The worlds of NASCAR and motorsports broadcasting have lost an icon, a one of a kind iconic voice, the legendary, Ken Squier.
The Vermont native passed away on Wednesday at his home, surrounded by his loved ones, under the care of Hospice.
Squier began his on-air career at the age of 12 at his father’s radio station, WDEV in Waterbury, Vermont. He called his first race at the age of 14 from the back of a logging truck at a small Vermont dirt track.
In 1960, Squire opened Thunder Road International Speed Bowl in Barre Vermont, which he sold in April of 2017.
The 2018 NASCAR Hall of Famer was fundamental in bringing NASCAR to the masses, as he joined forces with NASCAR’s Bill France to found the Motor Racing Network (MRN) in 1970 and spent time behind the mic calling the NASCAR races before moving to television in the late 1970’s.
Squire may be best known for his famous commentary in the 1979 Daytona 500, the first race broadcast flag to flag on television.
“And there’s a fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison!” Squier practically shouted to a national television audience. “The tempers overflowing …” These words were heard across the nation on the final lap of the Daytona 500, as the icons were fighting on the backstretch and Richard Petty went to victory lane.
Squier was also the one who coined the Daytona 500 as “The Great American Race.”
“Though he never sat behind the wheel of a stock car, Ken Squier contributed to the growth of NASCAR as much as any competitor. Ken was a superb storyteller and his unmistakable voice is the soundtrack to many of NASCAR’s greatest moments. His calls on TV and radio brought fans closer to the sport, and for that he was a fan favorite. Ken knew no strangers, and he will be missed by all. On behalf of the France family and all of NASCAR, I offer my condolences to the family and friends of Ken Squier.” – Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO
There will never be another Ken Squier.
-Blake Smith, host of Let’s Talk Racing
