Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark will retire following next year’s Cup Series race at the track, Speedway Motorsports Inc. announced Monday.
Clark, 64, is the second-longest tenured employee at SMI, trailing only Bruton Smith, the company founder. Clark joined Speedway Motorsports in 1981 as a member of the public relations department at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He rose through the ranks before being named president of Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1995.
“Growing up on a tobacco farm in Virginia, I never dreamed as a boy that I’d have the opportunity to work in this sport for 44 seasons,” Clark said in a press release. “I have been privileged to work with and for many amazing people and I will be forever grateful for how they allowed me to follow and live my dream. It’s been a true blessing and a wonderful journey.”
“We are beyond grateful for Ed’s service to our company and to the entire NASCAR community,” said SMI CEO and President Marcus Smith in a press release. “We’re also blessed that Ed will continue to lead Atlanta Motor Speedway through the March 15 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, so that the fans, drivers and sponsors can join us to say ‘thank you’ to a man whose countless contributions and dedication to our sport will be remembered for years to come.”
“Growing up on a tobacco farm in Virginia, I never dreamed as a boy that I’d have the opportunity to work in this sport for 44 seasons."
— Atlanta Motor Speedway (@ATLMotorSpdwy) December 2, 2019
Our track President, @EdClarkAMS, is set to retire following the 2020 #FOHQT500
➡️ https://t.co/TUfj9N7pMl pic.twitter.com/66ITC42nHz