The new announcer for the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series has been calling dirt races since he was 12. Needless to say, he’s more than ready for this latest opportunity. 

The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series named Ruben Mireles as its new series announcer this past December. He started in his new role during the Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in De Leon Springs, Florida, in January. Mireles previously served as a pit reporter for the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models and has been the DIRTcar Summer Nationals announcer for the past five seasons.

Many may know Mireles as “The voice of the Southwest” who started professionally announcing races at El Paso Speedway and Southern New Mexico Speedway in 2012, at age 13. He had called his first races just before his 13th birthday. A series of hard-earned steps took him to the regional stage and beyond.

Speaking with PRI Magazine recently, Mireles was quick to credit a “Who’s Who” of dirt racing for taking a chance on him, for presenting opportunities, and for offering encouragement and mentorship. That includes especially Rick Eshelman, the World of Outlaws announcer who passed away in October 2022.

From six years old, Mireles and his father were fixtures at El Paso Speedway. As a boy, Mireles immersed himself in the sport and spectacle of dirt racing. He studied the drivers and cars and tracked their careers. He absorbed what he heard from the announcer at both tracks, Bryan Hulbert, never having a thought that he would one day step into that job.

Here’s how Mireles looks at his career.

PRI: You started announcing dirt races when you were just 12, which seems incredible. What was the spark that got you into racing? 

Mireles: Instead of watching TV and movies as a kid, I got hooked on watching NASCAR on TV at six years old. The first race I saw was from Talladega, where Jimmie Johnson came from the back to win. I was hooked! I told my dad, “We’re watching NASCAR every Sunday.”

PRI: What’s your first memory from a track?

Mireles: When I was six, I spotted a big ad in the local paper for a NASCAR race coming to El Paso on July 4. It was May, and I told my dad I wanted to go. No one in my family followed racing. I was the only one. But we went, and it was great. There were sprint cars, X-mods, all sorts of classes. I wanted to go every weekend, and we did, to El Paso and to Southern New Mexico Speedway. From watching in the stands for six years until I started announcing at 12, I think I missed just two race nights, one at each track. Through all those years, my dad took me to all of them.

PRI: Did you think about one day getting involved as more than a spectator?

Mireles: I told my dad I would love to race one day. He said, “That’s a little expensive.” An older couple that would always sit two rows in front of us at El Paso rooted for the #12 car in the modified division. He was always toward the back, but he was a good racer. My dad said, “Let’s sponsor this guy.” His masonry company did, and he ended up winning the championship at Southern New Mexico Speedway the next year.

PRI: Did that make you want to race?

Mireles: It did. But the racer suggested that I might be better at writing the racing program. He knew I didn’t root for just the biggest names, that I always liked to get the inside story on all the drivers. I was just 12 years old, not even in high school.

PRI: How did you end up behind the microphone?

Mireles: A lady named Candace at Southern New Mexico Speedway used to walk me down to the pits to meet the drivers and get autographs. She knew all the officials and introduced me to Bryan [Hulbert] and his parents, who were doing race directing. She said to Bryan, “I know someone who’d love to do your job.” I couldn’t believe it, but they let me call two four-lap $100 trophy dashes the following weekend. I blew the roof off the place, and it didn’t even have a roof! 

PRI: How quickly did things escalate from there?

Mireles: At the last race of the season, Bryan announced he was leaving to announce the ASCS National Tour. Royal Jones, who owned El Paso and Southern New Mexico Speedway, hired me as announcer for both tracks in 2012. I did that through 2017.

PRI: Did you have the gift of gab as a boy? Did anyone ever suggest this line of work to you?

Mireles: I was a shy kid in elementary and middle school. I was in band. But announcing instantly became a love and a passion for me. Now you can’t get me to be quiet. 

PRI: How did you make the jump to regional announcing?

Mireles: In August 2012, Cory Moul, who owns the CLMA [Colorado Late Model Association] DIRTcar series, asked me to go to Arizona to announce a 74-lapper at USA Speedway in Tucson. Then I did races at other Arizona tracks. People started calling me “The Voice of the Southwest,” and I started doing more CLMA races. I traveled all over with them. 

PRI: That was still in your first year as an announcer?

Mireles: Yes. I started high school in 2013. So, I was a regional announcer and local announcer, and I also had an after-school job at Garrett Alberson’s Late Model shop until I was 16. I was working on the tires, but also learned some body work, suspension, and helped take apart engines. 

PRI: How did you get the DIRTcar Summer Nationals gig?

Mireles: I did the Arizona Mod Tour and the Winter Extreme in 2014 and met Rick Eshelman. He heard me work and said, “You’re pretty good.” We exchanged numbers, and we’d talk occasionally. In December 2017, I met him for lunch when he was delivering a car to Arizona. He said he was leaving the Summer Nationals to focus on the Outlaws. He asked if I’d like to take over. I thought, “Holy cow, this is a dream come true!” I started the Summer Nationals in 2018 and did that for five years.

PRI: Let’s talk a little about the work. When you started announcing, did some people not know that you were so young? 

Mireles: At the beginning, there were some bad comments on YouTube and Facebook, but Royal Jones would go on and tell them, “He’s only 12 and trying.” One of the first lessons I learned is to stay positive and to take constructive criticism. 

PRI: Since you started announcing at 12, there’s the understandable question—how did you handle your voice change?

Mireles: My voice began to crack during a race. I got through it. For a while I wasn’t confident in my voice, but I am now.

PRI: Can you share a mistake that you’ve learned from? 

Mireles: Yes, speaking before having all the facts. I was announcing a Summer Nationals race at I-96 Speedway in Michigan. A racer blew something, and there was white smoke coming out of the car. I automatically announced, “The engine blew.” It turned out to be the rear, not the engine. I realized that my comment could have made the engine builder look bad. Today, I would just say, “Something went awry on that car, and we’ll try to find out what happened.”

PRI: How would you describe your announcing style? 

Mireles: I never tried to imitate anyone. I kind of took little bits and pieces I liked and put it into my own memory bank to create my own style. I just go with a flow and the enthusiasm kicks in.

PRI: Aside from Bryan and Rick, are there any other announcers who influenced you?

Mireles: Royal would always tell me to listen to Johnny Gibson [the voice of the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars since 1997]. He loved the way Johnny explained things for the fans. So, that’s what I do. I always go down to the pit to get the drivers’ hometowns, engine specs, and all their sponsors. I share the information with the fans to give them more engagement. When you create engagement, that makes them want to come back.

PRI: That sounds like a marketer talking.

Mireles: I graduated New Mexico State University with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in sports marketing and advertising. I love marketing. it fits well with announcing. 

PRI: By the time you started college, you already had five years into a professional announcing career. What motivated you to continue your education?

Mireles: When I did the Winter Extreme, which is now the Wild West Shootout, I said to [DirtonDirt.com co-founder and general manager] Michael Rigsby, “Michael, just give me a full-time job. I’m ready to announce all your races.” And then Ben Shelton [now at MyRacePass] said to me, “Ruben, slow down. You don’t know where you’ll be in 10 years. You’ve got to go to college. You need something to fall back on.” I was never a straight-A student, but I loved school. I love learning.

PRI: At World of Outlaws, you’re taking the place of a legendary announcer, and a man who was a personal mentor and friend. How do you remember Rick Eshelman?

Mireles: Rick is my announcing hero. He got me to where I am now. He always motivated me, but he could be tough when I made mistakes. He’d say, “Ruben, you’re better than that!” He was always trying to make me better. One day he told me that the day he retired, he’d tell me three big things that he learned from me. I’ll never get to know those things. It breaks my heart. 

I’ve got big shoes to fill, and I’m going to work my tail off to fill them as best I can. The drivers are always the show. The announcer is just a part of it. Whether it’s a weekly show, an enduro, or the World 100, I am always going to give the fans 100%.

RUBEN MIRELES

TITLE:
Series Announcer

ORGANIZATION:
World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series

HOMETOWN:
Anthony, New Mexico

FAST FACT:
Ruben Mireles is also a musician. “I was in marching band in high school and my whole five years at New Mexico State. I played saxophone and, for my two final years, I was one of the three drum majors, the highest leadership position in the marching band.”