The NASCAR Hall of Fame has named the recipient of the 2027 Squier-Hall Award for excellence in NASCAR.
Creator of the Motor Racing Network and longtime motorsports journalist Jim Foster will join the NASCAR Hall of Fame as a part of the induction ceremony in January.
Foster beat out Russ Catlin, George Cunningham, Bob Montgomery, Bob Moore, Al Pearce, Dr. Jerry Punch, and Hank Schoolfield for the award.
Prior to form MRN, Foster spent 15 years as a sports journalist at “The Salisbury Post”, “The Greensboro Record”, and the “Spartanburg Herald that included covering the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959.
Working for NASCAR founder Bill France Sr as the press director and assistant to the president, it was France’s desire to have the inaugural race at Talladega broadcast in 1969 on the radio ultimately led to the founding of MRN – a network that continues today – with Ken Squier behind the microphone.
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell spoke on Foster saying, “Jim Foster helped set a standard for NASCAR media coverage during the sport’s formative years, bringing its stories and personalities to life for a growing audience of readers and, later, listeners. From his years covering NASCAR for several newspapers in the Carolinas to helping establish the Motor Racing Network, Jim understood the power of connecting fans directly to the sport through vibrant storytelling. His vision and passion left a lasting impact on both the media landscape and NASCAR, and we’re proud to recognize him with the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.”
The recipient of the Squier-Hall Award is chosen by a panel of NASCAR and NASCAR Hall of Fame executives, active and retired media members, and former NASCAR competitors and industry leaders.
The award is named for its first two recipients; Ken Squier and Barney Hall.