‘True Vermont legend’: NASCAR Hall of Famer Ken Squier dies at 88

Ken Squier, founder of Barre’s Thunder Road, co-founder of the Motor Racing Network, a NASCAR Hall of Famer and a broadcasting legend for decades for Vermonters, the region and the nation, died Wednesday night. He was 88.

Squier, who had recently moved into hospice care, according to Motor Racing Network’s Dave Moody, is credited with being the first person in getting flag-to-flag coverage of auto racing on television when CBS aired the Daytona 500 in 1979. During that race, Squier narrated the iconic, last-lap fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison, according to USA TODAY.

Squier also helped the Daytona 500 earn its nickname “Great American Race,” and his involvement in NASCAR, its introduction to mainstream America and the growth of stock car racing cannot be understated, according to USA TODAY.

“I grieve for the loss of my dear friend and lifelong mentor, but rejoice in the fact that his pain and struggle are over,” Moody posted on his Twitter page on Thursday morning.

In a statement, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Thunder Road champion, said “we mourn the loss of a true Vermont legend and dear friend to me and so many others.”

“His impacts on the sport are too numerous to count, and he deserves every one of those recognitions and many more,” Scott’s statement read in part. “But for me, what I will remember most was his friendship and deep devotion to his community, which was the entire state. Ken was always looking for opportunities to give back and help those in need. He instilled those values as the backbone of Radio Vermont, which has been an essential part of the fabric of Vermont since its creation – always finding new ways to support more and more Vermonters.

“I will always cherish the memories of all the time we spent together, and be thankful for his mentorship, humor, creativity and passion. From the booth, he often described those racing as ‘common men doing uncommon things.’ But in reality he was describing himself — because Ken was indeed a very common man who did extraordinary things,” Scott wrote.

Born on April 10, 1935, Squier quickly became involved in the family-owned and operated WDEV radio station in Waterbury. In 1960, Squier opened Thunder Road International Speedbowl to a full crowd, according to Thunder Road news release announcing Squier’s passing. Squier created big racing events such as the Labor Day Classic, Memorial Day Classic, Vermont Governor’s Cup and the Vermont Milk Bowl.

In the years that followed, Squier continued to elevate athletes to heroic status whether through national television coverage of NASCAR events on CBS, TNN and TBS and the Winter Olympics, announcing stock car races across the Northeast or play-by-play on WDEV Radio coverage of local high-school and college sports, the Thunder Road release stated.

Squier and Tom Curley, who together created the American-Canadian Tour in 1979, bought back Thunder Road in 1982, and helped turn the Barre speedbowl, called “The Nation’s Site of Excitement” into one of the nation’s top short tracks, Thunder Road said. In 2017, Squier and Curley sold Thunder Road to Vermont businessman Pat Malone and former Thunder Road champion Cris Michaud, finalizing the sale shortly before Curley’s death.

Squier is also a member of the New England Auto Racing and American Motorsports halls of fame. He was inducted into the NASCAR HOF in 2018.

According to Thunder Road, funeral arrangements for Squier have yet to be made.

Editor’s note: USA TODAY contributed to this story.

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.