O. Bruton Smith named to NASCAR Hall of Fame

O. Bruton Smith, Executive Chairman of Speedway Motorsports, which owns Sonoma Raceway, has been named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame for 2016. When he first heard the announcement, Cook thought it was an error, “I had to make sure it was right,” he says in an interview with the Charlotte Observer.

He joins NASCAR drivers (and legends) such as Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, who are also in the Hall of Fame.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Smith had dreams of being a race car driver and raced as a teenager. He quit racing due to pressure from his mother only to become an administrative force in the racing world, starting as president of the National Stock Car Racing Association in 1949.

In 1959, he built the Charlotte Motor Speedway for $1.5 million. He’s dabbled in bankruptcy, has caused some controversy, owns over 100 car dealerships and a baseball team.

“When I found out that I was nominated, I realized how much this meant to my family and the 15,000 employees that work for my companies. Now I realize how much it means to me. It will truly be an honor to be remembered at the Hall of Fame along with people like Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Glen Wood, Junior Johnson, Darrell Waltrip and so many others who helped build this sport. That’s what I’ve tried to do my entire life,” says Cook.

Speedway Motorsports became owner of Sonoma Raceway in 1996, which led to major renovations and the creation of the Chute, a high-speed stretch that is a hit with drivers. He brought the first ever American Le Mans race to Sonoma Raceway in 1999.

Smith’s charitable work has directly impacted non-profits in Sonoma Valley. In 1984, he founded Speedway Children’s Charities. The organizations Sonoma branch has raised and donated millions of dollars to local non-profits annually.

Steve Page, President & General Manager of Sonoma Raceway credits Smith with making NASCAR a mainstream sport in the US, “In order to move into the major leagues of professional sports, NASCAR needed to offer its fans a major league event experience, and no one has done more to elevate the quality of that experience than Bruton Smith.”

“He has never been afraid to invest, innovate or improve, and all of us in the sport have benefited from that commitment. Bruton Smith absolutely deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” says Page.

-Sarah Stierch (Food editor and race geek)