“Squeaky wheels get the grease”: Popular NASCAR presenter Jamie Little shares Rusty Wallace’s advice that helped her career

Jamie Little has shared advice from Rusty Wallace that helped her career as a sports presenter. Little said Wallace told her to speak her mind, which led to her landing a role as a presenter for NASCAR.

Little is an American motorsports journalist who started her NASCAR career in 2007 with ESPN/ABC. Before her NASCAR gig, she covered X Games, as well as the IndyCar Series with Rusty Wallace.

Speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on X (formerly Twitter), Little recalled the moment in 2006 when Wallace advised her to tell the big bosses her ambitions to cover NASCAR.

"Somebody planted something in my head... Rusty Wallace. He was going to be the voice in the booth for ESPN NASCAR. But they made him do IndyCar in 2006 [...] We were at the year-end celebration in IndyCar and he said, 'So Jamie, you're coming with us next year, right? And I was like, 'No,'" Little stated.

She added:

"I was like, 'Rusty, everybody's calling the bosses. I'm not that person to just pile on and be like I want to be on there.'"

Jamie Little then shared the advice she got from the former NASCAR driver.

"He said, 'Listen, let me tell you something. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.' If you don't say something, they don't know,'" the NASCAR presenter said.

"Squeaky wheels get the grease" is an idiom that describes a situation where the people who complain the most garner attention and usually get their problems addressed.

After speaking her mind, Little was informed by ESPN bosses that she would become a NASCAR presenter in 2007. She also disclosed that the contract for this role had already been finalized before she shared her aspirations with them.

Today, Little serves as the NASCAR pit reporter for Fox. She is also the play-by-play voice of the ARCA Menards Series and select Craftsman Truck Series races.

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Jamie Little congratulated Tony Breidigner on becoming the first NASCAR female SI Swimsuit model

Speaking of the two racing series, Jamie Little congratulated Toni Breidinger on getting featured in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit magazine. Breidinger is the first NASCAR female driver to do so, something which amazed Little.

Little covered Breidinger on track during the driver's stint in the ARCA Menards Series with Venturini Motorsports. She should also share moments with Breidinger next year considering the Arab-American driver is heading to the Truck Series.

Per Instagram, the NASCAR reporter wrote:

"First time seeing a driver cover in racing featured in the swimsuit issue for @sportsillustrated. Congrats @tonibreidinger."

Jamie Little's Instagram story - Source: @jamielittletv on IG

For 2025, Toni Breidinger will drive the No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage full-time. She will drive alongside Corey Heim, Tanner Gray, and Gio Ruggiero.

As for Little, she would continue covering the sport for Fox. However, the reporter won't work full-time on the calendar with the expanded $7.7 billion media deal. Fox won't host select races including the new Mexico City road course race.

NASCAR will return in February 2025 for the Daytona International Speedway race weekend.