I am sitting here in the Time Warner Media Center at Lowe's Motor Speedway along with dozens of other reporters awaiting the announcement that H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler will retire as track president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway.
"No, this is not a publicity stunt. I didn't do this to sell tickets but if it does that is okay," Wheeler said as he was honored with a standing ovation by everyone in the media center."
Wheeler said he looks back on the past 32 years and said it has been fun but certainly it had challenges.
CONCORD, N.C. — After a 1 hour and 15 minute press conference where Lowe's Motor Speedway President and General Manager H.A. 'Humpy' Wheeler announced his impending retirement, there were likely more answered questions than there were answered ones.
Sure, everyone heard about Humpy's past experiences and how he will miss some parts of the sport and not others. Sure, the racing community knew now, if they didn't already, that Humpy Wheeler is a one-of-a-kind track promoter. In fact, he was the first to ever completely light a 1.5-mile superspeedway. He was also the first in NASCAR to attempt to implement softer wall technology following the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001. And, he has probably blown up and had more intense pyrotechnic shows to promote racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway that any five track promoters in the country. Wheeler is also known for his big heart and for helping many racecar drivers over the years, including Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt and a list of others too numerous to go into.
What fans, and the room full of media members, are still unclear of is why Humpy Wheeler decided to retire.
Wheeler entered the media center to a standing ovation by the press and employees of Lowe's Motor Speedway and in typical fashion brought guffaws from the crowd.
"No, this is not a publicity stunt. I didn't do this to sell tickets but if it does that's okay," Wheeler said. "It is just one of those things that it is time to go. It is not anything that I am really looking forward to but there comes a time and place when you have to move one. I have a lot of other things that I want to do. I just signed a deal last week with a major author, no it's not David Poole, to do a very unique book about racing and the meteoric rise of NASCAR. I want to resume The Humpy Show on the Speed Channel and I look forward to charing the Charlotte Regional Partnership. And, to spending time with my family and friends."
Wheeler said that he hasn't had time to spend with his family and race promoting and running the speedway had become a seven-day-a-week job. The 69-year-old Wheeler said, "I think I have a few years left and I am going to have fun for those few years. Looking back over the past 32-years it's been fun but there certainly has been some challenges. There's been dark times and light times and there been a lot of just ordinary times. The big thing has been the involvement with people."
Listening closely to the answers he provided to reporters when questioned about why he was leaving one could assume that this was not all of his doing. Noticeably absent from the announcement was SMI Chairman of the Board Bruton Smith. And while this announcement wasn't about Smith, one might think that he would at least show up.
When asked if this decision to retire was his own or whether it "was encouraged" by someone outside, Wheeler responded, "some of it is on my own terms. I won't say it all is but I will let it rest at that."
Wheeler said he began talking about his retirement with Smith about six months ago, "and one thing led to another."
Wheeler said he has many projects that he wants to complete and running Lowe's Motor Speedway and promoting races has gotten harder and harder.
"There is no way to do a job like this without spending about 25 or 26 weekends working. It can become seven days a week and that takes a toll over time," he said.
Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage told The Examiner, "don't be too cynical."
"I am not (aware of anything)," Gossage said. "I am close to both Humpy and Bruton, so I don't think there is anything to that. I am certain that is not the case because I think he made this decision several months ago. It has been known for some time. But I will tell you that I first met Humpy 28-years ago and he hasn't changed one bit. He is in great physical shape and he looks just like he did 28-years ago. he works out constantly. he is a bicyclist and boxes almost daily. He is just in great shape so I am certain there is no health issue there.
"It could just be that he wants to go write a book and spend time with his wonderful wife Beth and all the things that he said it was."
Gossage said that Wheeler has been a pioneer in NASCAR and has set standards that are still used to this day.
"There are lots of NASCAR fans that don't know Humpy's name but they are NASCAR fans because of Humpy," Gossage said. "I think he has played as big a role in building this sport as the France Family has, which obviously is significant. Humpy, in tandem with Bruton Smith, completely changed what a racing event was all about starting in the mid-1970s. And, it took a while and they really took off and set the standard and that is what all of us play off of today. There's a lot of things that started over there in Charlotte that all of us do as routine. Clearly, that racetrack, under Humpy, has been the pioneer."
Gossage also said that whomever is selected to replace Wheeler, it won't be him because he likes being at Texas Motor Speedway.
"As the news release said the board of directors will meet next week and determine who his successor will be but I have no interest in going back to North Carolina," Gossage said. "I am perfectly happy where I am at."
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