CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WLOS) — Charlotte Motor Speedway announced on Aug. 21 that its former longtime president and general manager, H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler has died.
The speedway said in its release that Wheeler died on Aug. 20 at the age of 86.
“Wheeler died peacefully of natural causes…surrounded by loving family,” the release said.
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Wheeler was Charlotte Motor Speedway’s president from 1976-2008. He was selected to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2026.
Charlotte Motor Speedway released a statement on Aug. 21 about Wheeler.
“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.
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“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,” the speedway said.
The speedway said Wheeler 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,'” the speedway’s statement said. “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 was a native of Belmont. According to his obituary from Speedway Motorsports, Wheeler was hired by businessman and fellow racing promoter Bruton Smith in the fall of 1975. Smith, who owned Charlotte Motor Speedway and its parent company, Speedway Motorsports, named Wheeler track president the following year, beginning a career that spanned more than three decades.
The speedway said information regarding funeral arrangements will be released at a later date. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Wheeler’s name to Belmont Abbey College’s Motorsports Management Program.
