An award-winning TV sportscaster embraces the opportunity to promote the personalities and stories of IndyCar racing.

Hoosiers—or people from Indiana, for those unfamiliar with the nickname—love their auto racing; they love their basketball, too. And many of them likely miss watching the Emmy Award-winning coverage of those and other sports by Dave Furst for Indianapolis ABC-affiliate WRTV Channel 6. 

After 23 years, Furst recently left the station to work inside the sport he loves, joining the NTT IndyCar Series as vice president of communications. Among other responsibilities, he’ll be working to raise the profiles of drivers and teams, a role that seems ideally matched with his broadcasting experience.

Furst began his sportscasting career with ESPN, covering Indiana University football while he was a student there. In his time at Channel 6, he became sports director and won 25 regional Emmys, including one for a 2006 story on Danica Patrick, along with features on renowned sportscaster and Indy 500 announcer Tom Carnegie and racers Dan Wheldon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Tony Kanaan. The “Trackside 6” features Furst did with 2013 Indy 500 winner Kanaan also won awards.

Not long ago, PRI sat down with Furst to learn more about his vision and goals for the NTT IndyCar Series. 

PRI: Who or what brought you into the racing world?

Furst: My dad. Growing up in southwestern Indiana, we would attend races in Haubstadt. Tri-State Speedway was where I was first introduced to the sport. Then, it was a trip to my first Indianapolis 500 in 1979. My family rented a camper, and we stayed in the North 40. I remember the sights, smells, and sounds the night before the race. Race day was unforgettable. We sat in the middle of a huge group of fans wearing white “Mears Gang” T-shirts. I didn’t know who Rick Mears was at the time, but I did by the end of that day. I returned to see all four of his Indy 500 wins. I was hooked on racing.

PRI: Why is this position a good fit for you?

Furst: One of the things I enjoyed in my years at WRTV was telling the stories of the Indy 500. What these men and women could do on the track was special, but to be able to show their off-track personalities also really interested me. WRTV had a long history of doing that, led by legendary WRTV Sports Director Tom Carnegie. To be able to carry that tradition was an honor and something I never took for granted. Now, I get to amplify those stories in a whole new way.

PRI: How are you planning to enhance this role at the NTT IndyCar Series?

Furst: My career remains about storytelling. That’s what intrigues me in making the transition. The Penske acquisition has given this sport I love even more momentum. An opportunity to join such an outstanding marketing and communications team is a chance I could not pass up.

PRI: What do you see as the biggest challenges ahead of you?

Furst: It’s about pivoting to new learnings and new aspects of the sport. In some ways, it’s like a different language. But, there’s a hardworking team here that has helped me get started and will continue to do so as we go into 2021. 

PRI: How would you say COVID-19 might impact your efforts there in the near term?

Furst: If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that being nimble is key. At its heart, it’s about telling the stories that make each season special. Challenges come in many ways; champions are able to overcome and persevere in the midst of it.

PRI: Can you share your top strategic goals for the next 12 months?

Furst: Storytelling will be key. There are so many good stories in the NTT IndyCar Series, and the people are second to none. The racing is as good as you’ll find anywhere—the best, I would argue. 

PRI: What changes would you say race teams, race fans, and business partners will notice—or what do you hope they notice—as a result of your efforts?

Furst: It’s not about me. It’s about a highly accomplished group that will work with race teams, partners, and others while also keeping up with the many avenues that deliver information to the fans, young and older alike. 

PRI: What’s your most gratifying professional accomplishment?

Furst: The relationships I’ve had with drivers, crewmen, owners, and others—that’s something I take to heart and something I’ll take with me for years to come. 

PRI: Who inspires you, and why?

Furst: My grandfather. Smartest man I know and someone who pushed me to be a better person. He was a WWII vet, Purdue grad, and an engineer at General Electric. He passed away several years ago, but I always wonder what he would say about current events. It was all a part of a family who had dealings with Tony Hulman during the “Hulman and Company” days. Life has a way of circling around.

PRI: What can you not live without, and why?

Furst: My kids—returning home after a crazy day and having them bring me back to what matters. 

PRI: What do you enjoy in your off-hours?

Furst: Coaching basketball. Zach, my 9-year-old, loves playing and working on his game and, having grown up playing basketball myself, I enjoy coaching it. If he’s not playing, we’re catching up with the Indiana Pacers or Indiana Hoosiers. Basketball and racing—we love them both in Indiana.

DAVE HURST

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Title:
Vice President of Communications

Organization:
NTT IndyCar Series 

Hometown:
Indianapolis, Indiana

Fast Fact:
Furst has won 25 regional Emmy Awards for his broadcasting work dating back to the late 1990s, including one for a story he did on retired racer Danica Patrick in 2006.