Fox Sports’ Steve Brynes Dies at 56

Fox Sports announced Tuesday that NASCAR announcer Steve Brynes died at the age of 56. Byrnes had been battling head and neck cancer after he was diagnosed in August of 2013. Sunday’s race at Bristol was renamed the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes. IndyCar drivers and NBC Sports anncouncers at the IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach also showed support for the Fox announcer on Sunday during the race and broadcast.

He joined Fox in 2001 as the network picked up NASCAR rights. He was to be the network’s lead announcer for Camping World Truck Series coverage in 2015.

Byrnes had covered NASCAR for CBS, TBS and TNN, and  played football for a season at James Madison before he transferred to the University of Maryland, where he graduated with a degree in Radio, Television and Film.

He’s survived by his wife of 22 years, Karen, and his 12-year-old son Bryson.