With live sports slowly resuming their seasons, Nascar and IndyCar had a special weekend over the July 4th Holiday. Both series raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a grand event, albeit without fans. One person who was there, however, was JoJo Gentry of FOX 59 News.
Not only was it a special day for racing, but also for Indiana fans as Indiana native Chase Briscoe and fellow Hoosier native Justin Haley finished first and second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race.
"I didn't step foot on the track but it was actually amazing just to watch from the studio," Gentry told Indiana Sports Beat. "I was anchoring the show. We had two reporters and two photographers out there. We just wanted to limit the amount of people out there. But it was just so cool to call live sports again."
Though live sports are back, it is going to be different moving forward with how the media is expected to do their job.
"It's a really weird situation at this point. There are just so many 'I don't know's'. Everything with media access. We received word that there will be no in person interviews with coaches or players in the immediate future," Gentry said. "You have to be more prepared than ever to actually get the full story of what's going on. And it's different because some are different with how open they will be with what's been going on during this time."
Before Gentry's time at Fox, she was also covering high school athletics for WEVV in Evansville. There, she was able to watch a lot of Indiana freshman guard Khristian Lander. While we saw him make a big decision regarding his future, reclassifying a year up, it was not COVID related. For others, the pandemic will play a large role in making a decision.
While it impacts players in the professional ranks, it also has a big impact on college players, especially basketball. Normally during this time, the NBA Draft would have already passed, college programs would know their roster for the 2020-21 season and basketball activities would be in full force in the summer. Now, with the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline for college players not until August 17, coaches have to continue to play the waiting game.
"It's just been so interesting to see the choices athletes have and will be making due to the coronavirus," Gentry added. "It'll be so different with who goes pro, who stays, it'll be interesting."
Because of her time covering local high school athletics, she knows the incoming Indiana basketball class well.
"This class is stacked," Gentry said. "I have been able to speak with all three Indiana guys and every time I asked how well they know each other, they are all smiles and say how well they know each other and how they call and text those guys and hangout in their off times. Chemistry is going to be a huge advantage for that class."
For the full interview in its entirety, click on the tweet below.
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