Post by dennismopar73 on May 31, 2012 20:52:09 GMT -5
Belle-Clair Speedway P.A. man Mike Meurer dies in California
By DAVID WILHELM — News-Democrat
Posted: 7:31pm on May 31, 2012; Modified: 7:34pm on May 31, 2012
Popular Belle-Clair Speedway public-address announcer Mike Meurer, of Edwardsville, died of a heart attack Tuesday while visiting family and friends in California.
Meurer, formerly of Collinsville, was 63. He was pronounced dead at 5:59 p.m. at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica.
Meurer, a native of East St. Louis, also was the P.A. announcer at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo. He was a Collinsville city councilman in the 1990s.
"He was so smooth," said Eileen Waters, a friend of Meurer's and a St. Louis racing historian. "He could tell you (that) you were the fattest, ugliest slob in the world over the P.A. system and people would think you just got the best compliment in the world.
"Everybody appreciated the love and passion he brought to the sport."
Meurer, nicknamed "The Talker Guy," enjoyed being around people and possessed the proverbial gift to gab. He was involved for many years with on-stage events at the Italian Fest in downtown Collinsville.
Meurer called his final race last Friday at Belle-Clair Speedway.
"He was passionate about the sport," said Mike McGinnitey, 48, the chairman of the board of Allied Auto Racing Association and the president of the St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club.
"I would say he was probably the best short-track announcer in the country," McGinnitey said. "He brought great humor. Witty. Funny. When people sat in the stands, they felt like they knew him all their life. He was always smiling, always happy."
Don Hoener, of St. Charles, Mo., had known Meurer for about 25 years.
"He was awesome," said Hoener, 52, who owns Belle-Clair Promotions and runs stock-car events at the track. "It's a huge loss to the racing community --and to any community. He's been stalwart in the community for years and years and years. This really is unexpected."
Meurer always was quick with one-liners and had the ability to make people laugh --even if they were the ones to whom he was poking fun.
"He knew the people he was dealing with," said McGinnitey, of DeSoto, Mo. "He was a comedian ... And most everything Mike did was off the cuff. He would do his homework when he was dealing with sponsors. But the other stuff, it was whatever struck him."
McGinnitey said Meurer's sense of humor was what separated him from other announcers. McGinnitey remembered a time when Meurer gave him a lesson in Comedy 101.
"He told me once, 'If you think something's funny, say it and laugh. If nobody else laughs, that's OK. You thought it was funny,'" McGinnitey said. "That's something he told me: Be yourself."
Hoener, also the director of competition at the Pevely track, said it was Meurer's "outgoing character" that made him a friend to all.
"He had such quick wit and the ability to make everybody smile and have a good laugh," Hoener said. "He was just a great guy.
"He had such a touch for making (the races) exciting, making people laugh. He put the icing on what you saw. He had a great way of finishing things out and making you feel good all over."
McGinnitey said that while the sport will go on, short-track racing won't be the same without Meurer.
"He was just an overall class act," McGinnitey said. "His heart and soul were into racing. He was a great husband, a great father, a wonderful grandfather and a good friend to the racing community. It's not going to be the same without him.
"The racing world is going to have a huge void. There's no way to replace him."
The racing programs at Belle-Clair Speedway and at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 will run as scheduled Friday. Fans are asked to wear purple, Meurer's favorite color, to the races.
"He would have wanted it to go on," Hoener said of Meurer. "He would have wanted everybody to have a good time and make a party out of it instead of crying over it."
Hoener said there will be tributes to Meurer during the program Friday at Belle-Clair Speedway, which begins at 7 p.m.
Bumper stickers recognizing Meurer will be available to fans in exchange for a donation to Special Olympics. There also will be two 4-feet by 16-feet banners for fans to sign. The banners will include a picture of Meurer announcing a race.
Hoener said another tribute to Meurer will be held at Belle-Clair Speedway at a later date, perhaps Father's Day weekend.
"He's touched so many people's lives, it's unreal," Hoener said. "There's no way to replace him. All you can do is hope you can find somebody who can (create) their own character and work their way into it."
Funeral arrangements for Meurer are pending at Barry Wilson Funeral Home in Maryville.
Contact reporter David Wilhelm at dwilhelm@bnd.com or 239-2665. Follow him on Twitter: @davidmwilhelm.
Read more here: www.bnd.com/2012/05/31/2195174/belle-clair-speedway-pa-man-mike.html#storylink=cpy
By DAVID WILHELM — News-Democrat
Posted: 7:31pm on May 31, 2012; Modified: 7:34pm on May 31, 2012
Popular Belle-Clair Speedway public-address announcer Mike Meurer, of Edwardsville, died of a heart attack Tuesday while visiting family and friends in California.
Meurer, formerly of Collinsville, was 63. He was pronounced dead at 5:59 p.m. at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica.
Meurer, a native of East St. Louis, also was the P.A. announcer at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo. He was a Collinsville city councilman in the 1990s.
"He was so smooth," said Eileen Waters, a friend of Meurer's and a St. Louis racing historian. "He could tell you (that) you were the fattest, ugliest slob in the world over the P.A. system and people would think you just got the best compliment in the world.
"Everybody appreciated the love and passion he brought to the sport."
Meurer, nicknamed "The Talker Guy," enjoyed being around people and possessed the proverbial gift to gab. He was involved for many years with on-stage events at the Italian Fest in downtown Collinsville.
Meurer called his final race last Friday at Belle-Clair Speedway.
"He was passionate about the sport," said Mike McGinnitey, 48, the chairman of the board of Allied Auto Racing Association and the president of the St. Louis Auto Racing Fan Club.
"I would say he was probably the best short-track announcer in the country," McGinnitey said. "He brought great humor. Witty. Funny. When people sat in the stands, they felt like they knew him all their life. He was always smiling, always happy."
Don Hoener, of St. Charles, Mo., had known Meurer for about 25 years.
"He was awesome," said Hoener, 52, who owns Belle-Clair Promotions and runs stock-car events at the track. "It's a huge loss to the racing community --and to any community. He's been stalwart in the community for years and years and years. This really is unexpected."
Meurer always was quick with one-liners and had the ability to make people laugh --even if they were the ones to whom he was poking fun.
"He knew the people he was dealing with," said McGinnitey, of DeSoto, Mo. "He was a comedian ... And most everything Mike did was off the cuff. He would do his homework when he was dealing with sponsors. But the other stuff, it was whatever struck him."
McGinnitey said Meurer's sense of humor was what separated him from other announcers. McGinnitey remembered a time when Meurer gave him a lesson in Comedy 101.
"He told me once, 'If you think something's funny, say it and laugh. If nobody else laughs, that's OK. You thought it was funny,'" McGinnitey said. "That's something he told me: Be yourself."
Hoener, also the director of competition at the Pevely track, said it was Meurer's "outgoing character" that made him a friend to all.
"He had such quick wit and the ability to make everybody smile and have a good laugh," Hoener said. "He was just a great guy.
"He had such a touch for making (the races) exciting, making people laugh. He put the icing on what you saw. He had a great way of finishing things out and making you feel good all over."
McGinnitey said that while the sport will go on, short-track racing won't be the same without Meurer.
"He was just an overall class act," McGinnitey said. "His heart and soul were into racing. He was a great husband, a great father, a wonderful grandfather and a good friend to the racing community. It's not going to be the same without him.
"The racing world is going to have a huge void. There's no way to replace him."
The racing programs at Belle-Clair Speedway and at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 will run as scheduled Friday. Fans are asked to wear purple, Meurer's favorite color, to the races.
"He would have wanted it to go on," Hoener said of Meurer. "He would have wanted everybody to have a good time and make a party out of it instead of crying over it."
Hoener said there will be tributes to Meurer during the program Friday at Belle-Clair Speedway, which begins at 7 p.m.
Bumper stickers recognizing Meurer will be available to fans in exchange for a donation to Special Olympics. There also will be two 4-feet by 16-feet banners for fans to sign. The banners will include a picture of Meurer announcing a race.
Hoener said another tribute to Meurer will be held at Belle-Clair Speedway at a later date, perhaps Father's Day weekend.
"He's touched so many people's lives, it's unreal," Hoener said. "There's no way to replace him. All you can do is hope you can find somebody who can (create) their own character and work their way into it."
Funeral arrangements for Meurer are pending at Barry Wilson Funeral Home in Maryville.
Contact reporter David Wilhelm at dwilhelm@bnd.com or 239-2665. Follow him on Twitter: @davidmwilhelm.
Read more here: www.bnd.com/2012/05/31/2195174/belle-clair-speedway-pa-man-mike.html#storylink=cpy
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