“Humpy” Wheeler to retire after Coca Cola 600-Wheeler forced out?
Quote selected text Published May 22nd, 2008 in NASCAR News
UPDATE:
The announcement was scheduled to be made next Wednesday, but was pushed up after a disagreement between Wheeler and Bruton Smith, the chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc. that owns LMS. “The suddenness was not my idea,” Wheeler said. “I would have liked to have stayed around a little bit, just eased out a little easier. … Maybe in a part-time role.”
The 69-year-old promoter that was hired by Smith before the October race in 1975 said no part-time offer was made. Asked if he was given that option Wheeler said, “No.” Asked if he would remain with the track in any capacity Wheeler bluntly said, “None.” Smith, who did not attend the press conference that was thrown together quickly after news of the retirement leaked out Tuesday night, said Wheeler was offered the chance to stay as a consultant. “To my knowledge, nothing has changed,” he said.
Smith said Wheeler was offered a consultant’s salary for five years beyond the $12,500 a month that SMI has agreed to pay him over the next 10 years. He added that Wheeler holds 151 shares of stock options with the company and that he has to stay involved to execute them. Smith said he did not attend the press conference because he was not invited and because he didn’t want to take away from Wheeler’s moment. “It was his press conference,” he said. “Not mine.”
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Speedway Motorsports, Inc. announced today that H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, chief operating officer and president of Speedway Motorsports and president and general manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, is retiring from both positions following the Coca-Cola 600. A decision will be made on Wheeler’s successor in the near future by the Speedway Motorsports, Inc. board of directors.
“While it is with sadness that I announce my retirement from Speedway Motorsports and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, it is time for me to move on to other things,” said Wheeler. “I have devoted my entire life to racing and I don’t intend on leaving it, just serving it in different ways. I have made arrangements with a well-known author to co-write a unique book interweaving my various experiences in the sport with the wonderful human drama and rich characters that abound in it. I will resume the ‘Humpy Show’ on SPEED Channel and look forward to being chairman of the Charlotte Regional Partnership in 2009. I also look forward to other endeavors, including lecturing and working with the motorsports management program at Belmont Abbey College.”
- “The Humpy Show” to premiere on SPEED TV
- Humpy picks Johnson to win All Star Race; Montoya to win Open
- Humpy Wheeler says Montoya, Daytona sparking ticket sales
- Humpy Wheeler wants NASCAR to test at LMS
- Lowe’s also bans the 14 banned Talladega fans
I bet Eddy Gossage is his successor
Fisha695 wrote:
Ditto. That was the first name that came to my mind as well. BTW would any of y’all really want to read Humpy’s book? Can’t imagine it’s going to be all that great of a read…
Fisha695 wrote:
Eddie is in Texas and i dont think he is leaving to come to Charlotte.
Something seems strange about this, the haste with which its happening. This is only a guess, but I wonder if there’s a health issue for Wheeler. At the very least, there’s more to this story.
Ron F. wrote:
From nascar.com
heeler, who enjoys a long-standing reputation as one of the legendary promoters in racing, said all the right things — that he was looking forward to some time off, that his wife, Pat, was happy with the move — but the abruptness of the announcement and Wheeler’s own admission that the retirement wasn’t entirely on his own terms left lingering questions unanswered.
“Some of it’s on our own terms — I won’t say it all is,” Wheeler said. “Some of it is … and I’ll let it rest at that.”
This is from an article posted on another message board, and I think the article is from ESPN.com
“The announcement was scheduled to be made next week, but was pushed up after a disagreement between Wheeler and Bruton Smith, the chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc. that owns LMS.
“The suddenness was not my idea,” Wheeler said. “I would have liked to have stayed around a little bit, just eased out a little easier. … Maybe in a part-time role.”
But no such offer was made to the 69-year-old promoter who was hired by Smith before the October race in 1975. Asked if he was given that option, Wheeler said, “No.”
Asked if he would remain with the track in any capacity, Wheeler bluntly said, “None.” “
It will take some BIG FEET
to feel Wheelers shoes.
Smith is a j/a, he should have let him retire at his own pace.
But the thing is when you are running a business especially a multi million dollar one you can’t really do a partial work schedule.
Fisha695 wrote:
Eddie, Please stay at TMS!!!
Am I the only person who absolutely HATES Bruton Smith? I read today that he is putting his spoiled dooshbag son in Humpy’s place, if so, this is wrong on so many levels. Talk about having everything handed to you!! Humpy is entitled to more respect than he is getting.
Jim his son was set to take over as president of LMS when Humpy retired anyway, he is not going to be the Promoter though that person is yet to be named.