Chris Economaki, known as the "Dean of American Motorsports," died early Friday morning. He was 91. Economaki began selling single copies of National Speed Sport News at age 14 and eventually became the publication’s editor - a position he held for 60 years. Economaki next turned his attention and energies to broadcasting, covering several Indianapolis 500s, Daytona 500s, Formula 1 Grand Prixes and other motorsports events for “ABC Wide World of Sports” in the ’60s. Two decades later, he moved on to CBS Sports and later contributed to ESPN and TBS motorsports programming. Funeral arragements are incomplete. Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/09/28/2340819/dean-of-american-motorsports-chris.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.bnd.com/2012/09/28/2340819/dean-of-american-motorsports-chris.html
Wow, I thought he went a long time ago. No one who has heard his voice will ever forget it.
When I was a kid, he was just that cranky old guy with the funny voice on broadcasts. I wisely grew out of that thinking to appreciate his insight and experience.
I hope NSSN in its new guise will be able live on as a legacy to his work.
He was the voice of motorsports for me for many years, and few did as much to promote it for such a long time as he did. I'm sorry to see him go, but 91 years is a nice run, too. Rest in peace.
Tom_Spangler wrote: I'm sorry to see him go, but 91 years is a nice run.
91 sounds great, unless you're 90.
Can't forget the infamous driver "Jaques DeBris" that Econmaki came up with
When we were running Nascar, he sat a table over from us during the awards banquet one year. He told stories most of the evening and had everyone rivited. I kept leaning back in my chair so i could hear him talking, he was a very entertaining guy and had a great memory of events.
Everyone that night left with a copy of National Speed Sport News, I still have mine. Very sad news....
Man, they don't make them like that anymore.
What's it like out there?
fasted58 wrote: What's it like UP there?
FTFY....
The man was a peerless icon.
RIP
That man was the voice of racing when I was a kid. ABC's "Wide World of Sports" and some of the promotional films was all we had. Chris was in a lot of those as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMPs1rExy1I
He was a member of my local NNJR-SCCA longer than anyone else ever.
An older replay of Wind Tunnel featuring Economaki was just on Speed.... the stories... what a hoot.
You'll need to log in to post.
