Marcus Smith (businessman)

Marcus Smith
Smith at the Arlington National Cemetery in 2023
Born	Marcus Graham Smith (1973-04-11) April 11, 1973 (age 51) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Education	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (dropped out)
Occupation	Businessman
Years active	1996–present
Organization	Speedway Motorsports
Spouse	Cassandra Anne Mitchell ​ ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	2

Marcus Graham Smith (born April 11, 1973) is an American businessman. He is best known as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Speedway Motorsports, LLC, an organization that owns or operates 11 racetracks across the United States. Smith, being the heir of his father, Bruton Smith, had previously worked for Speedway Motorsports at various positions within the organization from interning in the Operations department to being officially promoted to becoming CEO in 2015.

Smith was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. He became a director of Speedway Motorsports in 2004 and was appointed CEO in 2015. Smith continues to serve as company President, a position he has held since May 2008. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) from May 2008 to February 2015. Prior to that appointment, Smith served as Executive Vice President of National Sales and Marketing for Speedway Motorsports since 2004. He was also appointed President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2008. Smith joined the company in 1996 as a sales associate at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was named Manager of New Business Development in 1999. In September 2015, Smith was named Chief Executive Officer of Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.^[1]

Under his leadership at Speedway Motorsports, Smith oversaw numerous changes within the company. In 2019, he took SMI off of the New York Stock Exchange, turning the company into a private company. Throughout 2021 and 2022, in part with monetary assistance from COVID-19 relief grants from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, he oversaw efforts to revitalize the North Wilkesboro Speedway, which had been left desolate since the late 1990s when his father bought partial control of the track along with Bob Bahre. He has also directed numerous changes in an attempt to reverse declining attendance at some racetracks, including holding the NASCAR Cup Series' first ever dirt race since 1970 at the Bristol Motor Speedway, ordering the reconfiguration of the Atlanta Motor Speedway to produce pack racing, and by holding a "ROVAL" race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In contrast to his father, Speed Sport writer Keith Waltz considers Marcus to be "not as boisterous or flamboyant". Marcus has drawn praise for a focus on fan experience and interaction and for revitalizing the North Wilkesboro Speedway, one of NASCAR's founding tracks. However, his tenure has seen continued decline at SMI racetracks despite numerous changes formulated to increase attendance, along with criticism from drivers and media outlets for repaves of certain tracks.