Banner
Banner
Banner

Latest Track Articles

Media Advisory: Hoekstra To Serve As Gra

For Immediate Release                 Contact: John Truscott                                                          ...

READMORE

FW: 2010 MMSHoF inductees announced

-----Original Message----- From: Allan Brown <speedways@comcast.net> Sent: Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:44:34 Pacific Daylight T...

READMORE

Paul McMahan takes WoO win at Eldora

News image

Paul McMahan had racked up six Top-Five finishes in his last eight starts heading into the finale of Outlaw Thunder by Goodye...

READMORE

New Paris braves cold, Thirteen Feature

News image

No doubt about it, the weather was cold with temperatures in the low 40's and a stiff wind swirling through the 1/4 mile spee...

READMORE

Galesburg Speedway Red Flagged

News image

The Galesburg Speedway did not open last weekend as scheduled and it’s unlikely the race track will open this Saturday becau...

READMORE

Ron Flinn Hospitalized

News image

Reports out of Crystal Motor Speedway this morning are that Ron Flinn has been hospitalized due to a coronary issue. Accordi...

READMORE

Action to begin at Spartan Speedway

If the grandstands along the front stretch of Spartan Speedway look a bit higher than normal, well, they are. The speedway p...

READMORE

Auto City postpones due to Cold

News image

Although the weather was picture-perfect for testing on Thursday afternoon, Mother Nature brought us cold and windy condition...

READMORE

Latest Series Articles

A busy 2010season begins for Lorz Motors

News image

By Lorz Motorsports – M.P.H. Promotions Midlothian, Illinois (Tuesday, March 23, 2010): The 2010 racing season for Lorz Mo...

READMORE

ASA Late Model Series Graduates Shine on

By: Devon Holder ASA Late Model Series/Sunoco National Tour PR Easter Weekend typically means no NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ...

READMORE

Nelms ready for 2010

News image

0 Josh Nelms - Lockport, Illinois. (K.J. Motorsports Photo) By K.J. Motorsports / M.P.H. Promotions Lockport, Illinois (Mo...

READMORE

Historic Day at the North Wilkesboro Spe

News image

By Sunoco National Tour P.R. Lexington, Michigan (Wednesday, March 10, 2010): The legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway, hom...

READMORE

Wayne Bunn, Announcer

Friday, 31 July 2009 11:24 Rick Partanen
Print PDF

With a career of announcing that spans over three decades, Wayne Bunn is still on top of his game.  The forty-eight year old has had a passion for racing as far back as he can remember.  Growing up in New York,  Wayne recalls going to the track with his parents.  " Ray Martin was the announcer,  and I decided I would like to try that someday ", recalls Wayne.  His own announcing career started at age sixteen, ad has been going strong for thirty-two years.  Wayne has announced for tracks such as Kalamazoo Speedway, Butler Speedway, and he is currently announcing for Hartford Speedway on Friday night, and at Galesburg Speedway on Saturday night.  This isn't the first time for Wayne at the Galesburg Speedway," early 80's, Charlie Keckler heard me announcing at the Kalamazoo Speedway, and invited me to give it a try over at Galesburg, when they were racing two nights a week ( Saturday and Sunday ) ", said Wayne.

Of all the events he has announced over the years, Wayne enjoys the races that pay out alot more.  " The Freedom 100 ( Galesburg Speedway ), The Klash ( Kalamazoo Speedway ), The King of Michigan Sod Nationals ( Hartford Speedway ), these big races bring out the big talent, and some of the best racing action ", said Wayne, who has announced each one of the before mentioned races.

Wayne admits his favorite moment in his career came in the early 80's when he interviewed Neil Bonnett at Galesburg Speedway, " it was a chance to get up-close and personal with one of Nascar's elite drivers.

With Nascar in mind, Wayne acknowledges he is a Jeff Gordon fan, but also cheers for the home state drivers like Johnny Benson Jr., and David Stremme.  Bunn also mentioned David Reutimann, " his father ran in New York State ", Wayne recalls.

Wayne has always had a passion for racing, " Ive been to a lot of different tracks throughout the country.  I have been to about thirty tracks, including Daytona, Pocono, Michigan, the Milwaukee Mile, and the Nashville Fairgrounds ", he stated.

When asked what he thinks needed to be changed in the sport of racing, Wayne was very clear that cost control is a must with today's economy.  " Get the children involved more, promoters need to keep the cost down for the fans ", said Wayne.  He added, " Twelve to fourteen dollars for the big shows, not twenty to twenty-five dollars.  You will have more people in the stands rather than driving people away with a high ticket price ".

Although Wayne has been a part of racing for over three decades, he doesn't have the urge to race.  " I never had a big urge to race, I drove in an employee race at the Southwest Michigan Speedway ( now Motville ), and didn't do so good.  It was a Street Stock, and it is really harder than it looks.  Its not like driving down I-94, you have to turn the wheel and really drive it ", Wayne stated.

Away from the track, Wayne enjoys reading, watching NBA and NCAA basketball, while he also enjoys football too.  " Alot of people like football, I enjoy basketball.  I played on my High school varsity basketball team ", Wayne shared.

Wayne has no intentions of slowing anytime soon.  " I'm making pretty good money at it, never really thought about it, but its like Richard Petty said, I'm going to do it as long as I'm enjoying it ", says Wayne.

His seventeen year old daughter Mackenzie ( Wayne also has an 8 year old daughter named Mikayla  ) is also an employee of the track out at Hartford Speedway, working in the concession stand.  " We ride to the track together every Friday night.  Its a chance for us to share time together ", said Wayne.

Wayne and his wife ( Pamela ) will be celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary in October.

Back at he track, Wayne says he always enjoys announcing when Alan Vochaska is on the track over at Hartford Speedway.  " He's a four time Track Champion.  I have seen him progress from when he started out at Kalamazoo ( Speedway ) ", said Wayne.  " Throttle to the floor, he's a driver who gives it everything ", adds Wayne.

Wayne says he never has had a bad interview.  " The young drivers have a lot of talent, but are a little gun shy, I have to prod them along sometimes.  I think they don't realize the benefits of media and what it can do ", says Wayne.  He even recalls one driver in particular ," this young driver, the more I interviewed him, the better he got.  Now he is like a natural ".

While announcing, Wayne also tries to get the fans involved asking questions like, where the crowd is from, making a joke to get the crowd to chuckle.  " I just try to ease the tension a little bit " said Bunn.

One of the scariest moments on the microphone came at the Butler Motor Speedway.  " One of the drivers had a heart attack on the track while driving.  Thankfully for the track crew, he is back racing and better than ever ",  recalls Bunn.

When it comes to interviews, Wayne expects a reply from the driver.  " I dont want to make a statement, I want to be creative when it comes to the questions.  These drivers are fully capable of giving answers ", said Wayne.  He went on to explain ," I try to announce the way I want to hear the racing announced, serious and straight forward.  I try to tell it like it is and learn to entertain more and more throughout the years ".

If you get the chance, come on out to the Hartford Motor Speedway every Friday night, or Galesburg Speedway every Saturday night to hear the voice of the racing action.  Take a moment to introduce yourself, and let Wayne know he is doing a fine job, and to keep up the good work.  A true professional who is still on top of his game.

Facebook Page: 133068181941 Linked In: michigancircletrack MySpace: michigancircletrack Twitter: marctimes YouTube: pmcnamara
JoomlaWatch Stats 1.2.9 by Matej Koval