My Ride With Humpy Wheeler
I’m not sure where to start to be honest. This one hurts.
Who was Howard Augustine Wheeler Jr.? To most, “Humpy” was an American motorsports executive and businessman, best known as the former president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway.
But to me, Humpy was family.
You see, the Wheeler and Hand families lived “down the street” in Belmont, NC, at the intersection of Circle Drive and Woodrow Ave. Our families grew up together, and the Hand kids and Wheeler kids pretty much lived at each other’s houses.
As most know, Humpy had a BIG personality and was a wonderful storyteller. He could captivate any audience, large or small. For years, Humpy would entertain his family and ours with stories of growing up in Belmont with my uncles—John, Bill, and Tommy. I promise you, the way Humpy told it, those adventures could have been a Netflix series. The stories had everything—kids swimming, fishing, working on cars, racing, boxing, fighting, and even the mysterious draining of the large fish tank.
In the mid-90s, I left Belmont for the military. During that time, Humpy skyrocketed Charlotte Motor Speedway to new heights and forever changed NASCAR.
Even as his world grew larger, he always made time. We kept in touch, and I cherished every conversation—hearing stories, listening to his advice, and most importantly, feeling his friendship. As the years went on, I realized more and more how rare that bond was. I was grateful my kids had the chance to know him too—not only as “Tex” from the movie Cars or the man with the Hudson Hornet in his driveway, but as the remarkable person we knew as Humpy.
Humpy and I shared a love of fishing (and fresh NC seafood), and one of my most treasured days was a fishing trip out of Morehead City. Truth be told, we didn’t need the fish that day—because from the moment we left the dock, I was hooked on his stories. Stories of NASCAR, cycling, boxing, my family, his family, and his life. He had a gift: his words reeled you in and kept you there, just as much in the quiet of a boat as under the bright lights of the speedway.
That was Humpy. A man who lived wide open, who made people feel like they mattered, and who could turn the ordinary into something unforgettable.
I’ll miss his laugh, his simple text messages, his wisdom, and his stories most of all. But I’ll carry with me the gift of his friendship, the lessons he shared, and the reminder that life is best lived full throttle.
Thank you, Humpy—for the rides, the stories, and the memories. I’ll see you again down the road.
