Barney Hall, sports commentator, Died at 83

  Sports

Barney Hall was born on June 24, 1932, and died on January 26, 2016.

He was an American sports commentator for Motor Racing Network, formerly calling NASCAR races.

Barney for over 50 years commentated races.

Mr.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.”

After serving four years in the United States Navy, Hall’s career started in the 1950s working for local radio stations in Elkin, particularly at WIFM-FM for 13 years.

Barney was the first person to work on the public address system at Bristol Motor Speedway, which was stated as “dumb luck”.

Meanwhile, the Motor Racing Network started in 1970, Hall became a turn announcer, before becoming a booth announcer.

Mr.Hall has commentated for 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.

Mr.Hall declared that the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona would be his final broadcast, on July 5, 2014,

On January 26, 2016, MRN president David Hyatt announced that Hall had died after complications from surgery.

He left behind his survived by his wife of 35 years, Karen Carrier.

Barney Hall passed away at 83 yrs old.