It’s the end of an era. After more than 30 years working with Speedway Motorsports, and being the only track president in Texas Motor Speedway’s 25-year history, Eddie Gossage will step down from his position following the Jun 13th NASCAR All-Star Race.
Texas Motor Speedway made the news official with a press release on Thursday.
“The timing just feels right after 32 years with the company,” Gossage stated. “The Smith family and Speedway Motorsports changed my life and I will forever be appreciative and grateful.
“Before my wife Melinda and I chart our next adventure, I’m thankful that I get to come full circle as a promoter with the NASCAR All-Star Race.”
Gossage’s tenure at Speedway Motorsports started in 1989 as he became the Vice President of Public Relations at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was there that Gossage learned from one of the greatest promoters in NASCAR history in Humpy Wheeler and he became the right-hand man for the owner of Speedway Motorsports Bruton Smith.
When Smith decided to build a race track in Fort Worth, Texas, there was only one man he felt that was necessary for the new track’s staff — Gossage.
“When I built Texas Motor Speedway, I had plenty of architects, accountants and attorneys, but what I really needed was promotion,” said Smith. “That’s where Eddie came in. They say ‘everything’s bigger in Texas’, and I needed a big personality in Dallas/Fort Worth. Eddie’s become a shrewd businessman over the years, but he’s remained a publicist at heart, and he never forgot what the entertainment business is about—having FUN.
“I am grateful for all that Eddie has done for our company. He’s been a promoter, friend and an asset to the entire motorsports industry.”
Under the leadership of Gossage, Texas Motor Speedway has been the host to some iconic moments in NASCAR history. The 1.5-mile speedway served as the first-career NASCAR Cup win for Jeff Burton (1997) as well as the first NASCAR Xfinity Series win (1998) and NASCAR Cup Series win (2000) for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The speedway has seen carnage, as evidenced by massive multi-car pileups in the first couple of NASCAR Cup Series race at the facility in 1997 and 1998, and it’s seen it’s fair share of fights.
Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton duked it out after a crash on the backstretch in the fall of 2010. And Gordon once again got into a scuffle with Brad Keselowski after the 2014 AAA Texas 500.
Each wild moment left Gossage licking his chops as he served up the next big billboard in the Dallas Fort Worth area, or the next big sound byte to encourage folks to join him at TMS for the next NASCAR race weekend. Now, as we head to the 2021 All-Star Race, there will be no more next TMS NASCAR race weekend for Gossage, as he is set to ride off into the sunset.
