O. Bruton Smith Inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame
January 23 2016 - 4:20PM
Business Wire
EDITOR’S NOTE: An O. Bruton Smith bio, timeline of key dates
in his career and historical photos through the years are available
for download here.
A passionate and innovative pioneer in the sport of auto racing,
Speedway Motorsports, Inc. founder and Executive Chairman O. Bruton
Smith was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame Saturday, after
dedicating his life to creating unforgettable at-track experiences
for millions of race fans across the country.
“Being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is truly an honor,”
Smith said. “For nearly 60 years, my life’s work has been to build
first-rate facilities and host world-class events for fans around
the country. Along with thousands of my employees, I have worked
hard for the fans in hopes of providing each of them a truly
unforgettable experience every time they walk through the gates.
When I say, ‘we work for the fans,’ I really take it to heart. I
look forward to seeing Speedway Motorsports continue to lead the
way in innovation and fan fun for many years to come.”
Smith was introduced at Saturday’s NASCAR Hall of Fame induction
ceremony by fellow inductee Darrell Waltrip.
A native of Oakboro, North Carolina, Smith charted his course to
a successful career with hard work and unwavering dedication. After
years of promoting races across the South, Smith began construction
of his lifelong dream, a 1.5-mile superspeedway, north of
Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1959. The following year Charlotte
Motor Speedway hosted NASCAR’s first-ever 600-mile race, the World
600.
Over the next 56 years, Smith has expanded his motorsports
empire to include eight premier motorsports facilities, including
Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor
Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New
Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.
A dynamic business leader, Smith consolidated his motorsports
holdings in 1994 and founded Speedway Motorsports, Inc. The
following year he made it the first motorsports company to trade on
the New York Stock Exchange (TRK).
Among other fan-facing innovations, Smith is credited with
bringing luxury dining facilities to his tracks, being the first to
offer year-round living accommodations and introducing elaborate
pre-race shows to his NASCAR weekends.
In 1992, Smith oversaw the construction of a state-of-the-art
1,200-fixture MUSCO lighting installation at Charlotte Motor
Speedway, allowing it to be the first superspeedway to host night
racing. In 2011, Charlotte Motor Speedway unveiled what was then
the world’s largest HDTV along the backstretch of the iconic
speedway, revolutionizing the at-track fan experience. Smith has
since topped his own world record with the nearly
21,000-square-foot “Big Hoss TV” at Texas Motor Speedway, and this
year, the world's largest outdoor, permanent, center-hung digital
display, Colossus, will make its video debut at Bristol Motor
Speedway.
In addition to his work in motorsports entertainment, Smith has
created a legacy of service and giving through Speedway Children’s
Charities. The mission of Speedway Children's Charities remains
true to the ideals it was founded upon in 1982: To care for
children in educational, financial, social and medical need in
order to help them lead productive lives. With chapters at each of
Speedway Motorsports’ eight properties, Speedway Children’s
Charities has donated more than $46 million to deserving charities
across the country since its inception.
Six-time NASCAR Modified champion Jerry Cook, 1970 NASCAR
champion Bobby Isaac, two-time champion Terry Labonte and Curtis
Turner, the “Babe Ruth of stock car racing,” joined Smith as 2016
inductees during Saturday’s ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of
Fame.
About Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc. is a leading marketer, promoter and
sponsor of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The
Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following
premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway,
Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor
Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas
Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising
services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and
distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through
its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and
broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations
nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary. For
more information, about the company, please visit the Speedway
Motorsports website.
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