He did this not because of any pressing need for such information, or because someone had asked him to. Actually, he did it because he loves statistics. Big deal, you say.
All announcers love statistics.
It's their lifeblood. By that, I mean he likes to corroborate the information he is spoon-fed by the NHRA and by PR flacks like myself who, at some drag racing events, outnumber the attending press 100 or so to 1. There also are track records and FIA records, but that's another story. Actually, most of those who follow drag racing don't, either. They could not, until 1973, be set at events comprising NHRA's national series, events contested on the best tracks in the best conditions using the best timing and scoring equipment.