, at least in part, to the fact that his mother has been involved in automobile racing for over 35 years owning her own sponsor services and motorsports management company. In high school and college Yocum began working for the International Race of Champions as a tire specialist and eventually moved on to racecar preparation and maintenance. In 1991, Yocum graduated from Florida State University with a degree in political science and communications.
Career
Yocum began his broadcast career in 1992 as a sports reporter and anchor with NBC affiliates in Orlando, Florida and Bristol Tennessee. In 1995, he joined TNN as a pit reporter and Motorsports Bureau reporter. He also appeared on the network’s racing magazine show, “Raceday”. From 1995 through 1998 Yocum covered an array of motorsports events on TNN, including NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch Grand National, Craftsman Trucks, Busch Grand National North, ARCA, as well as other series. In that time he was awarded several honors and awards. During the 1999 and 2000 seasons, Yocum’s talent for motorsports reporting was put to use working for ESPN in a number ways including televised reporting for SportsCenter, RPM2night, and NASCAR2Day and as a radio broadcaster for RPMnow radio and ESPN radio. He also wrote a regular column for ESPN.com. In 2001 Yocum joined the Turner Sports team as the first NASCAR reporter scheduled to cover every Cup series race telecast on TNT, Fox, and NBC and the only broadcaster to work for both Fox and NBC at the same time. In 2007, three time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart welcomed Mr. Yocum as co-host of his two-hour weekly radio show. The show was titled "Tony Stewart Live" and broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio. The show was primarily a commentary on current events in NASCAR as well as a listener call in show. The show ran from 2007 through 2008. Yocum continues to work in the NASCAR community primarily reporting from the pits at all of the NASCAR Cup races.
Achievements and awards
In 1995, Yocum’s NASCAR pit coverage gained him two Associated Press Sports Feature Awards. In 1997, his special report on NASCARs greatest drivers as well as his outstanding pit reporting at that year’s All-Star race garnered him a pair of Telly Awards.
