CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The NASCAR Hall of Fame was built in Charlotte, and while Bruton Smith didn't have a hand in that process, it's quite likely that without Smith, there would be no NASCAR Hall of Fame here. So it's appropriate Smith will be among the five-member 2016 induction class.
Smith helped build Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1959 and was forced out as an owner after the track went through bankruptcy a few years later. He concentrated on his automobile dealership business and eventually was able to buy back controlling interest in the track by 1975.
Since then, Charlotte Motor Speedway has been Bruton's world. And his auto racing empire expanded. To another historic NASCAR track just south of Atlanta. To a short track nestled in the mountains in Bristol, Tennessee. To a road course nestled in the Napa Valley. To the city of sin and showgirls of Las Vegas. To the place where everything is bigger, Fort Worth, Texas. To New Hampshire and Kentucky.
He targeted mostly big cities, markets where he could expand the sport. Bristol is the primary exception, but Smith had a vision for that track, too, and the cool factor that it oozes.
Smith poured money into all those tracks. But maybe his biggest contribution to the sport is that he was the biggest name -- and one of the biggest wallets -- of those not named France in the industry. As his Speedway Motorsports Inc. and the France family's International Speedway Corp. battled to buy and build tracks, he was the perfect person to challenge the way they did business.
"The things he did, he was such an innovator -- he would think of something and go do it," said Hall of Fame voter Eddie Wood, co-owner of the Wood Brothers Racing team that has competed in NASCAR since its inception. "He and both [Bill] France Sr. and Jr., they kind of complemented each other without really aiming to.
"One group made the other group work a little harder and try the next thing and be brave about this or that. And the winner in the whole thing was the fans and us and anyone who has to do with racing."
Ironically, one of the other inductees in the 2016 class is Curtis Turner, another rebel of sorts. Turner, once banned by NASCAR for trying to unionize the drivers, had also talked about building a speedway in the Charlotte area before partnering with Smith in the building of CMS.
Turner eventually was shuffled out early in the bankruptcy proceedings and died in a plane crash in 1970, while Smith was able to stick around a little longer.
"It's very cool that Bruton and Curtis went in in the same class," Wood said. "They were together to start Charlotte Motor Speedway. Whatever happened, happened.
"I've always said since this Hall of Fame started, it fixes things. It fixes relationships between families and drivers versus drivers. Once your name or your picture is up there, you don't care."
Turner's sister, Margaret Sue Turner Wright, was at the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the announcement, ready to have a party if Turner was selected. And as far as Turner going in with Smith? "I think that was very wise," she said. "It makes sense."
Also voted in Wednesday were drivers Jerry Cook, Bobby Isaac and Terry Labonte.
Smith was not at the Hall of Fame as the 88-year-old has scaled back his appearances in recent months. The often outspoken Smith has gone back-and-forth over his potential induction, including in 2013 telling NASCAR Illustrated magazine that "it just doesn't mean anything to me."
He quickly realized, though, how important his induction would be to those around him.
"When I found out that I was nominated, I realized how much this meant to my family and the 15,000 employees that work for my companies," Smith said in a statement Wednesday. "Now I realize how much it means to me."
Smith is probably still a little bitter that it took this long for him to get into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. His brashness, not to mention some of the political games he has played with communities that have his race tracks as well as the occasional insensitive comment, certainly didn't help his perception and probably made people think twice about voting for him.
He has made plenty of money off of race fans, but he fought for them and helped make the sport famous. And for that, he is headed into a Hall of Fame where he certainly belongs.