Legendary NASCAR Announcer-Analyst Steve Byrnes Dies

Anyone with even a passing interest in NASCAR is mourning the loss of one of the really "good guys" in the world of sports. What Craig Sager is to the NBA, Byrnes was to NASCAR because of his wit, demeanor, likeability and quality.

Steve Byrnes, 56, lost his battle with cancer Tuesday, his family announced. Byrnes, had received the diagnosis in 2013, but had waged a tough and brave battle.

Byrnes had worked in NASCAR broadcasting since 1988, was part of the legendary pool of announcers who got their start on the now defunct Nashville Network. TNN, as it was then known, produced some of the best, award-winning motorsports coverage, and over 60% of today's current ESPN and Fox Sports announcers came from that network. Most of the stars on TV, from Alan Bestwick, to Matt Yocum, and others all began there along with Byrnes.

Byrnes hosted literally dozens of different shows over the last few decades, and was known as probably the biggest "good guy" in the sport. He was always the announcer whom drivers played pranks on or had the most fun with in the pits or the booth.

Not only was he one of (if not the BEST) pit road announcer from 2001-2014, he also was the lead anchor for NASCAR's Truck Series, and hosted several studio shows.

He is survived by his wife Karen of 22 years, and son Bryson, 12, and a host of other family and relatives.

We had grown to miss seeing and hearing him on Saturdays and Sundays, and to show how much impact he had on the sport, NASCAR's recent Bristol Motor Speedway Sprint Cup race, as well as several others, were dedicated as "Stand up to Cancer" races in honor of Byrnes. A number of the drivers had "Steve Byrnes" written on the roof of their cars above the doors instead of their own names last Sunday.

He will be missed every time the command is given on weekends to "start your engines..."