John Spence

Announcer, Columnist, Broadcaster
CLASS OF 2021

John Spence has one of the most unmistakable voices in New England motorsports. He has been narrating racing events from the 1970’s through the 2020’s.

Nicknamed “Spider”, Spence brought racing reports to the radio in 1973 covering the southern New Hampshire tracks. Then in 1978, he debuted the call-in radio show “Speedline” on WCCM in Lawrence, MA. The popular concept was brought to television as “Track Talk” in 1987, airing on Sports Channel New England.

But it’s his career as an track announcer that he is probably most well known. Spence first started calling races at Lee Raceway in 1975, and announced there for the better part of 3 decades. He also spent over a decade as Star Speedway’s announcer and close to 20 years at Hudson Speedway.

Spence also called many events under the NESMRA banner in the 1970’s & 1980’s. He later became the long-time voice for the ISMA events held in New England. In the mid-2000’s, he began a long run as the lead announcer the Modified Racing Series and has also called Tri-Track Open Modified Series races during their first decade of operation.

Away from the mic, John wrote columns for Area Auto Racing News, Speedway Scene and the Manchester Union-Leader.