Bruton Smith was the founder and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, who owned NASCAR tracks including the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
- Died: June 22, 2022 (Who else died on June 22?)
- Details of death: Died of natural causes at the age of 95.
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NASCAR legend
Smith loved racing from an early age, and as a young man, he tried his hand at driving. His racing career didn’t last long, as he soon began working as a promoter instead. Smith built his first racetrack in the 1950s: Charlotte Motor Speedway opened in 1959 and became the well-known home of the World 600 (now Coca-Cola 600) NASCAR race. He went on to found Speedway Motorsports and built other NASCAR tracks including the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and Sonoma Raceway. His early promotion of races as his tracks helped build NASCAR from a regional organization to the major national draw it later became. After the death of his young son, Smith founded Speedway Children’s Charities, a non-profit that funds local children’s organizations. In 2007, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Notable quote
“I’m a frustrated builder who had a knack for promoting races, and it’s been fun to always try and push the sport to greater heights for the fans.” —from a 2015 interview for the Associated Press
Tributes to Bruton Smith
Full obituary: Charlotte Observer
