P.A. Announcer Ray Melton's Final "GENTLEMEN - START YOUR ENGINES" Command
Stock Car Racing History
Found two old newspaper pieces 23 years apart that demonstrate both the longevity of Ray Melton and his ability for self promotion. Tim Leeming and Chase Whitaker will note that Melton proclaimed Richard Petty the Greatest Grand National driver of all-time, but predicted he'd quit at age 35.
April 24, 1948 - 5 months before my birth
Gaston (NC) Gazette
Hell Drivers Show Sunday to be Announced by Ray Melton
Ray Melton, nationally known sports announcer, arrived in Gastonia Friday night to announce the Jimmy Curry automobile thrill show at the Gastonia fair grounds Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. The Gastonia Junior Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the show.
August 3, 1971
Cumberland (MD) Evening Times
Ray Melton
WHEN THE SWITCH-on the public-address microphone is flipped on tonight at the Cumberland Raceway and demolition derby fans are greeted with the salutation, "Ladies and jella-men," veteran auto-racing fans will recognize the voice immediately as that of Ray Melton, He's the best daggone race announcer in the country. If you have some reservations about his ability, drop by the box in which "Miss Lottie" is sitting tonight and ask her. She'll tell you as auto-racing announcers go, you start with Ray Meton, then rate the other ones. She admits being prejudiced in his case because from a formal standpoint "Miss Lottie" happens to be Mrs. Ray Melton. She also admits to be- ing his No. 1 fan. But as an admirer of the man, she is by no means alone. He has legions of followers and can produce the clippings and magazine stories to prove it. The 58-year-old Melton (he celebrated his birth- day last month) is loaded with pride in his work and stands on his record--an announcer for over 31 years and the man behind the mike in just about all of NASCAR's biggest events. He is best known in Darlington, S. C. as "The Voice of the Southern 5OO" but Darlington Raceway president Barney Wallace put it this way: "Ray Melton is much more than an announcer at Darlington, he's part of the history here." An ex-Marine who still walks with a military air, Melton lives and breathes auto racing. "If you want to be good at your work, you have to put your whole heart into it," he said last night during a chat following the postponement of the demo derby. And apparently all of the big Southern super speedways regard Melton with the same affection as "Miss Lottie" because it's his voice fans hear describing their action--the National 500, Carolina 500 and the American 500. For 11 years he also called the World 600 and Rebel 400 but no more. He and the Charlotte Motor Speedway have reached a parting of the ways. "You can say that the Charlotte Speedway can no longer afford the services of Ray Melton," stated the colorful, confident announcer. A native of Rocky Mount, N. C. but a resident for many years of Virginia Beach, Va.~, Melton also works behind the mike for scores of smaller tracks. That explains why the country's greatest race announcer is at the Cumberland Fair to do a destruction derby. "You have to keep your hand--and your- mouth--in the middle of things if you want to stay sharp." he says. "It's like a movie star playing in summer stock." Melton will continue to "beat the bushes" until August 28. He'll rest a day at his Virginia Beach residence, then report to Darlington for practice and qualifying preparatory to the Southern 500 on Labor Day. He'll follow this with the Capital City 500 at Richmond on September 12, the Delaware 500 at Dover October 17 and the finale at Rockingham, N. C. October 24--the American 600. HAVING SEEN ALL OF the modern greats in auto racing, Ray Melton has come up with a personal hall of fame. Guess what name heads the list? Yep, you're right, the incomparable Richard Petty, NASCAR's first driver to win a million dollars. Petty, Melton claims, has to be the greatest of all grand national performers. . A. J. Foyt gets Ray's vole as the world's greatest race driver "because he's a star in any type of competition car he chooses to drive." The late Curtis Turner, victim of a plane crash last October, makes the Melton "hall" because of his versatility--late-model, sportsmen, modified, convertible and grand national. Then comes the late Joe Weatherly, a longtime favorite of Melton. "I didn't pick him on sentimentality," points out Ray. ."His record speaks for itself and he's the only race driver ever to have a museum named in his honor (Darlington)."Weatherly was killed seven years ago at Riverside, Cal. Has it been any surprise to him that a NASCAR driver has become a millionaire? "Not at all," says Melton. "A few years ago I predicted that Richard Petty would earn 52 million before he retires from racing at the age of 35." And the veteran "Voice" still thinks Petty will make it even though he reached the first million plateau only this past Sunday with victory in the Dixie 500 and has only two more years to drive. "If he doesn't get hurt, he'll make it," Melton observed. "This sport is growing all the time, the purses are getting larger and Richard is improving with age. Don't forget Richard was born into racing, his dad (Lee Petty) having been a three-time grand national champ as well as a small-track champion (1958)." Lee Petty still ranks third in grand national career victories with 56. Son Richard is way out front in this department with 134 while David Pearson is a distant second with 74. Richard still hasn't caught his pappy in national titles but, barring injuries, this could be the year for him to do it. His Winston Cup point total is 2,910, giving him a 187-poinfc lead over second-place James Hylton who has 2,723. This is not Melton's first visit to Cumberland. He was here years apo as the announcer for the late Lucky Teter's auto thrill show. Behind his association with Teter- lies a story. "I was a spectator at one of his shows in Wilson. N. C.," Ray recalled. "I met Teter afterwards and told him he had a great show but a lousy announcer." "Do you think you can do belief?" Teter asked. "I know damned wel! I can," Mellon replied. "Okay, we'll see how good you are in the next show." Ray grabbed the mike the next night and the father of seven (three daughters and four sons) hasn't let go since.
