Taking the reins for a sprawling motorsports empire from a legendary figure like Bruton Smith is no small feat. Yet Marcus Smith, as President and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, has decisively forged his path through innovation and a willingness to take bold risks. A prime example of his innovative approach was the highly successful “Roval” at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a hybrid road course introduced to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in 2018, which generated considerable buzz. But his impactful leadership stands on the colossal foundation built by his father, Ollen Bruton Smith, a true titan of the motorsports and automotive industries.
Born in March 1927, his upbringing was defined by the hard realities of the Great Depression, which required an early understanding of self-reliance and grit. By age 8, he was watching local auto races, and at just 17, he purchased his first racecar for $700. After serving in Korea as a paratrooper, he built the Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1959 alongside NASCAR driver Curtis Turner. But his legacy was carried forward by his children, especially Marcus Smith, who was destined for a life intertwined with the roaring engines and cheering crowds. And now, Smith reveals the same childhood story that was steeped in responsibility and hands-on labor.
Why Marcus Smith’s rise was fueled by chores, not privilege
In a recent episode of Kevin Harvick’s ‘Happy Hour’ podcast, Marcus Smith reflected on his formative years, what many would’ve perceived as a silver spoon upbringing for a son of a billionaire. “Before I could drive, my brother Scott and I mowed the grass at home,” replied Marcus, when asked about his duties during his teenage years. “My brother David is only a year and a half younger. Dave knows this, so I’m not telling anything. But for some reason, Dad got a yard service when David was old enough to run the tractor. And I was like, ‘man, how did that happen?’”
Although a sprawling business modeled after hard work and accountability, the principles inherited from the elder Smith were learned from a very early age. As a volunteer at the Charlotte Motor Speedway during summer breaks, he joined in on the unglamorous side of the business. “We had to clean the garage, watch after the dogs,” Marcus reminisced. The story then continued on the sales lot at Town and Country Ford, Bruton’s dealership anchored in Charlotte. Marcus, along with his brother, learned the art of proper lot presentation. “Dad would take us to the car dealership. He worked at a Ford store that we still have today. And we learned how to clean the cars, and drive stick shift, and sort them out on the lot.”
These projects weren’t merely chores; they were early internships in operations. By his admission, the experience grounded him in the reality that a seat at the top must be earned through humility and elbow grease. Once legally able to drive, Marcus earned yet another privilege: commuting to work at the Speedway itself. “And that was kind of the big deal, to be able to go work at the speedway,” said Marcus. “I loved using the equipment. And I don’t know why, but I loved mowing the grass and cleaning the place up. And there were some jobs that I didn’t love. I was allergic to straw, to hay. And so moving hay bales around was always my least favorite activity.”
Marcus often accompanied his father, internalizing the philosophy that work should be fun, not burdensome. In contrast, Bruton Smith’s formative years, promoting his first race at age 17, working in a hosiery mill, and doing ranch chores, set the family stage for valuing hustle over comfort. Despite the laborious setting, the Smith boys, particularly Marcus, Scott, and David, still found ways to step out of bounds. “We did. More mischievous around the neighborhood than the Speedway,” Marcus replied when asked by Harvick about their mischievousness on racetracks.
“I think the Speedway, I don’t know, we were afraid to get in trouble,” Marcus continued. “There were a lot of people watching. So, you couldn’t get in trouble when the job was to go and take weed eaters and cut all the grass on the hill. Eventually, you would just get worn out. We were there in the summer and had a lot of work to do around the property, and that was part of it. Around the neighborhood, we would occasionally get in trouble with motorcycles and mopeds.” These glimpses of adolescent rebellion served as contrast: at the track, reputation and oversight meant discipline; at home, energy and curiosity sought release.
As later revealed, stepping into the corporate realm was a natural extension. Marcus joined SMI as a sales associate in 1996, rising through the ranks to CEO in 2015. But all of this was shaped by youthful ingenuity and practical lessons learnt from his father in respect and restraint.
Marcus Smith opens up about the racetrack that got away.
Marcus Smith has been a key force behind NASCAR’s modern revivals, from North Wilkesboro to the Nashville Fairgrounds. But in Kevin Harvick’s podcast, Marcus shed light on one dream that never made it to the starting grid: his father’s ambition to build a new racetrack in Myrtle Beach. “It wasn’t my idea, but it was my dad’s idea… he had a couple of things that he was working on to possibly put a racetrack at in Myrtle Beach,” Marcus said, emphasizing how tourism-friendly markets like Las Vegas or Sonoma made the coastal town a compelling idea.
Myrtle Beach Speedway, originally Rambi Raceway, had deep NASCAR roots. It hosted Cup Series events in the 50s and 60s and was later home to the Busch Series through 2000. Racing legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, and Jimmy Spencer made key career stops there. Despite revival efforts in the 2010s, including new ownership and events like the Icebreaker, the track ultimately closed in 2020, and demolition was completed by 2023, erasing a track rich in legacy.
Today, Marcus Smith is still driven by the spirit of his father’s unfinished projects. As the NASCAR world turns its attention to new opportunities, the question looms: could Myrtle Beach ever return from the ashes, or is it destined to be the one that got away in the Smith family’s empire of speedways?
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