5 best NASCAR television analysts of all-time ft. Mike Joy

The stories on the racetrack in any NASCAR race can't be told without the voices in the TV booth. Many have had the privilege to call a NASCAR race, but over the years, there have been a few to stand out above the rest.

There have been so many great TV analysts over the years, from the days of Ken Squier to Mike Joy, to Rick Allen. In this article, we'll narrow it down to the five best NASCAR TV analysts of all time.

Ken Squier

You can't talk about NASCAR TV broadcasting greats and not mention the late Ken Squier. From 1979 to 1997, Squier was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS and for TBS from 1983-1999, providing a number of historic calls.

Squier was the lead announcer for the first flag-to-flag televised NASCAR race, the 1979 Daytona 500. His call of the final lap was historic as Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison collided while racing for the lead, resulting in Richard Petty to come from third place to win. Squier also famously called the scuffle between Yarborough and the Allisons after the race, shouting, "And there's a fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison!"

Another noteworthy Squier call was the 1997 Daytona 500, when the late Dale Earnhardt flipped his #3 car upside down in the late laps. Earnhardt was attempting to win his first Daytona 500 in his 19th attempt. Squier had a fitting call of the accident, saying, "And for the 19th time, lady luck deals a bad hand."

Squier coined the term "The Great American Race," in reference to the Daytona 500. It's a nickname often used to describe the 200-lap race to this day. Squier was the voice of NASCAR for nearly three decades, and his calls go down as some of the greatest.

Mike Joy

When you hear Mike Joy call a NASCAR race, you can hear and feel the passion in his voice. Having started his broadcasting career in 1970, the 75-year-old still serves as today's lap-by-lap broadcaster for NASCAR on FOX, and has had a number of historic calls over the years.

Probably Joy's most famous call was of the 1998 Daytona 500, when the late Dale Earnhardt finally won the race on his 20th try. As Earnhardt came to the finish line, Joy shouted, "20 years of trying, 20 years of frustration!" He also summed up the win perfectly by saying, "Dale Earnhardt, finally, is a champion of the Daytona 500."

Joy has consistently brought passion and excitement to the booth. As Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. raced to the checkered flag in the 2016 Daytona 500, Joy shouted, "This is the finish of the Daytona 500!"

Between his time as a radio and TV announcer, Joy has been a part of 45 Daytona 500 broadcasts. He continues to go strong alongside retired Cup Series drivers Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick in the booth and will keep bringing that enthusiasm until the day he retires.

Allen Bestwick

While his days of covering NASCAR are in the past, Allen Bestwick still stands as one of the sport's best commentators. Bestwick most notably served as a lap-by-lap broadcaster for NASCAR coverage on both NBC and ESPN.

One of Bestwick's most famous calls was the 2001 Pepsi 400, the first race at the Daytona International Speedway since the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt's son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., won the race in an emotional moment. As Earnhardt Jr.'s #8 car came to the finish line, Bestwick said he was "using lessons learned from his father" to win the race.

Bestwick stepped away from NASCAR after the 2014 season, the same year the sport's TV deal with ESPN expired. He's since gone on to be a broadcaster in the IndyCar Series as well as the Superstar Racing Experience. While no longer in the NASCAR booth, Bestwick left an impact behind.

Bill Weber

One of the most recognizable voices in NASCAR broadcasting includes the late Bill Weber. While he might not have many noteworthy one-liners like Mike Joy and Ken Squier, Weber was one of the greats in the NASCAR TV booth.

Weber most notably did broadcasts for NASCAR on NBC and NASCAR on TNT. In 2001, Weber began being the pre-race host show for both networks. He moved to the TV booth as the lap-by-lap commentator midway through the 2004 season. It's a position Weber held until he and TNT parted ways in 2009.

The 2006 Daytona 500 was Weber's only Daytona 500 call. Jimmie Johnson won that race, and later that season, Weber was in the booth as he called the championship race, which would be Johnson's first of seven title victories. He isn't known for one-liners, but Weber's voice and passion for the sport make him an all-time NASCAR commentating great.

Rick Allen

When looking back at recent NASCAR history, Rick Allen is one of the best NASCAR TV analysts of the last decade. Since joining the NASCAR on the NBC team in 2015, Allen made some noteworthy calls as the lead announcer for the network.

Some of Allen's notable calls include Martinsville in 2015, where Matt Kenseth intentionally wrecked Joey Logano out of the race lead, to which Allen screamed, "Kenseth takes him out!" In that same race, Jeff Gordon won what would be his final career victory.

Since 2015, Allen has called every Cup Series championship race except for the 2024 one after ultimately retiring from broadcasting. While his days in NASCAR are over, Allen goes down as one of the best announcers in history.