Many associate Altamont native Kurt Becker with horse racing, but many may not know that he is far more than just a horse racing announcer.
Becker also works for the Motor Racing Network and has been doing such since 1994, with his most recent stop being to call the NASCAR Cup Series Race at the newly re-opened Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison.
“The way I got selected for the crew was a matter of geography,” Becker said. “The radio network looked at the schedule and looked at the roster of talent, and they said, ‘Kurt lives less than an hour and a half from the track.’ Logistically, putting me on the crew at the race made sense, and I was glad they did.”
The race itself didn’t lack star power, either.
Fans witnessed several former Cup champions such as Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and Chase Elliott, along with the reigning Cup champion, Kyle Larson, at the track — a bonus for people that Becker said are “terrific” racing fans.
“The greater St. Louis area is home to several terrific grassroots race tracks and racing fans. I think that’s why it was extra special for that region to have a NASCAR Cup Series Race for the first time. The fanbase in St. Louis and the Metro-East area are true American motorsports fans; they are the kind of folks that go to the local short track on Friday or Saturday night and cheer for their next-door neighbor.
“It was a fanbase that could especially appreciate the chance to see the superstars of the sport.”
Becker added that conventional wisdom was wrong on that Sunday afternoon, too.
“The conventional wisdom had been that there would never be a NASCAR Cup Series Race ever come to that race track,” Becker said. “The track closed in 2010, and some people said it would never re-open. They would laugh out loud if somebody said they might get a Cup race; a lot of folks said that it would never happen.
“I think it’s remarkable.”
With the successful weekend, Becker said that a return for NASCAR to Gateway Motorsports Park is very high.
“I think Madison’s chances of a return Cup race in 2023 are strong. I would say above 50 percent, and I would even say 75 percent because the track handled the whole situation so well. They got the crowd onto the ground quickly and efficiently; they had a huge crowd. The stands were sold out; people were having a great time, and the key was the racing was good. Ultimately, that’s what will decide the fate of any given track. You need that combination.”
The NASCAR Cup Series runs from February to the end of August.