NASCAR’s H.A. ‘Humpy’ Wheeler Dead At 86

H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, the president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway — known for his “often over-the-top” pre-race shows — died at the age of 86 Wednesday.

Wheeler died of natural causes surrounded by his family, Charlotte Motor Speedway said in a statement. Wheeler was hired by Bruton Smith, the founder of Speedway Motorsports, in 1975 where he went on to oversee NASCAR’s premier venues operations until he retired in 2008.

His nickname, “the P.T. Barnum of motorsports,” stemmed from his “elaborate and flashy pre-race stunts,” according to the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway was blessed to have a leader in Humpy Wheeler who can only be described as ONE of a kind,” the venue said in a statement published Thursday.

“Humpy Wheeler was a visionary whose name became synonymous with promotion and innovation in our sport,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement. “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,” France continued. (RELATED: NASCAR And Indy 500 Icon Paul Goldsmith Dies At 98)

Wheeler attended his first auto race at the three-quarter mile dirt track of Charlotte Speedway near Charlotte Douglas International Airport when he was young. As an 11-year-old, he went on to promote bicycle races in his hometown, NASCAR said.

Before getting involved in auto racing as a career, he played football at the University of South Carolina. He suffered a career-ending injury his junior year — a broken back during a preseason scrimmage. He also considered a professional boxing career with his 40-2 record, but ultimately turned to auto racing, promoting Robinwood Speedway and Fairgrounds Speedway in Gastonia, North Carolina, in the 1960s.

Wheeler’s pre-show entertainment is said to be one of the reasons for the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s success. He told the Raleigh, North Carolina, News and Observer in a 1997 interview that entertainment before a race was a necessity not only for fans but also competitors.

“I thought big events should have a lot of fanfare with them. I’ve never been to a big event, whether it’s a world heavyweight championship fight or an Indy 500 where there wasn’t a lot of tension before it, even among the competitors,” he said, according to NASCAR. “You’ve got to have that. And part of this whole thing was to create an atmosphere that would entertain the fans but also get the competitors fired up.”

Wheeler was awarded the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR and was set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2026, according to NASCAR.