Triad Sports 1on1 - NASCAR Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray with Mark Garrow

·1 hr 5 min·5 clips

Mark Garrow's father, a former boxer, broke his ankle after being hit by a car but still black-flagged the driver before going to the hospital.

The episode is an interview format where host Kyle Shasperger guides Mark Garrow through his life story. Garrow begins by describing his childhood at Claremont Speedway, where his father was a flagman and his mother scored races, leaving him in random trucks as an infant. He details his father's tough, Marine Corps background and violent enforcement of racing rules. Garrow then recounts his own boxing career, including a near-miss Olympic opportunity in 1976 and a memorable fight where he overcame a stinger injury. His radio career started accidentally after a post-fight interview led to a job at a local station. Garrow explains his rapid rise to announcing at Daytona and his long tenure covering NASCAR, including the evolution of broadcasting technology from reel-to-reel to digital editing. He discusses the emotional challenges of covering driver fatalities and his personal policy of not attending funerals. The episode shifts to preview the NASCAR Cookout Clash moving to Bowman Gray Stadium, with Garrow highlighting the track's history, passionate fans, and the unique challenges drivers will face. He closes with life advice about striving to be your best every day. The episode includes multiple sponsor ads for local Triad businesses like Sharp Mortgage Team, Three Magnolias Financial Advisors, Dewey's Bakery, and The Ginther Group.

As heard by us

Mark Garrow traces his route from a Vermont dirt track to NASCAR broadcasting, battery trouble and all.

Mark Garrow's path into NASCAR broadcasting begins well away from any polished booth, with racing around him early, a Vermont dirt track, and a public-address system running on two 12-volt batteries that had a habit of fading during the feature.

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Why you'd press play

You want Mark Garrow's early broadcast path, right down to the dirt-track PA clamped to two 12-volt batteries.

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