Humpy Wheeler, The Showman Who Made NASCAR Weekends Unforgettable, Dies At 86

CONCORD, NC – OCTOBER 11: Humpy Wheeler, the President and General Manager of NASCAR’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 11, 2007 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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If there’s a list of people who shaped NASCAR without ever strapping into a stock car, there’s no debate about who’d be near the top: Howard Augustine Wheeler Jr.

That name may not spark instant recognition. But say “Humpy Wheeler,” and fans know exactly who you mean. He was the man who turned race weekends into spectacles, the P.T. Barnum of motorsports—though frankly, if the real Barnum and Wheeler had been contemporaries, Barnum might have been the one taking notes.

If you ever sat in the stands and watched a fire-breathing robot crush cars before a green flag, or a pack of lumbering school buses hurtling into each other like demolition-derby whales, you saw Wheeler’s fingerprints all over it. He understood before anyone else that fans didn’t just want a race—they wanted a show. And for more than three decades as president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Wheeler made sure they got one.

This week, Wheeler died at the age of 86. He now belongs to the ages, but his imprint remains as vivid as the explosions and cannon fire that once rattled Charlotte’s infield during his outrageous pre-race theatrics.

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Earlier this year, when NASCAR announced its 2026 Hall of Fame class, Wheeler was honored with the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. He won’t be there in January when the class is formally inducted, but his legacy will be: the unforgettable shows, the packed grandstands, and the countless fans who came for the spectacle and stayed for the sport.

From Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Wheeler reigned as track president for 33 years:

“For more than 30 years, Humpy was a promoter’s promoter at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Alongside our founder Bruton Smith, 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’s engaging smile and flair for promotion were legendary, and his impact on every stakeholder in motorsports will be long-lasting. Often described as the ‘P.T. Barnum of motorsports,’ 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.’

While the motorsports world has lost an icon, the legacy H.A. ‘Humpy’ Wheeler created by building and promoting remarkable events at Charlotte Motor Speedway will continue for generations to come.”

And from NASCAR itself:

“Humpy Wheeler was a visionary whose name became synonymous with promotion and innovation in our sport. 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.” – Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO

NASCAR has lost one of its great ringmasters, but the circus he built goes on, and in that sense Howard Augustine Wheeler Jr. will be with us forever.