BARNEY HALL - 06/24/1932 - 01/26/2016
an American sports commentator for Motor Racing Network, formerly calling NASCAR races. Hall commentated races for over 50 years. Hall was considered as one of the best NASCAR commentators of all-time, and MRN director David Hyatt stated, "Motor Racing Network is ‘The Voice of NASCAR’ and Barney Hall is the voice of MRN." The 82-year-old Hall had been in the radio business for more than 60 years, starting with a stint with Armed Forces Radio in Okinawa, Japan. Hall's career started in the 1950s working for local radio stations in Elkin, North Carolina, and is the first person to work on the public address system at Bristol Motor Speedway, which was stated as "dumb luck". When Motor Racing Network started in 1970, Hall became a turn announcer, before becoming a booth announcer. Hall commentated all but three Daytona 500s in his career, and in the 1979 edition, Hall introduced his catchphrase, "flag-to-flag coverage of The Great American Race." In 2007, he was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of
Fame. On May 23, 2012, the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced the creation of the Squier-Hall Award for Media Excellence, named for Hall and former MRN reporter Ken Squier. On July 5, 2014, Hall, stunned fans and listeners everywhere Saturday when it was announced that the legendary Hall would call his final race in Saturday’s (rescheduled to Sunday) Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. “It really has been one heck of a ride, there’s no question about that,” Hall said. “I still enjoy doing the races. This will be 154 races at Daytona (that he’s broadcast), I guess. A long time.” Hall is an institution not just in NASCAR, but in all sports broadcasting, with a tenure rivaled by very few. The first name that comes to mind – and Hall is definitely NASCAR’s version, for sure – is legendary baseball announcer Vin Scully. Hall’s intimate relationship with listeners and NASCAR fans, many who have spent years, if not decades, listening to him and how he helped bring broadcasts to life, leaving fans with the feeling they are right there in the broadcast booth with him. On January 26, 2016, MRN president David Hyatt announced that Hall had died at the age of 83, after complications from surgery
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