40 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 14-20, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Scott Hoke has been one of the faces of Mecum Auctions’ television broadcasts since the company first put its events on air in 2008, and viewers have come to associate his resonant voice with the auction. But the Indianapolis native has spent more than four decades in television and radio. Over that span he has served as an NPR morning show host and a local sports anchor. He spent six seasons as part of the Indiana Pacers broadcast crew and was a public address announcer at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. What free time he has is devoted to music. Hoke plays bass for several jazz bands in Indianapolis. From the beginning of Mecum’s televised auctions, Hoke shared the broadcast booth with John Kraman, who he referred to as “The Professor” for his extensive knowledge of cars and their history. For Hoke, this will be his first trip to Monterey without his longtime broadcast partner, who died unexpectedly in January. Weekly: What’s it like not having John Kraman in the booth? Hoke: The first time on the air after John passed was the most difficult day I’ve ever had in 45 years of broadcasting. It was a gut punch like nothing else. We knew he had been sick, but none of us knew the extent of his illness. He was more than just my broadcast partner. He was like my brother. I can’t even count how many hours we spent together on air. But we spent a lot of time together not related to the auction. Since January the outpouring of support from viewers has never dried up. Each place we go there are people who have not had a chance to express their sympathy. I still get emotional talking about it. Whenever I walk into the booth, I expect to see him there. You both have a way of making people feel like your friends. One of the amazing things about television is that you made the decision to watch, to let us into your living room. The viewer wants to have that connection with us. The viewer feels like they know us. That is a powerful thing. I never want to lose sight of that. Did you expect so many people to watch cars on an auction block? [Laughs.] Honestly, no. I remember in 2011 or ’12—we had only been on air a few years—we were at dinner one night and one of us said, “How much longer do you think this is going to last?” But here we are in the 18th year. I don’t think I would have imagined that. Do you collect cars? I would love to, but financially it hasn’t been possible—yet. I was so close at Kissimmee to pulling the trigger. One of these days. What was the car? I have always had a fascination with the Porsche 911—that was the car at Kissimmee. Is it a rule that people with a great voice have to be in broadcasting? No, not at all. God blessed me with what some people consider a good voice, but it’s just what I love to do. Not everyone in radio or television has that radio voice—I hate that term. In the voice-over world—I do a lot of voiceovers—it often matters more that the client wants you to be a regular guy. After five or six hours on air, do you get tired of talking about cars? Sometimes. But I get really motivated at Monterey. It’s a completely different vibe than our other auctions. You can walk down the street and see a completely original Shelby Cobra parked there. Great cars pass you on the way to dinner. At the hotel I check to see what’s in the parking lot. What got you interested in music? I grew up with music. My mom was a piano teacher—she didn’t teach me; she was smart—and played at church. My dad directed the choir. I started playing basslines on a guitar when I was 7. I play the stand-up bass, too. It’s a huge part of my life. Have you been to the Jazz Festival? I never have. A friend of mine has chastised me for that on a number of occasions. He has tickets. I’ve always wanted to go, but there has always been a conflict with one of our events. Back to JK. It was sad to see his cars auctioned. We knew John’s 2020 Corvette was going to be the first across the auction block. At dinner, [John’s wife] Christine asked if I would drive that car onto the block. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do. I got in the car and I started bawling. Christine squeezed my hand and said, “John wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to drive this car.” [Pause] Sorry to be so emotional. It was such an honor. I will never forget it. Car Talk For almost 20 years, Scott Hoke has helped make Mecum Auctions must-see television. By Dave Faries Scott Hoke (left) and John Kraman (right) chat with motorsports legend Roger Penske (center) during a Mecum Auctions television broadcast. Hoke has been the voice of the auctions since they first aired in 2008. 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Things to love: approx. 12 years old - 16 lbs - female - Poodle mix Grace by name and by nature, Gracie is a gentle soul who enjoys neighborhood strolls, cozy companionship, and the occasional treat. She gets along beautifully with small dogs and cats, moves with ease despite slight hearing and vision loss, and fills each day with warmth. If you’d like sponsor our next ad, give us a call. 831-718-9122 | www.POMDR.org P.O. Box 51554, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 Ad Sponsored by Judy LeRoy in Memory of Lasso
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