NASCAR Broadcaster Ken Squier Dies at 88

Famed NASCAR broadcaster Ken Squier has died. The man who reported on stock car events on television for more than three decades was 88.

Known for coining the phrase “The Great American Race,” Squier died in hospice care on Wednesday, November 15 in Waterbury, Vermont, according to his hometown radio station, WDEV, which is part of the Radio Vermont Group he owned.

Starting with CBS 1973, Squier broke into the NASCAR world six years later when he was in the booth for the network when it became the first to air wire-to-wire coverage of the Daytona 500. Memorably, many viewers were snowed in at home at the time, leaving them eager to tune into the broadcast.

(Credit: Universal Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection)

From 1979 through 1997, Squier called every Daytona 500 race, solidifying his spot in NASCAR history, and helping earn his 2018 induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In addition to the Daytona 500 on CBS, Squier was also a lap commentator on TBS from 1983 until 1999. He eventually went on to work with TNN and helmed coverage featuring on ESPN, TNT, ABC, and NBC.

Additionally, NASCAR has named its annual award for media excellence after Squier and fellow broadcast Barney Gall.

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Born April 10, 1935, in Waterbury, Squier’s father owned and operated WDEV, the radio station that shared the news of his death this week. Calling his first race at age 14 from the Morrisville Speedway, one could say Squier was born for the field. He even worked as a pit reporter for ABC during his first NASCAR race in 1971.

Needless to say, Squier’s impact has been immeasurable to the NASCAR world. While he was known for his work on television as a broadcaster, Squier also made a few film appearances in titles such as The Cannonball Run, Stroker Ace, Rad, and Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.