Legendary NASCAR broadcaster Ken Squier has died following complications from a recent medical issue. He was 88 years old.
SiriusXM host and Motor Racing Network announcer Dave Moody shared on X, formerly Twitter, that Squier died Wednesday evening.
Squier – alongside NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. – co-founded the Auto Racing Network in 1970.
“Whether from the bed of a logging truck at Morrisville (VT) Speedway or atop the grandstands of the Great American Race at Daytona, Ken Squier’s eloquent voice has entertained and educated millions of racing fans, whatever the medium. His passion for stock car racing contributed mightily to his rapid growth throughout his 70-year career,” said Chris Schwartz, president of Motor Racing Network.
“An entrepreneur to the end, Squier co-founded (with Bill France, Sr.) the Motor Racing Network in 1970 and set the course that the network follows to this day. We will continue to honor his unique way of storytelling by bringing the excitement and passion of this incredible sport to core fans, casual fans and new fans alike.
From 1979 to 1997, Squier served as the lead commentator for NASCAR on CBS. He also held the same position at TBS from 1983 to 1999.
Squier led the charge to produce a full album NASCAR races to a national audience with CBS. In its first broadcast of the sport, CBS brought the 1979 Daytona 500 to a national audience as the East Coast was experiencing a major snowstorm at the time. An estimated audience of 15 million watched Squire shout out Richard Petty’s victory, with competitors Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough crashing before the finish line before trading blows after getting out of their cars.
In addition to his legendary motorsports career, Squier also owned radio station WDEV in Waterbury, Vermont until 2017. His father, Lloyd, owned the station starting in 1935 before the younger Squier took over after the death of his father in 1979.
Ken Squier is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame, the Vermont Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, among a host of other distinguished individuals. honors. He was named Vermont Sportscaster of the Year in 1963, 1967, 1969, 1973 and 1997.
