Jamie Little’s journey into motorsports began far from the spotlight. Growing up in South Lake Tahoe, she caught the racing bug at just 5 years old when her father took her on his dirt bike, igniting a lifelong passion for speed and adrenaline. By the time she was in high school, she was sneaking into Supercross events to soak in the atmosphere and every detail from behind the scenes. Her rise from motocross pits reporting to the grandeur of the Indy 500 represented a steep escalation in both stakes and visibility. “Covering racing isn’t a job. It’s a lifestyle,” said Jamie Little. “The news comes in every day, every hour. You have to stay on top of everything,” and she stands by her words even today.

By 2004, Little was the first female pit reporter on the Indianapolis 500 broadcast, breaking gender barriers on what is arguably American motorsports’ biggest stage. Her ability to connect with legendary drivers, capturing emotional moments and behind-the-scenes details, quickly earned her respect. Little’s path from dirt bikes to the broadcast booth, marked by resolve, adaptability, and a refusal to stay in anyone’s shadow, truly embodied what it means to earn your stripes in racing, as after years of doing her commendable job, she still reflects on her journey.

Jamie Little’s groundbreaking motorsports journey

In an interview, Jamie Little recalled the defining “Welcome to Racing” moment of her career with the same enthusiasm as her first time reporting from the pits. “One that pops out was my first Indianapolis 500. It was in 2004, and I had already been covering supercross and motocross and X Games for four years,” said Little. “My bosses called me up to their office and said, “What do you know about auto racing?” And I said, “Well, I’ve never covered four wheels; I’ve only done two, but I’m willing to give it a shot.” It’s a racing mentality. I was sure I could figure it out.” She balanced speed with storytelling, constantly jotting down detailed notes while the booth analysts offered broader commentary, a routine that was admired by fans and peers alike.

At the moment in May 2004, Little had already built credibility in motocross and X Games through ESPN, but had never touched 4-wheeled racing. “Two months later I went to my first test for IndyCar and then started covering that series at the beginning of ’04, calling my first ever pit stop. But the moment that hit me was in May; they had me covering practices in qualifying in Indy. I did all those shows, but I wasn’t supposed to be part of the Indy 500 team,” reflected Little. Being thrust onto one of the world’s biggest motorsports stages was unprecedented, and she didn’t just stand there; she thrived through an 8 and a half hour live broadcast, rain delays and all.

The dramatic debut unfolded after Little’s boss unexpectedly promoted her to ABC’s elite Indy 500 crew. “They had men that had been covering it for 20, 25, or 30 years. That was who got to do that show. And that was fine. I was 25,” said Little. “Well, the very same boss who’d asked me to come to IndyCar said, ‘You’re gonna be part of the 500; you’re gonna be on pit road,'” and suddenly she was suited up among veteran broadcasters whose combined experience outweighed hers by centuries.

From the pivotal weekend, Little’s career trajectory shifted dramatically. “On Saturday, the afternoon before the 500, we took photos for ABC, and we’re all in our fire suits and we’re lined up,” said Little. “And there were like six or seven men around me that, combined, had like 400 years of experience at the Indy 500. And there I was, this 25-year-old girl standing right in the middle.”

She became the first female pit reporter at the Indianapolis 500 in 2004, went on to cover 11 consecutive races for ABC/ESPN from 2004 to 2014. A 2008 win in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race showcased her versatility behind the wheel. By 2015, she had transitioned to NASCAR coverage for FOX, and in 2021 shattered another ceiling as the first woman to call play-by-play for the ARCA Menards Series. And finally, in May 2025, she joined Kevin Lee and Georgia Henneberry on pit road for Fox’s broadcast.

“And afterwards, I remember thinking that if I could get through that and pull it off, I could pull off anything. And that was the moment that I knew I belonged in auto racing. I’ve never looked back,” said Little. That defining moment was the spark that ignited a trailblazing career nobody expected, but she made it happen. Transitioning to FOX in 2015 brought her into NASCAR’s high-octane world, where she became a fixture on pit road for the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series.

Little’s career is a testament to grit, adaptability, and fearless ambition. From motocross tracks to the Indianapolis 500, she proved that knowledge and composure matter more than tradition. Her path shattered barriers not just for women, but for all underdogs in motorsports. And through it all, she only looked forward and came back stronger each season.

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Jamie Little recalls her Marvel movie moment

Long before she became a staple of NASCAR broadcasts and the voice of the ARCA Menards Series, Jamie Little had a brief but unforgettable brush with Hollywood. The longtime FOX NASCAR reporter took a nostalgic ride, recalling the time she appeared alongside Chris Evans in 2005’s ‘Fantastic Four.’ As social media resurfaced a clip from the superhero flick, the audience was surprised to see Little playing herself during a scene in which Evans’ character, Johnny Storm, appears at a sporting event.

“What an experience to play myself in the 2005 #FanstasticFour!” Little posted on X, alongside a throwback clip from the film. In the scene, her real-life role as a motorsports reporter was seamlessly woven into the movie’s narrative as she interviews the flashy, celebrity-like Human Torch. At the time, Evans was just emerging in the Hollywood spotlight, and Fantastic Four would mark one of the stepping stones toward his future as Captain America and global stardom.

Though brief, the cameo stood as a fun crossover between the worlds of motorsports and Marvel, two fan-driven universes with intense followings. Today, Little remains a fixture in the NASCAR world, known for her in-depth pit road coverage and barrier-breaking work as the only female play-by-play announcer in the sport. As Marvel fans eagerly await the 2025 reboot “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which features an all-new cast, Little’s cameo is a light-hearted reminder that even NASCAR has had its moment in the Marvel multiverse.