Some individuals get so woven into the sport that their absence is felt beyond it. And the late Steve Weid was one of them. The NASCAR veteran reporter passed away on Monday after a long battle with the after-effects of cancer. 

Weid had become one of the most recognizable faces in the NASCAR garage. His career spanned over 50 years. He kicked off his journalism career in sports back in 1972 for the Martinsville Bulletin. 

However, his work began to gain popularity, and he established himself as one of the most respected voices in the sport when he switched to the Grand National Scene (later known as the NASCAR Scene) in 1981. He worked here for nearly 30 years until he retired from full-time reporting in 2010.

As for his journalism accomplishments, Waid was awarded several honors, such as NMPA’s George Cunningham Writer of the Year Award and the Henry McLemore Award for outstanding lifetime contributions to motorsports. He also served as the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) President for 12 years in multiple terms.

Steve Waid was also awarded NASCAR’s Squier-Hall Award, an award given to journalists for their contribution to the sport during the 2019 Hall of Fame ceremony. He also helped co-write a biography about Junior Johnson with Tom Higgins. 

As the news of his passing broke, several industry members came forward to talk about Waid’s impact on their careers.

Tributes Pour in Across NASCAR for Steve Waid

Many motorsports journalists took to their social media accounts to talk about their experience working with the late journalist. FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass led the tributes as he wrote:

"Sad news. Steve Waid was a joy to work with at NASCAR Scene and Illustrated. His wealth of knowledge was only surpassed by his abundance of kindness. RIP."

NASCAR reporter Matt Waver recalled his first-ever interaction with Waid at the Daytona 500. He wrote:

"Growing up a fan and always having an interest in media, I thought Steve Waid was a titan of the craft. He was but also so dang kind. My first Daytona 500 media center seats were next to him. It felt like pressure. He made me feel like a friend. He was. Godspeed legend."

ESPN’s Ryan McGee wrote a tribute that had a hilarious story of Waid from the Talladega Nights premiere.

"Godspeed Steve Waid, NASCAR Hall of Famer & wild man, finally reunited with Tom Higgins in the great press box beyond. My favorite Waid moment: Talladega Nights premiere. Theater goes dark. For a solid minute, we waited. Waid shouts, "It's already better than Days of Thunder!"  McGee shared.

The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck recalled when he was 25 and covering a race at Indianapolis, and it was then that Waid voluntarily took an interest in his career goals and invited him to grab a bite at a local pub.

"I could not believe someone as legendary in the NASCAR media as he was would even give me the time of day, let alone be so encouraging. Such a kind man. And as it turned out, we later got to work together at NASCAR Scene," an excerpt of Gluck's X post read.

While Brock Beard from the LASTonCars wrote about the time Steve Waid sat through a book signing alongside Junior Johnson. While many of them ran to Johnson, Waid just sat with a smile, not minding the lack of attention for him.

"It captured how much of a consummate professional he was while also having a wonderful sense of humor and humility," Beard wrote about Waid's humble behavior.

The void left behind by Steve Waid in NASCAR’s reporting community will be deeply felt. 

Follow the RFK Racing Digest for more updates.

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Yash Kotak