Chris Economaki, a journalist regarded as the authoritative voice in motorsports for decades, died Friday. He was 91.
National Speed Sport News, where Economaki worked as an editor for more than 60 years, announced his death Friday. It did not release a cause of death.
Economaki was known as the "Dean of American Motorsports Journalism," and worked in TV for more than 40 years with stints at ABC, CBS and ESPN. He was part of ABC's first telecast from Daytona International Speedway in 1961.
Economaki had lived for the past several years in his hometown of Ridgewood, Bergen County, according to New Jersey Motorsports Park official Donald Fauerbach. The Millville facility's timing tower is named after Economaki, and he attended several races there.
Economaki saw his first race in Atlantic City when he was 9.
When NJMP was built, he was quoted as saying, "I can now die a happy man as New Jersey now has a world-class motorsports facility."
NASCAR chairman Brian France noted Friday that many people consider Economaki the greatest motorsports journalist of all time.
"He was, indeed, 'The Dean,' " France said.
