RIP Tom Hnatiw...

[ARROWZ46]

Canadian broadcaster Tom Hnatiw passed away yesterday. Tom was known to American race fans as the track voice of the short lived NATCC, then the SPEED World Challenge series & the SPEED show Dream Car Garage. Extremely fun personality... now gone

http://www.insidetracknews.com/news/...ssed-away.html

[Mindervillain]

Very sad. I worked around him several times during my Trans-Am Series days; tremendously funny guy and fun to be with.

I'm also embarrassed to write that I can't remember how to pronounce his name.

[Jakester]

He told me it was kinda like a sneeze....."NCHEW"

Although I knew him and his work, I met and drank with him years ago in san Juan Puerto Rico for the one/only TransAm and World Challenge race held there. He did the English announcing for the TV, but was highly impressed with the local announcer who did the PA...I think the local announcer had much soccer experience and was, to put it mildly, ENTHUSIASTIC. The World Challenge banquet was held in PR on Sunday and while Tom did the emcee work, both announcers were there, so the local announcer did his thing and Tom attempted an impression....

Tom was a nice guy. He'll be missed.

[ARROWZ46]

From an ICG web page...

Tom Hnatiw (pronounced "NA-choo"), writer, broadcaster, producer, and automotive television show host. Hnatiw is the voice of NARRA's US GT Championship. His company, Internal Combustion Group, films and produces broadcast content for the USGTC, Whelen US TimeTrial Championship, Viper SRT Cup & the Formula 1000 Championship Series.

[ptclaus98]

Damn, just saw this on apexspeed. Was he sick, or was this unexpected?

[Tifositoo]

I remember Tom testing a motorcycle during a Canadian auto program (Tony and Tom?) that was a real beast to ride. It was powerful, handled well and was well-balanced, but the tank was shaped oddly. Tom never came right out and said so, but the bike was murder on his manhood, and he discouraged other cyclists from riding one for that reason. Can't remember the name of the bike, either.


Tom, RIP... we miss you.


Dan

[ToddBenne]

Tom was a great guy and personal friend of Classic Tube and Fix Motorsports. Owner Paul Fix was a frequent guest specialist on Dream Car Garage and other shows of Tom and Peter Klutt discussing brakes, tubes, hoses etc. Tom will be missed and will leave behind a legacy of being a great guy who knew his business like no other.

Jakester, the Spanish announcer you speak of from the PR Trans-Am race was Alfredo Ninn. He now is the voice/video personality of the goracingtv.com video vignettes Trans-Am is utilizing for the 2012 season. Mixed results on many levels pertaining to the current video deal for T-A. Not sure what they will change for 2013 as it is being discussed. The analogy of soccer announcing is used often and not quite sure it is a match for American T-A series announcing.

Mindervillian...there's a trouble maker.

[Mindervillain]

Mindervillian...there's a trouble maker.

Not since Do It Again steered me down the path to righteousness. Glad to see you're still around, Todd. I still laugh when I remember Hnatiw commenting on the starter running off the track at the start of the rainy World Challenge race at Lime Rock. We'd put tech on hold so we could all watch the impending disaster in T-1 - and they all made it through.

[SpeedwayRyan]

I always watched Dream Car Garage (great car show, IMO) and was amazed when I was at Mid-Ohio one year and heard his distinctive voice over the PA, calling the SPEED World Challenge race. Seemed like a good dude, and was most definitely a true-blue car guy. RIP, Tom.

[Jakester]

Hey Toddster!
Long time no chat. Still miss the real TA days at Long Beach (and elsewhere). I will check goracingtv.com for sure.
What are you up to these days? Just spent a weekend flagging club racing at Eagles Canyon Raceway near Decatur TX...it was only 106 or so for the weekend....