Speedway Motorsports founder dies at 95
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — O. Bruton Smith, who emerged from North Carolina farm country and parlayed his love of motorsports into a Hall of Fame career as one of the biggest track owners and most successful promoters in the history of auto racing, died Wednesday. He was 95.
His death was announced by Speedway Motorsports, which cited natural of causes.
His son, Marcus, the current president and CEO, on Tuesday posted a tribute to his father on social media: “I had a wonderful Father’s Day weekend. I am so thankful to be a dad, and to have an amazing dad,” said the post, which was accompanied by photos of Smith surrounded by his family.
“Race fans are, and always will be, the lifeblood of NASCAR. Few knew this better than Bruton Smith,” said NASCAR chairman Jim France. “Bruton built his race tracks employing a simple philosophy; give face fans memories they will cherish for a lifetime. In doing do, Bruton helped grow NASCAR’s popularity as the preeminent spectator sport.”
Born March 2, 1927, on a farm in Oakboro, a small town 30 miles east of Charlotte, Ollen Bruton Smith was the youngest of nine children. He watched his first race as an 8-year-old during the Depression and bought his first race car at 17 for $700.
“The whole idea at that time was I was that I was going to be a race car driver. I learned to drive, but that career didn’t last long,” Smith said about his early start, claiming his mother prayed for him to find another passion. “You can’t fight your mom and God, so I stopped driving.”
Smith instead became an entrepreneur — promoting his first race at age 18 — and became one of the giants in stock car racing. Speedway Motorsports, the company he founded, was the first motorsports company to trade on the New York Stock Exchange and it currently owns 11 facilities across the United States.
The tracks host NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA and other series in Atlanta; Bristol, Tennessee; Charlotte; Las Vegas; New Hampshire; Sonoma, California; Texas; Dover, Delaware; Nashville, Tennessee; North Wilkesboro, North Carolina; and Kentucky.
NASCAR races this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, a track that was purchased by Speedway Motorsports late last year.
“My parents taught us what work was all about,” Smith said in 2008. “As I look back, that was a gift, even though I certainly didn’t think so at the time.”