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EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT: DIXIE TURNS TINSELTOWN!!!
That’s right, ladies and gents! The one, the only, Matt “Hollywood” Prieur has come home to call the shots (I mean races) at Dixie Motor Speedway in 2009.
After four seasons with the ASA Late Model Series, Matt has returned to his roots as the Lead Announcer and Director of Media / Public Relations for both Dixie Motor Speedway and Owosso Speedway.
“Dixie is where I grew up as a kid,” Matt said. “Selling popcorn, programs, pop and anything else. I’ve always had a place in my heart for the track. Some of my best memories growing up happened at Dixie Motor Speedway. It’s always good to come home, especially to a track like Dixie.
The Weekly Divisions at Dixie are some of the most competitive in the state of Michigan. There are also a lot of special events coming to the track this year. The Dixie Cup Triple Crown Series for the Super Late Models are three races I am really looking forward to. Jeff and Pam Parish are great people to work with and I know we’re going to see a very successful 2009 racing season at Dixie Motor Speedway.”
Dixie fans are in for a real treat this season with Matt behind the microphone. His love for racing and years of experience bring a degree of professionalism and excitement to the fine art of track announcing that very few can match. He knows racing inside and out, and he loves every part of it.
“I got started in racing as a very young kid with my Father taking me to the races every weekend,” Matt said. “We’d go at least five nights a week. Later on we crewed for a couple of teams in the mid 80s, and soon after, I wanted to become an official.”
Matt has even taken a few checkered flags of his own.
“I’ve driven mostly Official Races and Media Races,” Matt said. “I won Officials Races at Dixie in 1996 and Owosso Speedway in 2004. I also won the Media Race at Tri-City Motor Speedway in 2004.”
A few years ago, Matt answered a call from the ASA Late Model Series. He packed his things and headed out on the road to call races all over the country.
“Traveling with the ASA late Model Series is something I’ll always be grateful to Ron and Sandy Varney for,” Matt said. “They brought me on and made me an important part of the series. I learned a lot from them in the process.
“Because of the ASA late Model Series, I’ve had the honor and privilege to call races at some of the most prestigious speedways in North America. Bristol is obviously number one, plus there’s the Milwaukee Mile, Music City Motorplex, O’Reilly Raceway par at Indianapolis, Iowa Speedway and Cayuga International Speedway, just to name a few.
“Bristol was my favorite, hands down!” Matt said. “Not many people in the world can say that they’ve called a race there. I’m proud to say that I’m one of those very few people in the world that has!
“I’ve said this to anyone that has ever asked me about Bristol Motor Speedway; I don’t know what the Gladiators felt like when they walked into the Roman Coliseum for the first time, but when I walked into Bristol the feelings I had at that moment had to have been close to what those Gladiators from way back when had felt; very overwhelming.”
Matt’s announcing style is one of a kind, but he has modeled it after some of the greatest announcers in Michigan.
“The Late Mick Schuler, the Late Dennis Casteele, Gary Lindahl, Leo “Chief” Pego and John Shipman are all members of the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame,” Matt said. “All five of them would, or do, get to the track right when the pit gates open, talk to every driver there, make sure the information is correct, learn about their drivers, their families, everything about them. Always being prepared. I like to think that I’ve modeled my own announcing after the precedent and standards they’ve set.”
No matter how many hours Matt puts in at the track every week, he is always at the top of his game when the gates open on Friday night at Dixie.
“Racing isn’t a job for me, it’s in my blood and I love it. I truly enjoy what I do!”
