NCNN Sports Director Wins Associated Press Award

NCNN’s Rick Dayton won another award for his “Tribute to Dale Earnhardt.”

North Carolina News Network Sports Director Rick Dayton recently brought home the Best Sports Programming award from the North Carolina Associated Press Broadcasters. He received the recognition for his piece, “A Tribute To Dale Earnhardt.”

Dayton put together the thirty-minute piece after the death of NASCAR Winston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt was killed in a crash during the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

“Earnhardt was a seven time Winston Cup drivers champion and was arguably the best know stock car driver,” Dayton explained. “His death spurred a firestorm of criticism from inside and outside NASCAR regarding driver safety.”

“My piece focused on his overwhelming history of success — both on the track and as a businessman off the track,” said Dayton. “It featured comments of dozens drivers, medical personnel, family members, and racing officials.”

Earnhardt was killed on a Sunday, and the NCNN tribute was made available to affiliates the Friday, one day, after his funeral. Some of their affiliates ran the program four times that weekend due to the high demand from their listeners. The program also won a national award for “Best Sports Program” from the National Association of State Radio Networks.

“Rick did a wonderful job, and deserves this statewide recognition!” said NCNN News Director Ellen Reinhardt.

Reinhardt finished her one-year term as Vice President of the NCAPB at the April convention. WRAL-TV Executive Producer Scott Pickey rounded out his year as President of the organization.