During the 4th of July Best Way Disposal Figure 8 Madness presented by The Jane Pauley Community Health Center, long time track announcer, Denny Adams, addressed the fans and staff and welcomed Cory Hensley as the new Voice of Anderson Speedway. Adams’ voice will be missed as fans have heard his call of racing action for the last 43 years. However, as Adams leaves the microphone a replacement that was handpicked from The Voice himself will take over the reins. Cory Hensley has been announcing for the past 12 years for International Outlaw Figure 8 Series, VORES Compact Touring Series, and various sporting events such as Shenandoah High School Basketball. Anderson Speedway fans and staff welcomes Cory to the microphone and look forward to his call of racing action.
For those that missed Denny Adams address the fans and staff, here is a copy of what he said.
“Good evening to the greatest race fans in the world and welcome to Indiana’s Premiere short track racing facility, Anderson Speedway! Tonight, we have all come together for a grand celebration of the 247th birthday of our great country and the grand celebration of the ending of my career here as your track announcer and the beginning of the career of your new announcer.
43 years ago tonight, after receiving a phone call that my good friend Dutch Hurst was ill, I came to this historic speedway at age 30, with zero experience at announcing anything. I had been working in the press box alongside Dutch Hurst running the new track scoreboard and was a reporter for the Marc Times Racing News. Little did I realize that I was also listening to Dutch and learning from Dutch. After all, I had been attending races at then Sun Valley Speedway almost since the figure 8’s began.
The very first night, all I had to work with was a typed list with the car number, driver’s name and hometown. I later found out that Dutch had developed colon cancer and may not return, and I was asked to stay on. I decided I wanted to tell you more, so I started to build data banks of information. My good friend NASCAR Kurt Mathews assists me weekly, as he has for the past 11 years in bringing that information to you. Dutch Hurst would pass away in early May of 1981, and I formally became the new track announcer.
Many people here are so important to me. The love of my life Maridene, sold programs at the front gate for many, many years and now she looks down on this moment from heaven. My three kids have all grown up here as they even sold programs for a while. My son Chris drove a ThunderCar for several years, you all know my youngest daughter Jessica who is the track office manager, and my oldest Jodi has been my chauffer lately during my broken neck episode. The tower staff of Sandy Jones, Ken de la Bastide and NASCAR will live in my memory forever.
The racers, the crews, the Anderson Speedway staff are all a special group of people whose friendship means the world to me and that I will cherish. That brings me to you… each of you… the greatest race fans anywhere! So many smiles, laughs, hugs, handshakes and words of encouragement made my job such a pleasure. I want to thank Trackside Associates for placing their faith in me 43 years ago and my special thanks goes to my good brother Rick Dawson and Action Entertainment for allowing me to be a part of the history of Anderson Speedway. All of my thanks go to my awesome God who gave me the ability to become the man behind the microphone for you. But the most pleasurable part of being your track announcer was to pray for each of you before the start of the race show each week. I can only hope that somehow, I have brought a small glimmer of hope into your life through our visits with our awesome God.
Thank you for the honor of being the Voice of Anderson Speedway.
Tonight, I am absolutely honored to be able to pass the microphone on to an amazing young man whom I have been watching and listening to over the past few years. He is a young man who impresses me with his ability and one who will make Anderson Speedway a great new announcer. Race fans, help me welcome him officially to the Anderson Speedway Racing Family… the new Voice of Anderson Speedway…Cory Hensley!”
