WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Longtime Bowman Gray Stadium PA announcer, Randy Pettitt, is no longer going to be the PA announcer at the historic quarter-mile.
Pettitt confirmed the news to FOX8 that he made the tough decision to step away from those duties effective immediately.
“I’ve had a great opportunity over there to do some really great work,” Pettitt told us by phone Wednesday afternoon.
Pettit says he let track management know after the June 25 race that he wouldn’t be returning so they could use the off week to make plans to replace him.
He said after so many years at Bowman Gray, it’s bittersweet, but it just isn’t the same fun for him now as it had been. “When you work with a leadership group for so long and there’s different philosophies and styles, sometimes we just agree to disagree,” Pettitt said, adding that his flamboyant style didn’t necessarily make everyone at the track happy.
Pettitt is widely considered one of the most recognizable PA announcers around the nation, acting as the ringmaster of the racing circus and using the nickname ‘The Greatest Showman’ to go with his flashy style of dress, his shiny suits, crazy shoes, fancy sunglasses and those wild hats!
He has a keen awareness of how to keep the crowd entertained between the action and brings irreverent energy to the victory lane interviews like no other.
He says he has a pretty good idea what his next adventure is going to be but isn’t quite ready to make that announcement.
