Freeman, ex-media official at Daytona and Talladega, dies

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - Jim Freeman, a former media relations official for both the Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, has died. He was 73 years old.

Thomas Bucher, funeral director at Woodfin Memorial Chapel, said Monday that Freeman died of natural causes Sunday at Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Freeman worked as Daytona's stock car media coordinator from 1979-82 before becoming Talladega's public relations director, a position he held for 14 years. He also served as assistant director of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame for 10 years before taking over as executive director in 2000. He retired from that job in 2006.

Grant Lynch, chairman of the Talladega Superspeedway, called Freeman one of the nicest people he ever worked with in motorsports.

"I met him in 1989, and as long as I knew him, he was the same great person," Lynch said in a statement. "His warm personality and positive attitude made him a great team player, and without a doubt, he was one of the all-time great joke tellers who made so many laugh and smile. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they say goodbye to a one-of-a-kind individual."

Before getting into motorsports, Freeman was sports information director at Middle Tennessee and a writer for The (Murfreesboro) Daily News Journal and Nashville Banner. He helped create Middle Tennessee's Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame in 1976.