(WGHP) — Former Charlotte Motor Speedway executive and legendary motorsports promoter Humpy Wheeler has died at the age of 86, NASCAR announced.

The “innovative track promoter,” as NASCAR described him, helped propel the sport onto the national stage in the ’70s during his tenure as the general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Wheeler held that role for 33 years from 1975-2008 after being hired by Bruton Smith.

“In his more than 30 years on the job, he has never failed to entertain us, and he has always put the fans first,” team owner Rick Hendrick said upon hearing of Wheeler’s departure from Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008. “Humpy’s contributions will go down as some of the most significant in our sport’s history.”

NASCAR credits Wheeler for bringing the All-Star Race, previously known as the Winston, to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Wheeler also provided the voice of the character Tex in the “Cars” film franchise.

Charlotte Motor Speedway released the following statement:

Charlotte Motor Speedway was blessed to have a leader in Humpy Wheeler who can only be described as ONE of a kind. 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’s engaging smile and flair for promotion were legendary, and his impact on every stakeholder in motorsports will be long-lasting. Often described as the “P.T. Barnum of motorsports,” Humpy not only made his mark with publicity, but also with a laser-focus toward the fans. 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.” While the motorsports world has lost an icon, the legacy H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler created by building and promoting remarkable events at Charlotte Motor Speedway will continue for generations to come.

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.

Wheeler’s family asks that donations be made in Wheeler’s name to the Belmont Abbey College Motorsports Management Program. Wheeler helped launch the program 20 years ago.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

REDDING, Calif. – Liability concerns have led the city of Redding to end its agreement with the Shasta Supermoto Club and Shasta Kart Klub at the Redding Motorsports Park, leaving the clubs feeling sidelined.

“It just feels like we’re being punished for something, and we didn’t do anything wrong,” said Rhonda Monroe, president of Shasta SuperMoto.

The Redding Motorsports Park, located on city-owned property at the Redding Airport, has been a popular spot for motor enthusiasts in Shasta County.

The city terminated its agreement with the Shasta SuperMoto Club in March, ending their nearly 12-year tenure at the Redding drag strip. Members say they are losing more than just a place to ride.

“It’s felt like a big family all together. And I made friends riding all along with them,” said Annabelle Ware, a supermoto racer.

“Normally I would be practicing there once or twice a week, which is the main reason why I progressed as fast as I did. Now the closest track is three and a half hours away,” said Owen Ware, another supermoto racer.

Shiree Cano, AMA SuperMoto Commissioner, expressed frustration with the situation.

“The frustrating part is that we still operate, we still have to pay our bills, but we’re not able to have our races,” said Cano.

The Shasta Kart Klub, which built the race track in 1988, also lost its agreement with the city. Both groups are currently barred from using the grounds. However, Redding Motor Sports continues to use the property despite facing similar insurance challenges.

Steve Bade, Redding assistant city manager, said they are working to resolve the issue.

“By all means we’re trying to keep all four entities active and at that property, but it is taking some time,” said Bade.

Andrew Solsvig, city of Redding airports manager, echoed this sentiment.

“It’s getting more complicated, and things are being delayed. We were hoping to have this wrapped up months ago, but we’re trying to move as quickly as possible,” said Solsvig.

Attempts to reach Redding Motorsports for comment were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the Shasta Supermoto Club, which has nearly 150 members, plans to continue fighting to return to the pavement.

The big topic of debate in NASCAR is once again the championship format. Kevin Harvick wants to find a “middle ground.” Season-long points format? Playoffs? A Chase format of some kind? And how do you keep it simple enough that fans will be interested?

If there is one negative to the current NASCAR championship format, it is the complexity of it. You really have to sit there and think about the rules and how the points transfer over, and what’s the difference between points and playoff points, how do eliminations work, and why is each round three races except the final one?

There is a lot in the NASCAR Playoffs that can be simplified. Kevin Harvick believes there is a compromise that can be reached.

“I think there is a middle ground. I think points should matter more than they do currently,” Harvick said on his Happy Hour podcast. The retired Cup champion has talked about the topic in the past.

“I even like the fact that if we’re going to get into the regular season points championship, and you know, I don’t really mind William Byron winning by that point, because I think that in those first 26 you should be rewarded for having the best season. But I don’t know that getting down to the end of it will be that exciting if William Byron wins by … 370 points or something. I think there’s a balance at the end with multiple tracks crowning our champions over a few races.”

Kevin Harvick wants regular season to matter more

Is there a middle ground that NASCAR can reach? It seems like theoretically there is. However, with TV partners who don’t seem to understand what the fanbase wants and historically stubborn leadership, a change doesn’t feel attainable.

Kevin Harvick would still like to see points matter more. The regular-season championship is supposed to be a prestigious award. However, it was almost an afterthought to the TV broadcast and NASCAR last week. Byron locked it up with a P12 finish at Richmond.

“I think that the regular season, I would like to look at – let’s just say if somebody wins this weekend and we have 15 different winners and you knock a guy out that’s in the top-10 in points like Alex Bowman,” Harvick continued. “Should there be two or three spots in the regular season that are automatically locked in on points so that a guy wins, he puts himself that’s 30th in points, that puts himself in the conversation. If you win twice, you’re automatically in? You know, seeds it by multiple points? But I hate that somebody like Alex Bowman is going to get knocked out by guys that are 25th-plus in points.”

Will the NASCAR Playoffs change in the near future? There is always a chance, but for now, and based on the 2026 schedule, it doesn’t seem like it will come in the very near future.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The debate over the future of the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway seems to round a lap or two, every few years. Here’s the latest turn.

Built it up

Jasper Hendricks, the Chair of the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners tells our news partners at the Nashville Banner that a deal is imminent between Metro leaders and Speedway Motorsports INC, the parent company of Bristol Motor Speedway. The proposal would overhaul and improve the current track and grandstands. Unlike the last proposal, per Hendricks, there would be no financial obligation from the city of Nashville.

Once the renovations are complete, SMI plans to lure NASCAR into bringing NASCAR Cup races back to the fairgrounds for the first time since July 14, 1984. NASCAR Cup races are considered the highest level of races in the sport.

Tear it down

It’s great news for racing fans. But for neighbors that live close by, it’s the last thing they want to hear. “Its pollution, its noise, its traffic,” said Heidi Basgall Favorite, a longtime opponent of track expansion who has lived nearby for more than 20 years. “Why can’t we have a meaningful conversation about utilizing this property that doesn’t involve racing?”

Basgall Favorite acknowledges they moved into their home knowing the speedway was there. She claims there were rumors the track would be closing when she and her husband bought the home. Basgall Favorite is the founder of Nashville Opposes Track Expansion (NOTE) which is among a collation of other citizen groups calling for the track to to be torn down and returned to a green space that includes affordable housing options. Here’s the problem though — according to a provision in Metro’s Charter, racing is required at the fairgrounds. “The charter can change, it’s changed several times,” said Basgall Favorite.

Changing Metro’s Charter requires a countywide referendum. Setting one of those up is no simple task. Organizers would have to get 15% of all registered voters to sign their petition before a commission could determine if it should appear on the ballot. But Basgall Favorite thinks it’s a fight they can win. “We really want this referendum because we believe it will give Nashville the voice to actually ask what they really want,” she said.

We’ve been here before

The last time renovation talks got this serious out at the fairgrounds was back in 2023, under Former Nashville Mayor John Cooper. But a deal couldn’t get done before he and other Metro Council members left office. A major sticking point in the 2023 proposal was the amount of money Metro-Nashville would have to contribute to the plan. According to Hendricks, this new plan will not require public dollars.

If that’s true, that could impact whether or not the proposal would have to go before Metro Council. NewsChannel 5 asked Vice Mayor Angie Henderson. She told us “a deal involving public funds would have to go through Council at some juncture.”

What comes next

A spokesperson for Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell stresses there is no deal finalized at this time, and no announcement has been planned or scheduled. Julie Smith added, “We have known this administration will need to make a decision on the fairgrounds racetrack. We are focused on exploring all available options and the benefits they provide to Nashvillians and will continue to discuss with multiple stakeholders ways to improve the facilities at the Fairgrounds.”

Once details are announced, we may have a better idea of what authorizations will need to be made.

Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.

Nashville music school offering lessons for just 50 cents for families with limited income

Music lessons for just 50 cents! A Nashville music school has been providing that to area students for over 40 years including for the city’s current mayor. As a child, I always wanted to take piano lessons. I was able to for about 6 months but had to stop due to family finances. I would have loved to have had access to a program like this at the W. O. Smith Music School.

– Lelan Statom

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR argued in its latest court filing that Michael Jordan is suing the stock car series to earn a permanent charter that no other teams possess, and that neither 23XI Racing nor Front Row Motorsports has suffered any harm by racing as “open” entries.

NASCAR also indicated in its 34-page response filed late Monday that it has buyers interested in the six charters that have been set aside as a federal judge decides if the two teams can have them back for the remaining 11 races of this season. NASCAR is prepared to immediately begin the process of allocating the charters elsewhere.

These latest arguments are part of the ongoing federal antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI and Front Row against NASCAR in a fight over charters, which are essentially franchise tags. 23XI, owned by basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, were the only two organizations out of 15 not to sign extensions on new charter agreements.

All the teams were fighting to have the charters made permanent during more than two years of extension negotiations, but NASCAR refused and its final offer was a seven-year extension with an additional seven-year option beyond that. 23XI and Front Row won a temporary injunction to be recognized as chartered as the case heads toward a Dec. 1 trial date.

The injunction was eventually overturned and appealed by the teams. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell will hear arguments Aug. 28 on the matter. 23XI and Front Row as “open” teams do not receive the same financial percentages as chartered teams.

NASCAR asked in the filing that 23XI and Front Row return all money they were paid when they were recognized as chartered teams this season. NASCAR said the money would be redistributed to the 30 current chartered teams.

A rulebook change in July after the chartered status was stripped from the two organizations ensured that the six cars aren’t in danger of not qualifying for a race; starting spots are guaranteed to the 36 chartered cars in every 40-car field.

“Mr. Jordan has said he wants to use the litigation to grant him a permanent Charter that no other team has,” NASCAR alleged.

23XI and Front Row have maintained they will continue to race even if they must do so as open teams. NASCAR has argued that when the two organizations did not sign the extensions they lost all rights to charters and the sanctioning body should be free to move them.

NASCAR also argued that a court cannot order the private company into a partnership with teams it is not interested in doing business with.

NASCAR and IndyCar have partnered to share the race weekend at St. Petersburg in 2026, with the Truck Series race being held on Saturday, February 28, while IndyCar will take over the street course on Sunday, March 1. This marks the first collaboration between the two forms of motorsports on a street course.

The race at St. Petersburg is the opening round for IndyCar, also marking the Truck Series’ first event on a street course. Both races are set to be broadcast by FOX Sports. Fans could expect to witness the best of both worlds, starting with the IndyCar qualifying on Saturday, followed by the Truck race. Sunday will feature the IndyCar race.

The NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series will be held on the same race weekend at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. Speaking on the partnership between the two forms of motorsports, co-owner, chairman, and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Kim Green, said in a statement:

“What a great new racing addition to the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to include the NASCAR trucks into Saturday’s show next year. Saturday will be packed for our fans with entertainment. We have INDYCAR qualifying and now an historic first with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race. And, as usual, it all culminates on Sunday with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season-opening event on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg.”

The St. Petersburg collaboration between NASCAR and IndyCar could pave the way for more partnerships of a similar kind in the future. Speaking to Motorsport.com, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer Ben Kennedy said:

“Yeah, potentially. We’re going to collaborate with them on the St. Pete race next year, and the good news is we have such a good relationship with Doug, with Bud, with Roger, the entire team over at IndyCar, and there are a lot of synergies as well, with them having FOX as a broadcast partner, we have FOX for the first part of our season. There are a lot of natural opportunities for us to work closer together, in particular on some of those races in the season.

“Something that we’ll continue to explore with them. I think St. Pete next year will be a good kind of case study for us. We’ve had examples of it, of racing at Indianapolis in the past, and even though we didn’t have as big of a presence there, IndyCar going to Iowa for a number of years, they came and raced at Richmond for a handful of years as well.

“Really important for us to continue to have the relationship. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more opportunities for us to work closer together with them.”