Dick Berggren to retire after Dover

[Deal With It]

Dick Berggren celebrates 70th birthday, to retire after Dover: Next week's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover marks the end of an era for NASCAR's longest-serving TV pit reporter, who celebrates his 70th birthday during Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. After 12 years on NASCAR on FOX, Berggren will give his final pit report for the network at Dover in the same informative and passionate manner he has since first establishing himself in the role 31 years ago. Ironically, Berggren made his NASCAR broadcasting debut at Dover in 1981 alongside Mike Joy, his NASCAR on FOX and SPEED colleague, the only NASCAR broadcaster on-air longer than Berggren. "After the FOX portion of the year ends, I've always traveled to local tracks where I still enjoy sitting in the stands with a hot dog in one hand and a beer in the other, watching the local heroes," Berggren said. "I can't get enough of local-level racing so I'll do more of that now." The Speedway Illustrated founder says that in addition to contributing stories and columns to the publication, he very well may continue to pop up on pit road at NASCAR races periodically. But he also has set in motion lofty goals and projects to which he can dedicate his newfound extra time. The Massachusetts resident has founded a corporation with the intent of building an auto racing museum at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He already has acquired an agreement with the speedway, tax-exempt status from the IRS and the support of a powerful Board of Directors. "Life will be different without FOX," Berggren expressed. "I'm very proud of having been part of the NASCAR on FOX broadcasts from the beginning. I'm dreading the 2013 Daytona 500 because I won't be there on pit road as part of that team. That will be hard, but nothing is forever and I understand that. I'm looking forward to walking into the museum on the day it opens. That's a whole new challenge and one I fully expect to conquer. But it's time to move on. I'm ready. However, it would be nice to pick up a few TV things here and there. I'd really like that."(quotes and more at SPEED.com)(5-25-20102)