“Larger than Life!” Jeff Gordon Mourns Death of NASCAR Legend Humpy Wheeler

NASCAR veteran Jeff Gordon recalled his fond memories of legendary promoter Late Humpy Wheeler.

“Larger than Life!” Jeff Gordon Mourns Death of NASCAR Legend Humpy Wheeler

Jeff Gordon (via Getty images) and Humpy Wheeler (via Imagn images)

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NASCAR lost a legend this week. Iconic race promoter HA “Humpy” Wheeler passed away at the age of 86 due to natural causes. Wheeler was undoubtedly one of the most important promoters in the sport’s history. Now, NASCAR veteran Jeff Gordon has paid tribute to the man who helped shape the sport’s modern era.

Humpy Wheeler was no ordinary race promoter in NASCAR. He made some major changes to the sport that redefined the series as a whole. Without Wheeler, fans might’ve never seen night races at tracks like Charlotte Motor Speedway or even Daytona.

Jeff Gordon wrote a heartfelt message on X, remembering Wheeler. He recalled that Humpy Wheeler had supported him during his junior days, before he could race in NASCAR. Gordon wasn’t alone, as the Late NASCAR legend had a long history of supporting young drivers.

I was lucky to be one of the countless young drivers Humpy Wheeler supported as I made my way in NASCAR.

Jeff Gordon wrote on X.

Gordon asserted that Humpy Wheeler was a true NASCAR promoter who always cared about what fans would want. The HMS vice chairman insisted that Wheeler was a larger than life figure with an incredible passion for NASCAR. Jeff Gordon mentioned that the sport will always miss him.

He was a true promoter who always put the fans first. Everything with Humpy was larger than life, and his passion for the sport and its people will never be forgotten. He was a friend for many years and will be deeply missed.

Jeff Gordon added.

Charlotte Motor Speedway pays homage to Humpy Wheeler

Humpy Wheeler spent over three decades as race promoter of Charlotte Motor Speedway. During this time, he transformed the superspeedway, not only as an iconic track, but a modern facility. After the news of his death, the track paid tribute to his legacy in a statement. Wheeler managed the speedway’s operations from 1975 to 2008.

Humpy Wheeler (via AP)
Humpy Wheeler (via AP)

The statement mentioned that over the three decades at Charlotte, Humpy Wheeler made the superspeedway one of the most important and innovative tracks in NASCAR, one loved by fans. He even had a 3Ts mantra – ‘tickets, traffic, and toilets,’ to ensure fans would always love to watch the races at the superspeedway. Wheeler would often claim that NASCAR was bringing color to the mundane everyday lives of fans.

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 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.”

Charlotte Motor Speedway said in a statement.

There’s no doubt that Humpy Wheeler will forever be missed in the world of motorsport. He was a man who put fans ahead of profits, something that is happening less nowadays. He was a true people’s promoter. Fans would hope that the current promoters in NASCAR take inspiration from Wheeler’s legacy and improve the experience at every race.

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