Mark, as a PA/broadcast announcer yourself who do you consider the best in the business of those you've heard? I'm just curious. I have a favorite of my own but I'll let you identify and explain who you most enjoy hearing call a race first.
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Mark, as a PA/broadcast announcer yourself who do you consider the best in the business of those you've heard? I'm just curious. I have a favorite of my own but I'll let you identify and explain who you most enjoy hearing call a race first.
Gosh almighty CIRF, thank you for asking. This may be very long winded but I hope you are not exhausted by my response. This has to be somewhat broken down by era's and genre's because I have very strong ties to those listed below. These choices will be broken down by the decades and I hope I don't bore the masses.
I am going to jump from the 60's thru the 70's, 80's 90's and then thru the 2000's.
Trying so hard to be short and concise, the 60's to me were the absolute formative years. On the pavement side it was Joe Volkhomer from Saugus Speedway who could call a great show. However.................. , in the 60's and 70's in So-Cal, the drag racing scene, utterly dominated the area and there were 2 that were incredible that still leave and inspirational footprint on me and one that came in for the big shows at Lions, Irwindale, Orange County International Raceway, the "Smokers Bakersfield"s March Meet and other major meets.
Those 2 that were were local were Bernie Mathers who called those weekly "Olympics of drag racing" at Lions and the awesome Steve Evans who did Lions, O.C.I.R, and Irwindale Raceway, Pomona, and all those N.H.R.A. shows on the American Sports Cavalcade shows on TNN. The other that came in to So-Cal that was just great was Jon "thunderlungs" Lunberg who was the voice of drag racing that called one of the best top 5 auto racing shows ever, the 1967 Professional Dragster Associations show at Lions that was the greatest one-day Top Fuel show ever.
Now let us move on to more modern times leaping many years. Those above left a footprint on me. in the 80's and into the dirt scene, Ted Otto at Ascot was so (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) good, had an even keel voice, like Deloiso at Perris today but a quite different. Loved Dave McClelland with the N.H.R.A and later Bob Frey.
In the 2000's and leap frogging to my time here in the South, I really have admired Ross Tingle at Columbus and Magnolia, but the guy that has a real place in my heart on the dirt side is the guy I eventually replaced in the chair at Talladega, Perry Holman, a special human being, my first ever friend in Alabama, and a talent that left a mark on me.
In 2021 and even before that, I think Johnny Gibson with the Woo Sprints, Eschelmen with Woo Late Models, Essex with the Lucas Series, Alan Reinhardt with the N.H.R.A and that dude with U.S.A.C who says "cowboy up" are good at what they do.
Late Model Mark
Good read, Mark. You mention some guys who I'm familiar with and you get a full-on thumbs up from me for your endorsement. I truly admire what you guys do. I found out the hard way that to call the racing action and the amount of preparation and natural ability it requires to do it correctly is way beyond my pay grade and ability. Of course "correctly" is in the eye/ear of the beholder but some announcers are just naturally entertaining and have a universal appeal.
In my humble opinion, and the opinion of most of my closest racing family, Scott Daloisio of Perris Auto Speedway fame is the epitome of what a short track race announcer should be. Scott is absolutely without peer. He's not a screamer. He doesn't unnecessarily over accentuate verbally like Gibson and Essex do especially how they announce drivers names. Both those guys drive me to the mute button.
I believe every aspiring young person looking to get into short track race announcing should study Scott Daloisio's style because it's as close to perfect as we've ever heard!
I always thought Terry Baltes did a great job at Eldora. Don't particularly like Tony Laporta or Pat Sullivan who do most of the USAC PA and broadcast work but I tolerate them. Jim Naylor has to be the most annoying announcer ever to grace a racetrack PA system. Since we're planning on attending Turkey Night I sincerely hope Naylor has Daloisio back to Venture to do the Turkey Night announcing as has been the case in the past.
Thanks again for the cool response, Mark.
You are welcome sir. All those years Mrs. LMM and myself would go to Ventura, we would say that here we go again listening to "Screamin" Jim Naylor, he tried very hard but it was tough. One night at Perris, I sat up in the booth with Kazarian and Deloisio as they were knockin off some suds, I joined in and had a blast.
Another guy and his name escapes me was the guy calling the races at the paved Orange Show Speedway, he tried to crack mother-in-law jokes that failed.
Another time Steve Evans was calling the giant 64-car Funny Car Championships at Irwindale Raceway in 76. They had a tight 11:00pm curfew that would have hefty time fines if going over the limit. They started at 6:00pm and had a incredible amount of action to get in, well it was about 10:55pm with just the final to be run and one of the finalists was the late and very great Raymond Beadle in the the "Blue Max" Mustang. That car was the most sought after and expensive booked Funny Cars in the country. It was the highest paid racecar in the U.S.A. to make an appearance at a track. I was there. Steve Evans had the crowd whipped up as was the norm in So-Cal back then.
Instead of pulling the plug, he said, we are going to run this final and pay the (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) fine to the city of Irwindale! At about 11:15 the Blue Max lined up against Don Prudhomme for the $$$ in front of about 17,000 crammed fans. It was worth it, if I recall for going over by 15 minutes he had to pay $700 in fines. They probably made that in a hour in the concession stands as the burgers were made by Harry Snyder of In 'N Out burger fame.
LMM
Steve Evans was right up there with Daloisio. I think Steve did a cameo in a Burt Reynolds movie, or am I off base, again?Quote:
Originally Posted by Late_Model_Mark
Ted Otto was a hell of a flagman for years with the United States Snowmobile Association, too. It would be -20F and he would flag the whole show without a cap or hat.. no earmuffs, either!Quote:
Originally Posted by Late_Model_Mark
I believe he may have been in Stroker Ace....Quote:
Originally Posted by CIRF