SPEED Announcer Bob Varsha to Serve as Online Instructor
This week, both Varsha and Leo will continue to give back to the sport that has enriched their livelihoods by contributing to the Road Racing Drivers Club’s ground-breaking www.SAFEisFAST.com initiative. Varsha will serve as the latest Online Instructor, fielding questions especially pertaining to interaction with the media, while Leo will feature in the latest video tutorial, demonstrating how a driver can improve his or her hand-eye coordination in order to gain an advantage on the race track.
Best known as the lead announcer for SPEED’s Formula One coverage, a position he took over when he joined the network (then operating under the Speedvision moniker) from ESPN in 1999, Varsha holds a degree in law and was an accomplished long-distance runner. The native New Yorker twice attended the U.S. Olympic Trials as a marathoner while undertaking his law studies at the Emory University School of Law, from which he graduated in 1977. He looked set for a bright career as a corporate litigator until fate intervened in 1980 and he was invited by TBS to cover a renowned foot race in Atlanta. Before long he had found a new profession. In addition to announcing virtually every form of motorsport in the world, Varsha’s wealth of knowledge includes the experience of supporting his son Matt as he attempted to follow his dream of becoming a professional racecar driver in the middle 1990s. Varsha will continue with SPEED in 2013, commencing his season by leading coverage of the 51st annual Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve as an Online Instructor for SAFEisFAST.com," said Varsha. "This great resource for aspiring drivers came into being right about the time I was invited to join the RRDC as an honorary member, and I have been astonished to see the response from around the world when I've mentioned the site during our SPEED television broadcasts. That response tells me SAFEisFAST.com is getting its message out, and I'm happy to help in that process."
Questions for Varsha are being accepted now at www.SAFEisFAST.com. His answers will be posted directly after the New Year.
The video tutorial, Reaction Training, will be available for viewing – FREE, as always – tomorrow (Friday).
SAFEisFAST.com is a free online resource offering video tutorials on safety, fitness, mental skills, race craft, career development, sponsorship, marketing and more to assist the careers of drivers in all forms of racing. The website was created by the RRDC, led by President Bobby Rahal, in conjunction with the FIA Institute for Motor Sport Safety and Sustainability. SAFEisFAST.com also includes a popular “Ask a Pro" section which has featured an array of Online Instructors, including Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, two-time Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz, Indianapolis 500 champions Dario Franchitti and Gil de Ferran and, most recently, Indy 500-winning team owner Bryan Herta. Since its launch, there have been over a quarter of a million views of the online tutorials from visitors representing more than 130 countries.