Famed NASCAR promoter Humpy Wheeler dies at 86
Humpy Wheeler, once recognized as the most innovative promoter in NASCAR, has died. He was 86.
Charlotte Motor Speedway announced Wheeler passed away peacefully from natural causes on Wednesday, surrounded by his family.
“Humpy Wheeler was a visionary whose name became synonymous with promotion and innovation in our sport,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said. “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 and recently earned him the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s prestigious Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
“On behalf of NASCAR and the France family, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Wheeler family and all who were touched by his remarkable life and legacy.”
Wheeler (pictured above in 2008), a native of Belmont, N.C., graduated from the University of South Carolina with a journalism degree and is most known for his 33 years spent as the president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was during his tenure with the speedway that Wheeler was also finding ways to stand out with extravagant pre-race shows, such as a reenactment of the invasion of Grenada, Robosaurus, and having a school bus, driven by Jimmy the Flying Greek, jump over cars.
“I loved to blow stuff up,” Wheeler told Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download in 2020. “I think the best one was one no one knew was coming. Bill France Jr. didn’t know it. Bruton [Smith] didn’t know it. Nobody knew it except Harvey Walters and myself and my brother, and that was the first invasion of Grenada.”
One of the biggest competition-related items Wheeler was involved with was bringing Janet Guthrie to Charlotte to compete in the Coca-Cola 600. Guthrie had failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1976, and Wheeler was among those who arranged for her to have a ride in NASCAR.
Charlotte, of course, is the home of NASCAR racing, and Wheeler made sure it shone the brightest. And that’s figuratively and literally. Wheeler is credited with bringing lights to the speedway, which led to the first All-Star Race held under the lights in 1992.
Wheeler served in the role from 1975 through 2008. His list of accomplishments is wide-ranging and extensive, and he was always someone the industry respected or had a story about.
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