Jenkins revealed in February that he was suffering brain cancer and on Monday this week died at the age of 73.
Roger Penske, chairman of Penske Entertainment Corp., said: “Bob Jenkins had an incredible passion for racing and his enthusiasm, combined with his genuine love and knowledge of the sport, endeared him to motorsports fans all over the world.
“His announcing career spanned nearly 50 years, and to an entire generation, the sound of Bob’s voice simply meant it was time to go racing. That legendary voice became the soundtrack for the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“We will miss Bob’s kindness, his professionalism and his unique ability to bring us all closer to the track with his stories and insights.
“Our thoughts are with Bob’s family and his many friends throughout the racing community and beyond.”
Doug Boles commented: “I grew up a fan of all racing, but especially the Indy 500. As a kid and young adult, to keep up with the sport I had to read newspaper articles and racing magazines.
“And then came Bob Jenkins. His familiar IMS Radio Network voice transitioned to the familiar TV screen on shows like SpeedWeek and race broadcasts, and he led the transformation of the way race fans enjoyed the sport, which fueled amazing growth in auto racing.
“But through all the successes, Bob never changed from what he truly was at heart – a race fan. His humility and ability to always remain a fan – even when he was the top racing commentator in the sport – is why race fans around the world loved watching or listening to a race called by Bob Jenkins. He was one of us!
“Thank you, Bob, for loving our sport so much and working so hard to tell the stories in a way that brought us all along with you. You will be missed, but the love of racing you’ve help grow in so many will be a lasting legacy.”
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