Age, Biography and Wiki

Jerry Punch (Gerald Punch) was born on 20 August, 1953 in Newton, North Carolina, U.S., is an American auto racing and college football commentator. Discover Jerry Punch's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 70 years old?

Popular As Gerald Punch
Occupation Sportscaster
Age 70 years old
Zodiac Sign Leo
Born 20 August 1953
Birthday 20 August
Birthplace Newton, North Carolina, U.S.
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 20 August. He is a member of famous Sportscaster with the age 70 years old group.

Jerry Punch Height, Weight & Measurements

At 70 years old, Jerry Punch height not available right now. We will update Jerry Punch's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Jerry Punch's Wife?

His wife is Joni Fields (m. 1993), Rebecca Apperson (m. ?–1993)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Joni Fields (m. 1993), Rebecca Apperson (m. ?–1993)
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Jerry Punch Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Jerry Punch worth at the age of 70 years old? Jerry Punch’s income source is mostly from being a successful Sportscaster. He is from United States. We have estimated Jerry Punch's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Sportscaster

Jerry Punch Social Network

Instagram
Linkedin
Twitter Jerry Punch Twitter
Facebook
Wikipedia Jerry Punch Wikipedia
Imdb

Timeline

1953

Gerald Lee "Jerry" Punch (born August 20, 1953) is an American auto racing and college football commentator known for his career at ESPN, as well as a physician.

Punch also does local radio spots in Knoxville.

Punch is also a Principal Investigator for an award-winning clinical research company, Alliance for Multispecialty Research or AMR, in Knoxville.

Punch grew up in Newton, North Carolina.

He began his broadcasting career when he was selected to join the local radio station staff of Newton-Conover High School.

The local radio station, WNNC in Newton, provided free air time to the local high school broadcasting organization with rotational assignments to aspiring broadcast journalists.

Students at the high school auditioned for the much sought after staff positions.

Punch was successful and was selected by fellow students to become a new reporter and, thus, he was permitted to participate in the weekly Saturday morning live broadcasts on WNNC.

Punch walked-on to the North Carolina State University football team, serving as a backup quarterback under coach Lou Holtz.

1975

He graduated magna cum laude at NC State in 1975 with a degree in zoology.

1979

He received a medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in 1979.

Punch paid his college and medical school tuition through prize money earned racing at short tracks in North Carolina.

Prior to his broadcasting career, Punch worked as an emergency medicine physician.

1980

Punch began radio broadcasting for Motor Racing Network (MRN) in 1980.

1982

He initially worked at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1982.

He later served as the director of emergency medicine at Bunnell Community Hospital (now known as Florida Hospital Flagler) in Palm Coast, Florida.

For a period of time, Punch's medical and broadcasting careers overlapped.

1984

In 1984, he began working for ESPN as a pit reporter for NASCAR races.

While working at ESPN, Punch also moonlighted at TBS and SETN doing pit reporting; as he was the first to report on the eventually fatal injuries to driver Terry Schoonover during the 1984 Atlanta Journal 500 for the network's race coverage.

1988

In 1988, in two separate incidents, Punch helped with the rescue efforts after the wrecks of Rusty Wallace and Don Marmor.

In the case of Wallace's front-stretch crash at Bristol Motor Speedway, Punch happened to be on pit road at the time, and as a result, was the first person on the scene before the rescue crew could be scrambled.

Punch's medical training proved pivotal, as Wallace was initially unconscious following the crash.

Punch revived Wallace, who was able to start the following night's race with only minor injuries, driving for about half the race before giving his seat up to a relief driver.

Wallace later worked with Punch in ESPN's coverage of NASCAR.

In the case of the career-ending Marmor crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Punch (a trauma specialist) is credited with helping to save Marmor's life.

1989

Punch has also been a pitlane reporter for the Indianapolis 500 from 1989 to 2006 and from 2010 to 2018.

In 1989 at the Motorcraft Quality Parts 500, Punch was reporting from the pit stall of Richard Petty when a fire broke out, injuring two crew members who Punch proceeded to treat on the spot.

Following the incident, ESPN mandated that its pit reporters wear fire-proof suits.

1994

Punch is also credited with helping to save Ernie Irvan following a practice crash at Michigan International Speedway in August 1994.

1996

He was consulted as a doctor in 1996 to report the condition of Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier, who would go undrafted in the NFL due to a blood clot in his left leg.

2002

He also served as the lead play-by-play voice for ESPN's coverage of the Craftsman Truck Series until the network lost that contract to Speed Channel following the 2002 season.

In addition, he called play-by-play for college basketball and football, and has served as a sideline reporter for college football.

2006

On October 12, 2006, he was named the lead lap-by-lap commentator for ESPN's coverage of the Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide Series starting in 2007 along with Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree.

2008

Punch and Petree were joined by Dale Jarrett in 2008 and stayed together until the end of the 2009 season; ESPN replaced Punch with Marty Reid for 2010 and returned him to pit road.

2015

In 2015, after ESPN lost broadcast rights to NASCAR, Punch returned to his previous role as a sideline reporter for college football games on ESPN, pairing up with Mike Patrick and Ed Cunningham to call selected games on the network.

Punch also has been ESPN's expert for discussion of medical issues.

2017

On April 26, 2017, after 30 years with ESPN, Punch was let go along with 99 other network employees.

He continued to be the pit road reporter until the 2017 Chevrolet Dual in Detroit, the final IndyCar race on ESPN's contract for 2017.

2018

He would later return for the 2018 IndyCar season to cover the IndyCar Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 as ABC airs its final year of IndyCar as NBC Sports has acquired the rights beginning in 2019.

2019

In 2019, Punch returned to college football coverage with ESPN, serving as a part-time sideline reporter for games in 2019 and 2020.