The Georgia racing industry paused last week to remember a legendary announcer and 2003 Hall of Fame inductee.
Known as racing's "little, bitty buddy," Jimmy Mosteller died July 4 at age 85.
According to local racing historian Gordon Pirkle, Mosteller was part of the initial group that helped establish the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.
"When I first told him about the plan, he was all for it," Pirkle said. "He dreamed about someday having a hall of fame here in Georgia and he's always been a supporter of it.
"We've got a world of stuff in the museum that we'll have in archives that he found out about the history of racing."
Mosteller started his career as an apprentice jockey in horse racing before transitioning to an announcer in that sport.
Before long, he was calling automobile racing and later founded the Hav-A-Tampa Racing Series.
Throughout his career, Mosteller also announced and helped promote racing events across the country.
"As far back as I remember he was announcing races down at the old Lakewood Fairgrounds and the Peach Bowl and he did the races in Gainesville on the Lake Lanier track that Max Looper from Dawsonville built," Pirkle said.
"He announced up until just a few weeks ago part time at Dixie Speedway. They'd bring him in a wheelchair."
NASCAR Champion Bill Elliott called Mosteller an ambassador to the racing community.
"He's always been an avid supporter of me and my family, a good ambassador for the racing community and a good ambassador to dirt track racing," Elliott said. "He was a great guy that did so much for the sport. He will surely be missed."
Funeral services were held July 7 in the Davis-Struempf Funeral Home & Crematory Chapel in Austell.