Kyle Petty shared a heartfelt tribute honouring the loss of NASCAR journalist Steve Waid. The veteran racer recalled how Waid used to cover NASCAR when he had his rookie drive.
Stephen Hamilton Waid, born in Richmond, Virginia, passed away on June 15 after a long bout with cancer. Waid is recognised as one of the most accomplished print media journalists in NASCAR.
Waid began covering NASCAR back in 1971, and Martinsville was his first race. He soon found his footing with the Grand National Scene, rising to executive editor in 1981.
What followed was a 28-year tenure where Waid produced approximately 2,700 bylines and roughly 1.5-2 million words. The publication was renamed to NASCAR Scene in 2004, and Waid remained the defining voice of the sport.
Petty’s X post celebrated Waid’s extensive career.
“From the very first time I sat in a race car, Steve Waid was writing about it. I spent a large portion of my NASCAR years reading and believing everything Steve Waid wrote. He could find a story when others couldn’t. Racing journalists were a different breed then. And he was at the top of that list. God Speed,” he wrote.
Steve Waid has earned several honours in his name. He bagged the George Cunningham Award for NMPA Writer of the Year and the Henry T. McLemore Award for outstanding lifetime contributions to motorsports.
He was also conferred with the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Most notably, Waid was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame in 2014.
NASCAR issues official statement on Steve Waid’s passing
NASCAR has issued a public release on Steve Waid’s passing. The organisation shed light on his ‘exemplary work’ that garnered the admiration of the industry.
“For decades, Steve Waid was one of the most respected and trusted voices in NASCAR journalism. He chronicled the sport with passion, integrity, and an unmatched appreciation for its people, history and traditions. Through his work at NASCAR Scene, NASCAR Illustrated and several other outlets, Steve’s storytelling helped generations of fans better understand NASCAR and the personalities who shaped it….NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to Steve’s family, friends and long,” NASCAR’s statement read.
Steve Waid was also the president of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) for twelve years. Waid has seen the highs and lows of the sport. He covered Dale Earnhardt’s first race, as well as his last.
He once denied Earnhardt’s offer to stay at his home, citing journalistic code of ethics. In other instances, Waid has had a close relationship with drivers like Alan Kulwicki.
Waid retired after Scene ceased operations in 2010. He continued to write a column for Frontstretch before founding the Scene Vault podcast, a weekly show that revived the Scene’s complete archive.
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