NASCAR in Mourning for Legendary Broadcaster, Barney Hall

Barney Hall, a cornerstone of Motor Racing Network (MRN) radio broadcasts since the network’s founding in 1970, passed away Tuesday from complications following a recent medical procedure. He was 83. The announcement of his death was made in a statement issued Tuesday evening by David Hyatt, MRN president.

“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that Motor Racing Network must today convey the passing of our friend and colleague, long-time MRN anchor Barney Hall. For many of us in the racing and broadcasting industries, Barney was more than just ‘The Voice’ who brought us the NASCAR action each week on the radio. He was an inspiration, a teacher and mostly, a friend. Barney was a consummate professional whose style and honesty made him one of the most revered voices of the sport and perhaps the most trusted reporter of his day.

“In a world that can have its share of egos, Barney’s humor and humility kept everyone around him firmly grounded. His smooth and easygoing delivery was the mark by which others were measured. His co-anchor, Joe Moore, once commented that ‘Barney was the calming force in the midst of a raging storm and simply by listening to him, you knew there was safe passage through it.’ Barney Hall was the true voice of NASCAR and although his own voice has gone silent, his presence will live on in the many current motorsports broadcasters who learned at the knee of such a great storyteller.”

Hall was best known for his calm voice and unmatched storytelling, on the air and off. He was the lead booth announcer at MRN for over four decades, calling his first Daytona 500 in 1960 and missing only four subsequent broadcasts on that event in its 57-year history. He was sidelined briefly by illness in 2012 but soon returned to the booth and remained an integral part of MRN coverage for the next two years. He worked his final race on July 6, 2014. Hall joined the Motor Racing Network first as a turn announcer and then moved to the booth in the late 1970s, where he had been a fixture until 2014.

Hall called a number of the sport’s milestone moments including the landmark 1979 Daytona 500 that featured a post-race scuffle among Bobby and Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough; Richard Petty’s 200th career victory in 1984; and Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 win in the Daytona 500.

“The entire NASCAR family extends its condolences to the family, friends and fans of Barney Hall, a NASCAR broadcasting giant for more than 50 years,” said Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “Barney’s impeccable delivery and incredible storytelling skills left an indelible mark on the sport that he so clearly loved. His legacy remains through an honor that rightly carries his name – the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. It will remain a constant reminder of the skill and passion that Barney brought to his work.”

Hall began his broadcast career in the 1950s working at local radio stations in North Carolina. He served as Bristol Motor Speedway’s first public address announcer and called his first Daytona 500 in 1960. Hall’s NASCAR broadcast career began almost by accident. The recipient of free tickets as a local radio personality, he started attending races in the late 1950s. He was offered $75 for a weekend of public address duties at the then-new Bristol Motor Speedway in 1960 and a career was born.

That led to a job with what was known as the Daytona 500 Network, operating out of WNDB in Daytona Beach, Fla. – a forerunner of the Motor Racing Network.

He was sidelined briefly by illness in 2012 but soon returned to the booth and remained an integral part of MRN coverage for the next two years. He worked his final race on July 6, 2014. After that, he was on several special broadcasts.

“Barney will be forever the original voice of NASCAR,” said Richard Petty, perhaps the most well-known figure in NASCAR. “He may not have been there at the first race, but he was at a lot of them and is a pioneer of the sport. He helped grow the sport nationally. He made it come to life, gave it excitement and made everyone feel like they were right there at the track, even if you weren’t. He defined calling the races over the radio and he was the best at what he did in his field for a long, long time. He was there loudly during some of our greatest times and there silently during others. He was our voice and our friend. He will be missed.”

In 2007, Hall was recognized by NASCAR when he was presented the Bill France Award of Excellence. Hall was the recipient of the prestigious Myers Brothers Award in 2008. In 2012, NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced the creation of the Squier-Hall Award for Media Excellence. Hall and fellow legendary broadcaster Ken Squier were the first two recipients of the award. Hall was the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Broadcaster of the Year in 2014; he was the co-recipient of another NMPA Award in 2015

NASCAR Hall of Executive Director Winston Kelley, also a longtime friend and fellow broadcaster on MRN, posted the following statement soon after Hall’s death was announced:

“First and foremost, I want to offer our most sincere condolences to the longtime love of Barney’s life and best friend for more than 35 years, Karen Carrier, and their families on Barney’s passing. Barney’s accomplishments and contributions to NASCAR are immeasurable and without parallel. Covering NASCAR for nearly 55 years through seven decades, he became known by millions as “The Voice of NASCAR.” He was that recognizable voice that you would hear with every broadcast. You may not have known the face, which he would joke with his ever-present wit that it was “made for radio,” but his voice was unmistakable.

Whether you met him or not, you felt like you knew him. His easy, conversational delivery made you feel like you were listening to one of your closest friends or relatives tell you a story – the story of the very NASCAR race he was describing. He could paint a picture that would make Picasso or Rembrandt proud and tell a story that would awe Hemingway or Twain. He was not just a trusted voice to listeners and race fans, he became what many believe is the most trusted journalist in NASCAR by the sport’s competitors for decades. Barney has also tutored dozens of broadcasters throughout his career, many of whom you hear on the air today on both radio and television.

Barney achieved one of the ultimate compliments for his life’s work and honored his commitment to NASCAR when the sport named the award for media excellence presented annually at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony after him and another legendary broadcaster and former colleague, Ken Squier. Hall and Squier were the inaugural recipients of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence in 2013. NASCAR has lost its most recognizable voice and one of the greatest broadcasters ever of any sport; and I have lost one of my dearest friends. His legacy and legendary calls of NASCAR racing will live in our minds, our archives and at the NASCAR Hall of Fame forever.”

Hall was a lifelong resident of Elkin, North Carolina. He joined the Navy soon after high school, serving four years before launching his radio career as a disc jockey at a radio station in Elkin. Before joining MRN he was Bristol Motor Speedway’s first public address system announcer. He is survived by his soulmate of 35 years Karen Carrier, an aunt, and several extended family members.

Arrangements have been announced to include visitation Thursday, January 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from Noon to 2 p.m., followed by the funeral (2 p.m.), all at the First baptist Church in Jonesville, North Carolina. full obituary

CTW.com Editor’s Note: Having had the privilege of sharing MRN Radio booth space with Barney Hall many times I can assure you that what you heard on the radio was exactly who he was: genuine, sincere, passionate, and a quick wit – the stories he could tell would have you rolling for hours – he will be missed.