One of NASCAR’s visionaries, Hall of Famer Bruton Smith, died Wednesday of “natural causes,” Speedway Motorsports announced. He was 95 years old.
Smith was the founder and executive chairman of Sonic Automotive, Speedway Motorsports and Speedway Children’s Charities. While at the helm of the company, Speedway Motorsports became the first motorsports company traded on the New York Stock Exchange back in 1995. The company flourished, its holdings expanding to 11 facilities that host 13 NASCAR Cup Series races in 2022. This includes four of the 10 playoff races.
Today, the operating tracks include Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.