Upchurch named Grand Marshal at THR

[NickHolt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Thunder Hill Raceway 512.262.1352

April 12, 2004

 

Texas racing legend Neil Upchurch lands Grand Marshall role at Thunder Hill Raceway

 

Kyle, Texas - Neil Upchurch has been everything from a race driver, a track announcer and a radio broadcaster and - among other things - founded the longest-running short-track racing series in Texas.

 

Now Upchurch can add the role of Grand Marshall to his long, illustrious racing resume.

 

Upchurch will be the Grand Marshall this Saturday at Thunder Hill Raceway as the track rebounds from a rare rain out from the previous weekend. Ironically, the Texas Pro Sedan (TPS) series, which was started by Upchurch back in 1976, opens its 29th consecutive season on the same night.

 

"It is an honor to be named Grand Marshall on the same night the Texas Pro Sedan opens its 29th consecutive season," Upchurch said late Monday night. "It's also a privilege for me, since a lot of my friends work at Thunder Hill Raceway."

 

Upchurch added, "You might say the Texas Pro Sedans consider Thunder Hill something of its 'home track,' since we run about 50 percent of our races at THR."

 

"It's a pleasure to welcome Neil Upchurch as our Grand Marshall," said THR marketing director/announcer Chuck Licata. "Neil has meant a lot to the history of short-track racing in Texas, and we're happy to honor him as a Grand Marshall. He has had a long, successful career in racing on all levels and he deserves this honor."

 

Licata, who was named as a voting delegate for the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame this past February, added, "Neil has meant a lot to Texas racing and I hope someday he takes his rightful place in the Hall of Fame in Fort Worth."

 

Upchurch was a race driver from 1958-81. He began his career on the road racing circuit in Georgia. Among his many accomplishments in the cockpit: Upchurch raced three times in the annual 24-hour race for 4-cylinder cars in Monterey, and he won the Texas Pro Sedan series championship twice, in 1980 and 1981.

 

Upchurch was very busy in 1976. Besides founding the TIDA Pro Sedans Series, Upchurch also introduced stock car road racing to Texas World Speedway in College Station that same year.

 

Another one of Upchurch's stellar accomplishments was directing the former TIDA Late Model Series from 1988 to 1997. During that time, the series ran 134 sanctioned races.

 

Upchurch's distinguished announcing career has included gigs at the old Austin Speed-O-Rama, San Antonio Speedway, Texas World Speedway and Sooner International Raceway. Upchurch remains active behind the microphone, as he does PA announcing for high school football for the Northeast Independent School District (NEISD) in San Antonio. His NEISD announcing duties take him to Comalander Stadium and the Alamodome.