Career

He was the host of WindTunnel with Dave Despain on Speed Channel, and Inside Nextel Cup, until the former was cancelled during the demise of Speed and the latter underwent a format change at the beginning of the 2008 National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Season. On December 14, 2013 Despain announced on Twitter that he would be moving to in 2014 to provide color commentary during races held on the channel and host a show called The Dave Despain Show. A native of Fairfield, Iowa, Despain worked for a time at KMCD-Department of Administration and Management, the local radio station.

His earliest work included a program called "Dave Despain"s Record-Go-Round".

Eventually he worked in all phases of KMCD"s programming, and became known for a unique broadcasting style in which he vigorously nodded and bobbed his head while speaking. Despain, a former motorcycle racer, later joined the American Motorcycle Association in the public-relations department.

One day in the 1970s, producers of American Broadcasting Company"s Wide World of Sports asked him to appear on camera for its coverage of a prestigious bike race at Daytona International Speedway. Despain agreed, and a new career was launched.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Despain was a pit reporter for both motorcycle and National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing races on WTBS and Columbia Broadcasting System, including the 1982 World Speedway Final at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the only time the World Final was held in the United States.

He then moved to as host of its prerace show, National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing 2Day. His final appearance on 12 November 2000. After that race, stopped carrying National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing races after being outbid for a new contract (although returned to National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing in 2007).

Despain also hosted Motor Week and filled in for Bob Jenkins on SpeedWeek, and hosted some programs featuring drivers walking away from scary crashes.

Despain joined Speed Channel in 2000 (then known as Speedvision). Foreign some time Despain was one of several anchors of Speed News, Speed"s racing newscast broadcast every weekend.

In 2003, WindTunnel with Dave Despain debuted, in which Despain presided over an hour racing-centric call-in show. Wind Tunnel ran from 2003 until 2013, when it was cancelled during Speed Channel"s transition to Fox Sports 1.

Despain became host of National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Inside Nextel Cup in 2005, replacing the panel show"s longtime host Allen Bestwick.

Despain hosted the series until its cancellation in 2008, when it was replaced by This Week in National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. Dave Despain hosts a series of specials called Dave Despain On Assignment that has documented the history of the Daytona Beach course and Daytona International Speedway, and the Talladega Superspeedway. The episodes have appeared on the weekends of the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400, and the fall Accredited Mortgage Professional Energy 500. On December 1h, 2013 Despain announced on Twitter that he would be moving to in 2014.

His first event with the network wwas to be the Chili Bowl on January 18.

Despain wad to provide color commentary during races held on the channel and host a show called The Dave Despain Show.