Ollen Bruton Smith, founder and executive chairman of Sonic Automotive, Speedway Motorsports and Speedway Children’s Charities and NASCAR Hall of Famer, passed away due to natural causes at age 95.
Smith was born March 2, 1927, as the youngest of nine siblings in Oakboro, North Carolina, according to a press release.
"Bruton was a true visionary and pioneer in the NASCAR universe and helped move the sport forward in a positive direction," Doug Rice, president of the Performance Racing Network, said in a statement. "He understood the vital role radio plays in bringing NASCAR to fans al around the world and we will be forever grateful for the opportunities he's afforded us to do so. Our PRN family and the NASCAR community will miss him greatly."
Smith founded Speedway Motorsports in December 1994 and February 1995 by consolidating his motorsport holdings, making it the first New York Stock Exchange-traded motorsports company, and currently owns and operates 11 motorsports facilities throughout the U.S.
Other subsidiaries of Speedway Motorsports include Performance Racing Network, SMI Properties, U.S. Legend Cars International and zMAX Micro Lubricants.
Smith's next venture after Speedway Motorsports was founding Sonic Automotive in 1997. Sonic Automotive grew rapidly fast within a few years to become one of the nation's largest companies and was dubbed a Fortune 500 company in 2000. Now a Fortune 300 company, Sonic Automotive owns and operates more than 160 retail dealerships in over 23 states with 25 brands.
Smith did not stop there. In 2014, he created EchoPark Automotive as a subsidiary of Sonic Automotive to offer "high-quality pre-owned vehicles, while delivering a world-class guest experience."
Before becoming an automotive sales mogul, Smith served in the Army during the Korean War as a paratrooper for two years. Upon his discharge from the Army, Smith returned to selling cars, as he's done before being drafted, and promoting the flourishing National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) despite a "rough era for the sport" as one of the first professional "promoters to pay good purses, tend to the needs of the fans and find unique ways to promote events at speedways he leased around North Carolina," the press release said.
The first NASCAR permanent speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, was built by Smith and driver Curtis Turner in 1959. The 600-mile race opening the track took place in June 1960, and is the longest race ever in NASCAR history.
Smith then opened his first dealership, Frontier Ford in Rockford, Illinois, in 1966 and soon married. Despite starting a family, Smith continued his innovative journey by adding condominiums to racing facilities, fine-dining Speedway Clubs, and giant high-definition video screens. He once said in 2015 that he loves the racing business.
"I enjoy the contributions I’ve been able to make to the sport,” Smith said.
Outside of racing itself, Smith also founded Speedway Children's Charities as a memorial to his late young son in 1982 to serve communities surrounding the motor speedways tracks. The charity works to identify and resolve issues ranging from learning disabilities and broken homes to childhood cancer. The organization has distributed more than $61 million toward the improvement of the quality of life for children nationally.
Smith became a member of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 2006, was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007 and finally inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016.
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