CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ken Squier, the legendary broadcaster who helped rush NASCAR into the spotlight of mainstream America during the 1979 Daytona 500, died Wednesday. He was 88.
Squier's death was announced by longtime friend and MRN colleague Dave Moody early Thursday morning. It was later confirmed by WDEV, the Vermont radio station owned by Squier. He'd recently been moved into hospice care after several health issues according to Moody.
“Though he never sat behind the wheel of a stock car, Ken Squier contributed to the growth of NASCAR as much as any competitor,” Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO said in a statement. “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.”
Squier made an undeniable impact on NASCAR. After helping launch the Motor Racing Network in 1970, Squier also anchored the first flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500 in 1979. As luck would have it, a huge snowstorm on the East Coast helped deliver huge ratings as Squier called the now iconic last-lap battle between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison that led to a fight following a crash. That race has long been known as the catalyst to NASCAR's growth throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and Squier is credited with giving the Daytona 500 its "Great American Race" moniker.
"I'm convinced that race would have not had its lasting impact had Ken not been our lead narrator," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "We still ride the wave of that momentum created on that day. Ken's words and energy were perfection on a day when NASCAR needed it. I am forever grateful for his major role in growing stock car racing."
Known for his expansive vocabulary and expressive way to describe auto racing, Squier was honored with the Squier-Hall Award at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which was created to honor the contributions of media to the success of NASCAR. Squier's career was later celebrated even further when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Tributes poured in for Squier on social media upon the news of his death as fans and media recognized his lasting impact for motorsports.
"Ken Squier was one of the absolute best to ever broadcast an automobile race," IndyCar announce Nick Yeoman said. "Simply put, he has influenced just about anyone and everyone in this business."
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