NASHVILLE, Tenn. — He is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to racing in Nashville.
Joe Williams, from what he can recall, is the last remaining person from the 1984 office staff that worked at the previous NASCAR race in Nashville. He will work at this weekends' races.
"Somehow over time I’ve been able to hang on," Williams told News 4, a sister station in Nashville, on Friday at Nashville Superspeedway.
Between radio and public addressing, Williams has called around 2,000 professional races.
"Everywhere from Montreal, Canada to Hialeah Florida to Texas," he said.
When he heard NASCAR was returning to Nashville, he said he wanted to help. So, he called Nashville Superspeedway President Erik Moses.
"He doesn’t know me," Williams said. "He doesn’t know me from Adam. And he was not familiar with the area. I said I am really interested in helping with your PA work and I’ll never forget he told me, "You got a voice for it. Do you have any experience?'"
Williams, trying to remain humble, listed a few of his accomplishments.
"I emceed the groundbreaking and was the first voice and the last voice at a NASCAR race heard on the system there was mine. So yeah, I’ve been there a few times," Williams said with a smile, reminiscing about his phone call with Moses.
That's why it was a no-brainer to get him back in the saddle, for a race that Williams is glad to see return to Music City.
"I always felt marked because I was on the staff at the last time Nashville had a race of this caliber," he said. "To have them come back now, okay there is validation there. My hometown has back what it should’ve had a long time ago, what it should’ve never lost."
Joining Williams in the PA booth is Chase McCabe from 102.5 The Game ESPN Nashville. McCabe is also a local product of FRA and MTSU.