CONCORD, N.C. – Steve Richards, who was a recognizable presence on broadcast calls for the Performance Racing Network (PRN), has been named the 2023 recipient of the Barney Hall Award.
Richards was a member of the PRN team covering NASCAR races for more than 30 years on the radio. Not only was he a reporter for the network but also held various hosting roles during his tenure with the company. A friend to many in the industry, Richards was a familiar voice and passionate about racing.
Richards died in December 2021 from complications related to COVID-19.
The honor was announced Sunday during the annual National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) awards luncheon at the Great Wolf Lodge. It is chosen by the sitting president of the NMPA to recognize outstanding work in the field of broadcast journalism.
“Steve was not only tremendously talented but one of the nicest people I’ve ever come across in the industry,” NMPA president Kelly Crandall said. “He truly had a recognizable voice during radio broadcasts and provided useful insight to listeners. No matter what, Steve always seemed up for the job and his knowledge and passion for racing, and hustle on the job are to admired.
“I had the honor of getting to know Steve in the years before his passing and I will forever be grateful for those moments. Steve was funny, caring, and always willing to lend a hand personally and professionally. Sometimes that even meant opening up his home. He also had one of the coolest collections of racing memorabilia that I’ve ever seen. Steve is missed by many and deserves to finally be recognized for a wonderful career.”
The Barney Hall Award, named in the honor of the NMPA Hall of Fame member, is not presented annually. Since its inception in 2002, the award has only been presented nine times. It was most recently presented in 2018 to Joe Moore.
