Who is Marcus Smith? All you need to know about NASCAR's Speedway Motorsport's track owner

Marcus Smith is the CEO, president, and director of Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns and operates 11 racing facilities across the United States. These first-class tracks host races sanctioned by NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, and other racing series.

Born in 1973, Smith is the second-generation owner of SMI, a company founded by his father Bruton Smith, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee. Smith directs his company from its headquarters in Charlotte Motor Speedway, a track built by his father in Concord, North Carolina.

Before joining SMI, Smith attended the University of North Carolina but didn't graduate with a degree. He found his calling at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he interned during the summers, helping the staff in maintaining the speedway. Despite being the son of the Speedway owner, Smith Jr. worked his way up to the position he now holds.

Marcus Smith took on the role of sales associate at SMI in 1996 before becoming the manager of business development in 1999. He assumed his current position as president, chief operating officer, and director of SMI, in 2008, replacing H.A. 'Humpy' Wheeler.

Marcus Smith in the NASCAR race at COTA.

Smith is an important figurehead in NASCAR as his company owns and promotes tracks, which host 13 of the 36 Cup Series races, along with the All-Star Race. The 50-year-old holds considerable power in the sport, second only to the France family, which owns NASCAR. Recently he played a pivotal role in the revival of the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Marcus Smith and his father have made major contributions to NASCAR, helping the sport grow out of its stronghold in South Eastern states. While modernizing the sport, Smith Jr. has also helped revive old-school tracks and keep the history of the sport alive.

One of Marcus Smith's contributions includes the renovation of the infield road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was Smith who negotiated the deal to bring NASCAR to the Circuit of the Americas. He also brought dirt racing to NASCAR and revived the North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The 50-year-old works to make the sport more engaging for its fans.

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Facilities owned by Marcus Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Speedway Motorsports LLC and its subsidiaries own 11 racing facilities across the United States. These tracks host 13 of the 36 NASCAR Cup Series races, which include four races in the NASCAR playoffs. They also host the All-Star race.

Here is the list of the tracks owned by SMI:

• Atlanta Motor Speedway
• Bristol Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Las Vegas Motor Speedway
• New Hampshire Motor Speedway
• Sonoma Raceway
• Texas Motor Speedway
• Dover Motor Speedway
• Nashville Superspeedway
• Kentucky Speedway
• North Wilkesboro Speedway

Speedway Motorsports' crown jewel is the Charlotte Motor Speedway, built by its founding father in 1959. SMI bought other tracks in the 1990s as it rapidly expanded across the US. It purchased the North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2007, bringing the historic track back to the NASCAR schedule in 2023.