{"id":33922,"date":"2021-05-13T10:21:57","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T15:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=33922"},"modified":"2021-05-13T10:25:55","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T15:25:55","slug":"texas-motor-speedways-eddie-gossage-to-step-down-following-june-13-nascar-all-star-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2021\/05\/13\/texas-motor-speedways-eddie-gossage-to-step-down-following-june-13-nascar-all-star-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Motor Speedway\u2019s Eddie Gossage to step down following June 13 NASCAR All-Star race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Courtesy of TMS Media Relations<\/em><\/p>\n

Fort Worth, Texas \u2013 After more than three decades of service to race fans on behalf of Speedway Motorsports, including the last 25 years at Texas Motor Speedway, Eddie Gossage will step down as President of The Great American Speedway following the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe timing just feels right after 32 years with the company,\u201d Gossage stated. \u201cThe Smith family and Speedway Motorsports changed my life and I will forever be appreciative and grateful.<\/p>\n

 \u201cBefore my wife Melinda and I chart our next adventure, I\u2019m thankful that I get to come full circle as a promoter with the NASCAR All-Star Race.\u201d<\/p>\n

After working for Nashville International Raceway, Bristol International Raceway and Miller Brewing Company in motorsports management and public relations capacities, Gossage joined Speedway Motorsports in 1989 as the Vice President of Public Relations at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He honed his skill for promotional flair under the guidance of Speedway Motorsports Executive Chairman Bruton Smith and then Charlotte Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler. During one Gossage produced press conference in 1992 to promote the first NASCAR All-Star Race to run at night, the young promoter rigged a giant light switch to highlight the innovative new lighting system at the superspeedway. When Smith threw the switch, sparks flew, setting the speedway founder and owner\u2019s hair on fire.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage. (Brandon Wade\/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI thought I was headed for the unemployment line for sure,\u201d laughed Gossage. \u201cBut for some reason, Bruton kept me around, and it wasn\u2019t long after that he gave me an opportunity I could have only dreamed of.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith took Gossage under his wing as he began to purchase property in North Texas and design plans for what would become not only the finest motorsports facility in Texas, but also one of the most spectacular entertainment venues in the world. The 1,500-acre complex includes a 1.5-mile superspeedway,194 luxury suites, 76 condominiums, a nine-story Speedway Club, Class A office space and the 11,000-seat, four-tenths-mile Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Smith named Gossage General Manager of Texas Motor Speedway in 1995 and added the title of TMS President in 2004. Now 62, Gossage is one of the longest-tenured employees at Speedway Motorsports.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

TMS President\/GM Eddie Gossage (L) poses with Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Tony Stewart. (Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWhen I built Texas Motor Speedway, I had plenty of architects, accountants and attorneys, but what I really needed was promotion,\u201d said Smith. \u201cThat\u2019s where Eddie came in. They say \u2018everything\u2019s bigger in Texas\u2019, and I needed a big personality in Dallas\/Fort Worth. Eddie\u2019s become a shrewd businessman over the years, but he\u2019s remained a publicist at heart, and he never forgot what the entertainment business is about—having FUN.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am grateful for all that Eddie has done for our company. He\u2019s been a promoter, friend and an asset to the entire motorsports industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my career, I\u2019ve been blessed to meet presidents, world leaders, astronauts, scholars, world-famous athletes, actors and musicians, millionaires and billionaires,\u201d said Gossage. \u201cOf them all, Bruton Smith is the greatest man I\u2019ve ever met. I thank God I met Bruton and that he selected me to head up Texas Motor Speedway. His continued trust in me is an honor I consider part of one of the most cherished relationships two men could enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Todd Gilliland, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Toyota, stands on stage as he receives his high school diploma from TMS President Eddie Gossage prior to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series PPG 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 8, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Under Gossage\u2019s leadership, Texas Motor Speedway has hosted millions of fans at NASCAR, IndyCar and World of Outlaw races, produced car shows and concerts with The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top and Willie Nelson, and in 2015, built the world\u2019s largest LED high-definition television, the 22,704 square-foot ‘Big Hoss’.<\/p>\n

\u201cEddie Gossage has been synonymous with Texas Motor Speedway\u2019s success, and his contributions to our company and the speedway\u2019s impact on the state of Texas during his career are immeasurable,\u201d said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. \u201cBeyond the big events, wild pre-race shows and publicity stunts, Eddie has always been the biggest fan of the fans. No one has more desire to give them a memorable experience. I\u2019ll always be thankful for his dedication to our company and the inspiration he\u2019s given our staff to always put the fans first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Texas Motor Speedway president, Eddie Gossage, stands with Vice chairman of NASCAR, Mike Helton, during the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame luncheon benefitting Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter at Texas Motor Speedway on November 4, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sarah Crabill\/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe NASCAR All-Star Race was one of the first major events I promoted at Charlotte,\u201d Gossage said. \u201cI\u2019ve wanted to bring it to Texas for years. I\u2019m glad Marcus made it happen, and I\u2019m thankful for each and every opportunity he\u2019s continued to give me since becoming CEO. Like with his dad, Speedway Motorsports is in good hands with Marcus.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure what my next adventure will be. I do know Melinda and I are looking forward to some more fun with the grandkids,\u201d Gossage said with his trademark smile. \u201cBut first, we\u2019re going to corral some Texas-size fun one last time with the fans at the NASCAR All-Star Race!\u201d<\/p>\n

Speedway Motorsports will launch a nationwide search for Gossage\u2019s successor.<\/p>\n

Tickets for Texas Motor Speedway\u2019s 2021 major event season, including the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race, are on sale now at texasmotorspeedway.com. For more information, fans can keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway\u2019s events during the 25th Season of Speed by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Courtesy of TMS Media Relations Fort Worth, Texas \u2013 After more than three decades of service to race fans on behalf of Speedway Motorsports, including the last 25 years at Texas Motor Speedway, Eddie Gossage will step down as President of The Great American Speedway following the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race. \u201cThe timing just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":14802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11,13],"tags":[144,16,21],"class_list":["post-33922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","category-texas-motor-speedway","tag-eddie-gossage","tag-nascar","tag-texas-motor-speedway"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/BW018Texas_Motor_Speedway_No_Limits_Luncheon__Media_Day.jpg?fit=5184%2C3456&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-8P8","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33922"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33926,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33922\/revisions\/33926"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}