Phil Roberts – Davenport Speedway veteran track announcer retires

DAVENPORT, Ia. (January 14, 2014) – When the stock cars take to local tracks for the 2015 season, it won’t sound the same.

After forty years, veteran track announcer Phil Roberts is hanging up the microphone. Most recently, Phil has been the voice of the Davenport Speedway.

Roberts’ official involvement in racing began in 1973, when Phil took over as host of the “Around the Track” motor racing news program on KWNT-AM radio. The following year, Phil got his first taste of being a track announcer, in a substitute role at the Davenport Speedway.  Promoter Ernie Cook hired Roberts to his first full-time announcer job at Maquoketa in 1977.

Throughout his career, Roberts has announced at many tracks in Eastern Iowa. He has also worked at tracks in Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Florida.

Despite his many announcer jobs, Phil continued to host the “Around the Track” radio show from 1973 to 1990. “Around the Track” appeared on several Quad City area radio stations before landing on KWPC in Muscatine, where the show finally ended.

Roberts also worked as media coordinator for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts All-Star Series (1990-2001) and the World Dirt Racing League (2002-2009).

In 2001, Phil Roberts was awarded the Racing OSCAR (Outstanding Support & Contribution to Auto Racing) from the Quad Cities Racing Connection magazine. In an interview for the magazine, Phil said “I love racing. It’s something I really care about.”

Certainly, the local stock car racing community feels the same about Phil Roberts and will miss his contributions to our sport.

Category: Davenport Speedway, Iowa