Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I agree  with all the drivers and fans who rave about all the improvments at Port but the one thing they have gone backwards at is the announcing. I am not a big late model fan but when I go to a track I always stay till the end and watch all divisions.They did a decent job with the sprint cars announcing all sponsors and home towns but they never got to any of that for the late models and half the time they were getting the green flag before they even gave the lineup.

I know they go to other tracks but they made it seem like yesterday was the first race of the year even for guys like Marks and Elliason who raced in Florida,. In the past they had Shane Armstrong who at least cared about the late models the only bad  thing with Shawn was him screaming the winner in victory lane.

I've been saying this since they took over from Brouse.  I can deal with Earl, to be honest.  He seems to have improved over the past year.  But the other, who's name I will not mention, is God awful.  When he announces a lineup it is the most mush mouthed, incoherent babbling I've ever heard.  Not to mention the mistakes and mis-pronounced names.  It sounds like he had a dozen shots of JD before attempting to speak.  I wish they either had a better duo or cut the current duo in half, lol.  I get they are giving it a shot, but some folks are not cut out for certain jobs.  But then again, who they gonna get.

They seem like great guys and there's no question they have a passion for the sport, but I can't disagree. I hate to say things like that because being an announcer is a tough job. Much tougher than most people think but so is being a major league pitcher and major league clubs don't put a guy in the rotation just because he's passionate about baseball. It takes a certain level of talent, just like calling a race on a mic and those guys just don't have it. 

Central PA premier track announcers: Ranked

1. Bruce Ellis 

2. Dave Hare

3 (tie) Wayne Harper

3(Tie) Shawn Brouse

4.  Port Royals annouce team

100. The Pit reporter/ Stand in for Wayne Harper at Lincoln. Terrible 

I think they do fine job for only second yr, We like the way they get fired up about the racing. So what if they say a few things wrong? I like Harper the best and can't even hear Ellis in infield , so don't matter .

Let Strawser26 do it ....then he can tell em over the pa how to fix the track

Bruce Ellis is the worst!!  He ruins every outlaw broadcast by being on it.  He is so boring

I generally agree but I would put Dave Hare at number 1. Dave's voice is perfect for an announcer.  I also appreciate the effort he makes going throughout the pit area before the night starts speaking to teams and getting tidbits of info to pass along throughout the night. Nice touch and gives the fans more insight. Dave also does a fine job at the EMMR roundtables. With respect to the Lincoln pit reporting, I get the idea and if the execution were better I think I would like it. At the moment I don't. The one thing that I absolutely do not like is holding up starting the next race until the interview with the prior event's winner is complete. You don't want to cut anybody short but they need to keep the show moving. They need to get a better way of doing it. The process needs to be smoother and not interfere with anything on the track. 

Dave Hare is number 1 by miles.  He was great for the Saturday Night Series @ the Grove.  

Yeah, Dave Hare would be number 1 on my list, he also does a wonderful job at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing. Bruce had his day. Ted Rietz used to announce at the grove many years ago and he was very enjoyable to listen to. Gibson know his stuff but is kind of annoying to me. Wayne Harper is ok.

+1 Dave is the best announcer locally hands down. His atention to detail pre-race gives the fans a nice glimpse into the racers in ALL divisions. Always nice when he stops by the trailer.

      Stuff that keeps you up at night:

      Many years ago (a lot of years ago, I guess, because it was a VHS tape) I got hold of a good racing video of one season of sprint car racing in Pennsylvania. I don't  know how old it was but one of the winners was Mares Stellfox (sp?). Anyway, it was narrated by Wayne Harper. One little segment showed big block eastern modifieds "invading" one of the tracks. His words were something like "Once a year, the big block eastern modifieds come here to squat on the chimney".

     Is that a local phrase? What does "squat on the chimney" means?

NO THANKS!  That would mean I would have to go over there and see asphalt racing and I can't stand asphalt racing.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

And trust me when I say, no one wants that.  Port is a far better place with you monitoring from mom's basement on your laptop.  The only real question for today is which Underoos will you wear, Aquaman or Wonder Woman.

I think Warren Ruffner who announced at Reading and later on at Big Diamond & Susquehanna was the best. I believe he has passed on. If Port needs a new announcer Ted Reitz has been seen on the grounds. I always thought Ted was a good announcer. The present crew aren't too bad. Bruce Buffer from the UFC would be great.. It would take him an hour to read the line up, but it would be worth it

Hahaha. I see Bert from took a screenshot of my post above and put it on twitter with some comments.  Sorry Bert, it's just the facts.  You may very well be a great dude, but the fact remains, you should not be an announcer.  And today at Port was another day of listening to incoherent, mush mouthed announcing.  It's the only thing Port has taken a swing at, and missed. I'm entitled to my opinion, afterall, I've been going to Port for 45+ years and I've heard them all.

Couldn't agree with you more as I have been going just about every week for 43+ years.  And yes I agree with Strawser, another s**t track surface.  All the improvements to the facility but none to the track.

I would have to drop Bruce down to 3....he seems to be slipping the past couple of years.  For the Grove opener he referrad to Marks as Cisny for almost the entire heat...Notice more little slipups here and there.  Still way above the Port team that cannot even read sponsers or a starting lineup from a printout.