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It only seems appropriate, according to Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith, that “The Great American Speedway!” is guided by “America’s Greatest Racing Promoter.”
Smith anointed Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage with that flattering title and considering the speedway mogul’s half century in motorsports it resonates as the ultimate compliment.
Gossage, who always has considered Smith his mentor, has benefitted from that relationship to develop into the most innovative and successful speedway executive in motorsports today. He pioneered the construction and debut of Texas Motor Speedway in the 1990s and steadily built the venue into one of the premier speedways in the world.
Texas Motor Speedway annually hosts the largest single-day sporting events in the Lone Star State with two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, in addition to two NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series races and an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series event.
Under Gossage’s leadership through the years, Texas Motor Speedway has:
* Hosted the largest single-day crowd in Texas sports history
* Created the first Preferred Seat License and season ticket plans in motorsports
* Created a free special season ticket-holder event known as “Fandango”
* Promoted some of the country’s largest music festivals
* Staged the first-ever nighttime Indy-car race
* Annually attracted among the largest crowds of the season for all the major series that compete at the speedway
Gossage, a native of Nashville, Tenn., has been involved in motorsports since 1980 and his diverse experience in all major forms of auto racing has molded him into one of the most influential executives in professional sports.
He began his motorsports career as the public relations director of Nashville International Raceway in 1980. After one season, he was transferred by National Raceways, Inc. (owners of the Nashville venue) to serve as manager of the company’s other speedway, Bristol International Raceway (now Bristol Motor Speedway).
In 1983, the Miller Brewing Company hired Gossage to manage the Milwaukee-based company’s expansive motorsports public relations program. He became a fixture in American motorsports in NASCAR, Indy car, drag racing, sports car racing and unlimited hydroplane racing.
Gossage returned to his speedway roots in 1989 when he was named vice president of public relations for Charlotte Motor Speedway (now Lowe’s Motor Speedway). During his tenure, the speedway staged the first-ever nighttime superspeedway race, increased its seating capacity by more than 20 percent and Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) went public on the New York Stock Exchange.
Gossage was handpicked by Smith in 1995 to be the guiding force for his new state-of-the-art facility in Fort Worth, Texas that would debut in 1997. Today, Texas Motor Speedway is considered one of the premier motorsports venues in the world and continues to be one of the most innovative and creative under Gossage’s guidance.
Gossage also has been influential in the career starts for many of the top executives and talent in the sport today. As manager of Bristol Motor Speedway in the early 1980s, Gossage helped a local radio advertising salesman land his first job in motorsports when he assisted Mike Helton in becoming the public relations director at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Today, Helton is the president of NASCAR. Others who have worked for Gossage through the years include New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President/General Manager Jerry Gappens; Talladega Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey; Las Vegas Motor Speedway Vice President of Operations David Stetzer; Miller Lite team publicist Tom Roberts; and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series television talent Bill Weber, among others.
Gossage remains heavily involved in Speedway Children’s Charities – serving on the board of directors – as well as within the community with positions on the boards for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Gossage, a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, resides with his wife, Melinda, on Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth, Texas.
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