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What’s It Like to... Be an Auto Racing Announcer

"What’s It Like To…" is a series that looks inside the worlds of extreme sports, professional athletics, and careers in sports.

"What's It Like To…" is a series that looks inside the worlds of extreme sports, professional athletics, and careers in sports.

Auto racing is one of the most popular sports in the US. Ernie Saxton has announced races at over 150 racetracks across the country. He shares that "being an announcer gives me the opportunity to present the sport in a manner that best explains what's involved for the race car driver and to bring across the excitement to the fans in the stands so they can enjoy the action and understand the inner workings. When presented properly, auto racing is a very exciting sport."

Q:  Tell us a little about auto racing.

There are many different forms of auto racing that run from small race cars called midgets on up to Modified stock cars that compete on oval tracks. There are more than 1,000 such tracks operating on a regular basis across the nation. Usually the main event of the night will feature 24 or more race cars battling for the number one prize. The leader at the end of, normally, a 25 lap race, wins a cash prize.

Q:  What makes a good announcer?

Having a good understanding of the sport makes it more enjoyable for the fans in the stands. An announcer must understand the rules, and he has to present the sport in an exciting manner so that fans go home pleased to have witnessed the exciting action.

Q:  What are the challenges?

Keeping up with driver changes in the many different race cars that are taking part in the events. Understanding the different rules in different events at different speedways.

Q:  How do you prepare for races?

It's important for me to arrive early for an event and check in with competitors to learn what's new with the race teams. I make sure I'm aware of what's happening at the track in the future so I can promote coming events, talk about the lifeblood of the sport which is sponsorship, and obtain the latest point standings for each division of racing.

Q:  How did you get interested in auto racing?

When I was a teenager, my cousin took me to an auto race, 55 years back, and I fell in love with the sport immediately. I started writing stories and doing a little PR work. One night at Atlantic City Speedway, the regular announcer wasn't familiar with the Midgets that were racing. I was talked into doing the announcing even though I had never done it before. Even though a bug crawled in my mouth and I choked with 3,000 people staring at me, I survived and continued.

Q:  Favorite stories?

I announced a race in Georgia many years back and was getting a little dizzy as a result of some fumes. The next morning, I found that the track had been raided and a moonshine still found under the announcer's booth. Another time I managed to get people out of a speedway without problems when a bomb threat was called in.  I was able to keep the fans calm by telling that it was a drill by local emergency organizations.

Thanks to Ernie for sharing his passion for auto racing.  If you do ultra sports or have a sports-related career and would like to be interviewed, contact Dr. Whitman at sarah.whitman@drexelmed.edu.

Dr. Sarah Whitman practices sports psychiatry in Philadelphia. She is a guest contributor on Sports Doc.

Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.