|12.09.2022|12:15pm
Jessica Paquette prepares for her first day as track announcer at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa., on Nov. 15
The only female announcer at a major track in the United States, Jessica Paquette is now three weeks into her tenure at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn. She spoke with The Racing Biz about the first eight cards of her career, addressing both the positive and negative reactions to her debut in the announcer’s both.
“I’ve learned to not read the (online) comment section,” Paquette told The Racing Biz. “You know, no one is good at anything right out of the gate. And there’s a huge learning curve.”
Paquette had never called races full-time before the Parx job, and she is working hard to improve her memorization and cadence skills. Though she has faced some harsh criticism online, Paquette has found allies in fellow track announcers Chris Griffin, Jason Beem, and Travis Stone, among others. Each has shared helpful feedback, she said, including useful tips for how to improve her race calls.
“Calling races is hard. I think I’m showing progress with every day and with every race,” Paquette said. “I hope people can hear that, that there is hope, some light at the end of the tunnel. I’m continuing to improve and absorbing the feedback.”
Read more at The Racing Biz.
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