O. Bruton Smith,
Motorsports, Inc. executive chairman
“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. I’m a frustrated builder who had a knack for promoting races, and
it’s been fun to always try to push the sport to greater heights for the fans.
From the first World 600, I’ve always wanted the fans to leave with something
spectacular to remember about their experience. Even if they don’t remember who
won the race, I want them to remember the pre-race show and having the time of
their lives. I want fans to know we’re always working to build the best
facilities for them and that’s who I really owe this recognition to. The
millions of fans who’ve attended our race tracks all of these years are the ones
who really deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. They’ve built the sport right
along with us, and I want to sincerely say thank you to them and the voting
committee.”
