CHRIS ECONOMAKI - 10/15/1920 - 09/28/2012
was an American motor sports commentator, pit road reporter, and journalist. Economaki was given the title "The Dean of American Motorsports." Economaki was born in Brooklyn, New York. Economaki’s father was a Greek immigrant and his mother a great-niece of Robert E. Lee. He saw his first race at age 9 at the board track in Atlantic City. He was immediately hooked on the sport. He once attempted driving a midget car at a cinder track in Pennsylvania. "It wasn’t for me," says Economaki. "It was a really frightening experience. That was the first and last time I drove in competition." Economaki began his career in auto racing journalism at age 13 selling copies of National Speed Sport News newspapers. He wrote his first column at age 14 for the National Auto Racing News. Economaki became the editor of the National Speed Sport News in 1950. He began writing a column called "The Editor’s Notebook", which he continued to write over fifty years later. He eventually became owner, publisher, and editor of the National Speed Sport News. His daughter Corinne Economaki took over as the publisher until the final issue of National Speed Sport News was published, on March 23, 2011. He co-authored an autobiography called Let 'Em All Go: The Story of Auto Racing by the Man who was there. In the inaugural World 600 in 1960, Don O'Dell's Pontiac smashed the driver's door of Lenny Page's Chevy. Lenny Page, who was lucky to even survive the crash due to the safety
systems at that time, was near death afterwards, but Economaki rushed to the scene and aided Page until safety crews arrived. He was later credited with saving Lenny's life. Economaki began as track announcer at a number of major races in the 1940s and 1950s. He is responsible for introducing millions of Americans to auto racing as an expert TV commentator. He began at the July 4, 1961 running of the Firecracker 250 NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway for ABC Sports. He covered most ABC Wide World of Sports motor sports events, including several Indianapolis 500s, Daytona 500s, Formula One Grand Prix races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, etc. He would also cover Wide World's less glamorous motor sports assignments, such as demolition derbies. After 23 years he switched to CBS Sports. He covered International Race of Champions (IROC) events, Daytona 500s, and Formula One Grand Prix events. He covered several types of auto racing, including sprint cars, Championship Cars, stock cars, drag racers, and CanAm cars. From 1995 until 2008, Economaki was a part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network coverage of the Indianapolis 500, working as a color commentator. Economaki received numerous major awards. He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994. He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993. He was awarded the 1990 NASCAR Award of Excellence, and the NASCAR Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. Chris Economaki became the prototype for all radio and television journalists in his sport. His depth of knowledge and skilled questioning made network execs understand that auto racing needed specialists to properly cover the sport. Chris opened the door for a whole generation of voices you hear today. Edsel B. Ford II of Ford Racing, called Economaki "an icon of the sport of auto racing and a familiar, knowledgeable face and voice to millions of race fans around the world. His influence on the growth of auto racing in the United States cannot be underestimated." The Economaki Champion of Champions Award is named after him. A day at the Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway race weekend is named "Chris Economaki Day." I myself had the privilege of meeting Economaki at a season Opening Banquet for the Craftsman Truck Series in 2001. We sat at the same table and had drinks and dinner. He had some quite interesting stories to tell. He told me "Chris, you had to be there"; then went on to make me feel like I had actually been there and saw it for myself. The man could paint a picture with his words. He died at the age of 91.
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