RIP Chris Economaki

[Uncle.Ruckus]

He was 91.

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8435223/dean-american-motorsports-chris-economaki-dies-91

 

[Liut]

Heard this on Speed Channel today. Always enjoyed his enthusiasm. Clearly was a man doing what he loved to do. RIP.

 

[Greenhorn]

One of the great voices in American sportscasting.

 

[Bubbler]

Having covered a gazillion events at Indianapolis, Economaki seemed eternal, like he emerged from the mortar in Indy's bricks.

I also recall his voice piercing through the screen back when CBS did the Daytona 500.

RIP.

 

[Mark2010]

91?!?!?! Never would have guessed that old.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Abe Vigoda, rinse, repeat.

 

[Iron_chet]

One of my earliest TV memories is him doing the "Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking" ads with the watch on the outboard engine prop in a tank of water.

He was also the voice of watching racing with my Dad.

RIP

 

[murphyc]

It's amazing how long he wrote about racing and announced it. When people do a job for 35 years we're amazed by the longevity. Chris covered racing for nearly 80 years. Wow. RIP Chris. I'm glad I finally got to meet him at Indy a few years ago.

 

[Liut]

It's amazing how long he wrote about racing and announced it. When people do a job for 35 years we're amazed by the longevity. Chris covered racing for nearly 80 years. Wow. RIP Chris. I'm glad I finally got to meet him at Indy a few years ago.

I will confess I knew little of his writing career. Truly a loss to motor racing.

 

[mpcincal]

Loved him in "Stroker Ace."

Seriously, although he had stopped doing NASCAR broadcast when I got into the sport, I knew he was a big name in those circles. Like Mark, I didn't realize he was that old. Definitely lived a full life. RIP.

 

[Riptide]

One of my earliest TV memories is him doing the "Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking" ads with the watch on the outboard engine prop in a tank of water.
RIP

That was John Cameron Swayze, wasn't it?

 

[Iron_chet]

@Riptide

Pretty sure it was Economaki but sometimes childhood memories can be wrong.

 

[wicked]

RIP.

It's a shame he never posted here, if he did we were promised Flash-style pics.

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/posts/1401004/

 

[dooley_womack1]

Specifically:

I am proud to say I started the original, wicked. A legendary night. :D

Would've been even more legendary if Sxy followed up on her promise of showing us the goods once Economaki signed on.

I'm tellin' ya - the day Economaki starts posting on this site, is the day I pull a Flash.
I stand by it.

 

[Riptide]

@Riptide

Pretty sure it was Economaki but sometimes childhood memories can be wrong.

Nah, it was Swayze. He did them for years.

 

[SportsGuyBCK]

RIP.

It's a shame he never posted here, if he did we were promised Flash-style pics.

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/posts/1401004/

Chris never, ever, EVER touched a computer ... he did everything on a typewriter ... old school, that Economaki ...

Now he can have an argument with David Poole and Jack Flowers over the state of NASCAR .. :)

 

[imjustagirl]

Just seeing this thread. I sat next to Economaki at the 2006 season-ending banquet back when it was in NYC. He talked through the whole thing.

By the time I'd gotten into the sport (2005-ish) he was a pretty standoffish guy at times. And he made me seem quiet when he spoke. But there was no denying his place in history or what he'd accomplished.

RIP, Mr. Economaki.

 

[dixiehack]

Specifically:

I am proud to say I started the original, wicked. A legendary night. :D

Would've been even more legendary if Sxy followed up on her promise of showing us the goods once Economaki signed on.

I'm tellin' ya - the day Economaki starts posting on this site, is the day I pull a Flash.
I stand by it.

Sonuvabitch