Motor Racing Network Co-Founder Ken Squier at 88

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, November 16, 2023 | 11:10am CT

Ken Squier

Motor Racing Network co-founder and its first anchor, Ken Squier died Wednesday night. He was 88. Squier, also known for his time broadcasting NASCAR on the CBS Television Network and later with TBS, had just entered hospice care earlier in the day after a long series of illnesses.

It was Ken, who was personally selected by NASCAR Founder Bill France Sr., to build a nationwide network of radio stations to cover the growing sport. Of course, Squier started with the obvious, his family owned WDEV-AM & FM in Waterbury, VT, and Daytona Beach's WNDB-AM -- both of which still air MRN programming today -- and then went on to add hundreds more stations to air the very first MRN broadcast of the Daytona 500 in 1970.

"Whether from a bed of a logging truck at the Morrisville (VT) Speedway, or high atop the grandstands of 'The Great American Race' in Daytona, Ken Squier's eloquent voice entertained and educated millions of race fans, no matter the medium. His passion for stock car racing contributed mightily to its rapid growth throughout his 70-plus year career," said MRN President Chris Schwartz. "An entrepreneur to the end, Squier co-founded (along 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 first-time fans alike."

Motor Racing Network plans to share retrospectives of his life on MRN signature program NASCAR Live at 7pm ET Tuesday, during the NASCAR Champions Celebration & Awards broadcast on Thursday, November 30 at 7pm ET, and again during the 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony broadcast at 8pm ET on January 19, 2024.