This undoubtably has to be one of the toughest announcements I've ever had to make....but this afternoon, we lost a legend - 2003 GRHOF Inductee, Jimmy Mosteller. Jimmy was not only founder of the Hav-A-Tampa dirt series, but he was undoubtably one of the best racing announcers of all time. Jimmy is up in heaven right now, handing out cigars and calling the races of the legends we've lost 
. RIP 1926-2012
JImmy was one of my best friends...the family called me.
Cody,
I know how much Jimmy meant to you. He certainly was one of the greats. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to you and his family.
So sorry to hear that Cody I know how close you were ... There will be a heck of a 4th reunion at the big track in the Sky today with jimmy there to help call the race .. R--I--P Jimmy
I was just about to post this Cody. Bobby Mitchell calledabout 30 minutesago and told me.
Our sincere condolences. I had known Jimmy for a long time. Back when he was announcing at MGR.
RIP Jimmy....You are in some good company.
Cody, sorry to hear the sad news of your friend's passing.
We had a couple of Hava-Tampa races @ Carolina & Lancaster SC back in the 90`s
I sat up all night in my bar with Jimmy & a childhood friend of his from Georgia that had moved to Gastonia & done well, Mr C.W. Smith, Jack Smiths` brother.
C.W. had 8 transmission lines going for GM & restored the Ashley High School in Gastonia & turned it into condos.
They stayed up all night talking about their younger days growing up Georgia. Later, at a Promoters BBQ @ Dixie, he recognized me well in front of the top promoters in the country.
He pretty much made everyone he came into contact with feel like his best friend
We have lost another great man.
Rest in Peace Big Lil Ceegar Man .
-dmg
A sad day and a tremendous loss for racing. Thoughts and prayers for Jimmy's family and friends.
Jimmy was a fixture at the tracks around Atlanta and surly will be missed by the racing world.
I had the pleasure of being around him when I was track photographer for Micky Swims Tri-Racing tracks, Dixie, Rome and West Atlanta.
Rest in peace Jimmy, and as he would end his anouncements for the evening, Have-A-Tampa Nugget Cigar".
Brandon reed put a nice piece up on Raceweek Illustrated pertaining to Jimmy. To access it go to http://www.raceweekillustrated.com/2012/07/04/georgia-racing-legend-jimmy-mosteller-passes-away
Thanks for posting Cody heard him at the Dixie Speedway back in the late 60's and 70's. Renewed his friendship at J.B.Days over the last few years. Great announcer and a giant in this world. Rest in peace Jimmy and our thoughts and prayers go out to his racing family.
This is a sad week for all who knew Jimmy. I got the pleasure of meeting Cuz many years ago with my Dad( Sam Colvin) When the hall of fame was frirst started. There was nothing better than hearing Jimmy run his mouth.
My family and I will miss Jimmy.
He was the best announcer the sport ever had. Will be missed by all.Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. Sonny and Vickie
Cody,
Don't know if you have seen this article or not:
Jimmy Mosteller Was A Big Buddy To Racing
Rick Minter | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Friday, 6 July 2012
Jimmy Mosteller, a true racing pioneer, passed away this week.
Race fans across the country are mourning the loss of their Little Bitty Buddy.
Jimmy Mosteller, a long-time racing announcer and co-founder of the old Hav-A-Tampa dirt racing series, died Wednesday.
Mosteller started announcing horse racing events after a brief try as an apprentice jockey. But he found his true calling while following his race-driver friend Jack Smith to stock car races in the late 1940s. He announced his first race in 1949 and was still behind the microphone until just recently.
He announced races at the most obscure short tracks and at some big ones, including Atlanta Motor Speedway.
He also worked behind the scenes to support his sport, and in the early 1990s, he and the late Mike Swims formed the Hav-A-Tampa Series, which brought national visibility to dirt Late Model racing in general and larger purses to its participants.
Mosteller was able to make that happen through his day job as senior vice president of the Hav-A-Tampa Cigar Co.
He also worked to form the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame Association and was inducted into the Hall in 2003.
Mosteller had a way of making everyone he met feel like his friend. He referred to people as Cuz whether they were long-time friends or first acquaintances.
Johnny Mosteller
He was appreciative of those who supported dirt racing, and spent countless hours at Christmastime calling people one-by-one with a thoughtful, personal seasons greeting.
From his perch in the announcers booth he witnessed some of racings greatest moments, like Atlanta Motor Speedways inaugural Cup race, to tragedies at Lakewood Speedway, the one-mile dirt fairgrounds track that AMS replaced on NASCARs elite circuit.
He was behind the mike in Dallas, Ga., in 1965 when Richard Pettys drag racer suffered a parts failure, veered into the crowd and killed an 8-year-old boy.
But through it all, he remained a staunch supporter of racing and its people.
Mia Swims Green, a member of the Swims family that owns Dixie Speedway and Rome Speedway in Georgia, summed up how many in the dirt track side of the sport felt about Mosteller.
Not only did we lose a dear friend but dirt racing lost its ambassador, Green said. This sport is missing the passion that Jimmy and Mike [Swims] had that carried it to where it is now. Those two saw nothing but the good of the sport and what it was capable of.
Rick Minter can be reached at rminter@racintoday.com
Thank you Dave....Rick is a great writer!
