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Australian Speedway Announcer Steve Raymond retired Saturday Night .From the time I set my first foot on the Sydney Showground Speedway .Steve was the voice of Speedway .He had no peer .He was the voice .

For people who listened to audio from Parramatta .He was the Announcer at Parramatta

The sport will be a poorer place after his retirement .

Below is tribute from noted Speedway Historian Bill Lawler

When you read it and wondering what a Logie is .It is a equivelant to a Emmy

After spending 52 years attending speedways both here, New Zealand and the United States, last Saturday night will go down as the most memorable and emotionable meeting I have attended. Yes, the midget racing was first class, and the show was a well polished production from start to finish. But the greatest enjoyment I received last Saturday night was seeing and being in the standing ovation for one very special and respected gentleman, Mr. Steve Raymond.
Steve has been the Golden Voice of television, radio, and speedway for as long as I can remember, highly respected by all his peers throughout the media industry. So it was the least that Parramatta speedway could do for him last Saturday night in front of a packed crowd to farewell him after 50 plus years of speedway announcing, firstly at the Sydney Showground in the 60’s, Liverpool Speedway during the 70’s and 80’s, and finally at Parramatta. There has been no one more passionate about the sport, but over the last few weeks, realising that the fire had finally flickered out, decided to retire. There never was and never will be another like those crystal clear golden tones of Steve Raymond in speedway, and as they say in racing, Raymond first, daylight second.
While Merle Bettenhausen was winning the World Derby at the Sydney Showground in February, Steve was already working on a speech to take to Melbourne to receive his first Logie for best news report as a journalist. When Bobby Pymble raced to feature race victory in the Ron Ward Volvo in in March 1971, Steve was about to receive his second Logie. And when Kevin Gormly greeted the checkers in the Wells Volvo #54, Steve was again in Melbourne receiving his third Logie for outstanding contibutions to television journalism.
Its almost impossible to comprehend that we will no longer be hearing Steve’s voice on a microphone at a speedway in Sydney. So on behalf of all us oldies who have enjoyed the professionalism you have brought to our sport, we thank you and wish you well. I have always been and will always be a good friend of Steve, something I treasure immensely.

Interviewing Rodney Combs and Barry Graham

my first night at the showground ...steve raymond made it sooooo exciting ..i figured i had better go build myself a racecar and get with it ..now 40 years later i am still doing it...thanks a lot steve..i think.lol

And Sir .You should be so proud of both your sons and what they have achieved .This man drove a Sedan at the Sydney Showground .Has two sons driving sprintcars now .

And Carl you pretty good driver yourself

Steve Raymond calling Outlaws Down Under

Guess who started front row from Praire City Iowa orignally from Five Dock NSW

Any of you guys from across the pond know what the status is with Inside Speedway Publication from over there? They owe me some money and I've been trying to get paid for 2 1/2 years. All I'm receiving is empty promises.

Thanks
Frank

[email protected]

Well Well Fancy reading something like this on here . Inside Speedway .Status .Alive and kicking..Go to australianspeedway.com look for TAFC010 .Login like here .Start a thread .Ask the same question .He is the guy over there normally threading ,Telling people how good Drag Racing is compared to Speedway

In the words of Gomer Pyle

Surprise Surprise

NOT

So you are still playing and building race cars, i thought you would have retired by now,.......... Yes Steve Raymond was and still is Australia's best speedway announcer, its a real shame to see him retire, but all good things must come to a end, he will be sorley missed by all the speedway community down under.

We must catch up one day Carl, ...................... Ron Grainger.

Is Mike Raymond the pompous arse a relative? Arrogant without reason describes him to a T from what I remember from two race seasons over there. Take It Easy....

well thanks ron ...i hear that you are still spending lots of money sponsoring a sprintcar..guess we never learn...carl

MSPN.That statement you wont get a disagreement from me .Where Steve was a Natures Gentleman .Where did you deal with him Liverpool or Parramatta

I think one of them had to be adopted. I worked a bunch at PCR back in the mid 90's when I lived with Patti and Don Fortune my adopted parents. Mike thought he was a TV personality and a bunch of notches above sprint car racing, much the same happens here with guys that move on up to Cup coverage. Take It Easy....

Hey MSPN noone is better than sprintcar racing people.They may think they are,but they aren't.