Humpy Wheeler, the ‘P.T. Barnum of Motorsports,’ Dies at 86

Humpy Wheeler, a pioneering motorsports promoter and former president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, has died, NASCAR said. He was 86.

Charlotte Motor Speedway said Wheeler died of natural causes Wednesday in Charlotte, surrounded by his family.

“Humpy Wheeler was a visionary whose name became synonymous with promotion and innovation in our sport,” said NASCAR chairman Jim France. “During his decades leading Charlotte Motor Speedway, Humpy transformed the fan experience through his creativity, bold ideas and tireless passion. His efforts helped expand NASCAR’s national footprint, cement Charlotte as a must-visit racing and entertainment complex.”

Howard Augustine Wheeler Jr. was born in 1938 in Belmont, North Carolina, and gained his first major publicity job with Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. He held several other positions after Firestone shut down its racing program in 1970 and was hired at Charlotte Motor Speedway by owner Bruton Smith as president in 1975.

Humpy Wheeler and driver Martin Truex during NASCAR’s BUSCH series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images)

He became a transformative figure in promoting racing and was known as the “P.T. Barnum of motorsports” for flashy pre-race stunts, elaborate productions and sparing no expense in ensuring fans had the most enjoyable experience possible at his events.

Wheeler earlier this year was named winner of NASCAR’s prestigious Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR, to which he’d have been inducted into the Hall of Fame next year.

“Humpy’s contributions to and accomplishments in NASCAR are without parallel. The breadth and depth of his legacy, and those whom he influenced, assisted and mentored, cannot be overstated,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the Hall of Fame. “Frequently adding new dynamics to the sport, Humpy’s visionary leadership and creativity helped shape today’s fan experience.

“Through his innovative promotions and stunts, Wheeler’s contributions expanded NASCAR’s national and international presence during the 1990s and early 2000s, solidifying Charlotte as ‘NASCAR’s Home for Racing.’”

Frances Flock, wife of inductee Tim Flock, is presented the Hall of Fame ring by Humpy Wheeler during the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2014. (Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Wheeler mentored “hundreds, if not thousands,” of people throughout his life, Kelley said, including inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt and Landmark Award recipient Janet Guthrie.

Wheeler spent 33 years running Charlotte Motor Speedway. His innovation and pre-race extravaganzas recreated numerous military operations — including the invasion of Grenada — that made the facility a gold standard in NASCAR. He promoted school-bus races during the week, grassroots series for young aspiring racers, stunts and even the “Robosaurus,” a towering, fire-breathing, car-crunching mechanical robot.

Wheeler and his boss, the late Smith, grew Charlotte Motor Speedway into the ownership group Speedway Motorsports Inc., which acquired multiple race tracks that play a pivotal role in American motorsports today. Charlotte was the first track to build condominiums on site, built a restaurant overlooking the race track and was the first speedway of its size to install lights for night racing.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway was blessed to have a leader in Humpy Wheeler who can only be described as ONE of a kind,” the speedway said in a statement. ” For more than 30 years, Humpy was a promoter’s promoter at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Alongside our founder Bruton Smith, Humpy pushed the speedway to new and greater heights — establishing the famed 1.5-mile superspeedway as not only the most innovative facility in NASCAR for fan, partner and competitor amenities, but also one of the most progressive in all of sports.

Humpy Wheeler and driver Ryan Newman during practice for the Nextel cup UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 2004.  (Photo by Harold Hinson/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images)

“Humpy’s engaging smile and flair for promotion were legendary, and his impact on every stakeholder in motorsports will be long-lasting. Humpy not only made his mark with publicity, but also with a laser-focus toward the fans,” the speedway continued. “He would often tell his staff to pay attention to ‘the three Ts — tickets, traffic and toilets,’ in order to ensure fans have the best possible experience. He would also say it was our job to put a little ‘technicolor in people’s black-and-white lives.’”

Wheeler retired from Charlotte Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports in 2008 after a bitter falling out with Smith, but remained active in motorsports through his own consulting company and was on the voting panel for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his wife, Pat; daughters, Traci and Patti; son, Trip; and four grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending and the family request donations be made in Wheeler’s name to the Belmont Abbey College Motorsports Management Program, which Wheeler was instrumental in launching more than 20 years ago.

Reporting by The Associated Press.