Family, Fortitude Help Bell Persevere through Loss in California Fires
INDYCAR
Townsend Bell was named as one of the three members of the broadcast booth team for FOX Sports' inaugural season of coverage for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. During Bell's first call with FOX INDYCAR producer Pam Miller in January, his wife walked into his office with a strong message.
Their Pacific Palisades, California, neighborhood was on fire.
'It was the first time we were actually in work mode because I had been confirmed on the broadcast, and now we were getting to work,' Bell said. 'And, so, it was a really important phone call because those are important times to kick things off appropriately. And my wife kindly interrupted me once, then twice, and then finally, the third one was, 'I'm leaving because the flames are getting serious, and we need to evacuate.'
'And that's where I very politely had to say to Pam Miller, I'm so sorry, but I actually need to leave because my wife's telling me fires are coming.'
Bell and his family have endured an incredibly difficult experience with the Southern California wildfires in early January, losing not just one, but three houses. The emotional and financial toll of such an event can be hard to process, and the fact that this is being shared against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, with its milestone anniversary as an iconic Southern California event, adds an extra layer of significance.
'It turns out that having a house burned down is a full-time job to recover from,' Bell said. 'I'm sure it's the same if you lost your home to a hurricane or any other natural disaster. It's a lot for anybody. Unfortunately for me, I have three, and so it's three things in parallel: three different insurance companies, three different locations, three different neighborhoods, and you just have wake up earlier.
'I'm normally an early wake-up kind of guy here, but my alarm is set for 4:30 a.m. because your mental demands are just that much more present and immediate. And you just get up and go through the punch list and start getting after it.'
Bell's wife, Heather, has been an incredible source of strength for him throughout this ordeal. Balancing the chaos of losing homes while also managing a real estate business and helping dozens of families in similar situations was an overwhelming responsibility. Her resilience and determination are admirable while working with displaced clients.
Townsend Bell's ability to keep pushing forward in his racing and broadcasting career, despite such hardship, is also remarkable. Racing in the Rolex 24 At Daytona just two weeks after the fires and then preparing for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season requires intense focus, yet he still had to deal with the aftermath of the wildfires. That speaks to his dedication and mental toughness to juggle both personal and professional demands in such a difficult, yet empowering, journey for Bell and his family.
'Fires broke out, all hell broke loose,' he said. 'I leave for two and a half weeks to go work. Meanwhile, my amazing wife, Heather, is back home not only figuring out the Bell family situation, but she had to manage through all of that. And it was a very, very stressful time.
'But she kept her wits about her and fought through it like we all had to, so full credit to her, frankly, not only for dealing with the houses and her clients but also just keeping our family updated. You lean on each other tremendously, like any team, and I'm lucky, I've got a great team.'
That's why the wildfire situation reminds Bell of his racing days. Bell made 39 INDYCAR SERIES starts, including 10 in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, with a best finish of fourth in 2009. He also won the 2001 INDY NXT championship that included a win at Long Beach and the 2015 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title in the GTD class.
'In a strange way, I think racing has done a great job to prepare me for crisis because racing has an exacting timeline,' Bell said. 'You've got to fix it now because the race is going to start or qualifying, it's going to start. It's high pressure, the racing environment, and it is dramatic. And you see things as a racing driver that you would never see in terms of chaos, risk and high-stakes situations.
'So, in a strange way, I feel like being a racer prepares you well for moments like that in life that maybe you're not prepared for, but you certainly know the feeling of crisis.'
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