Eddie Gossage
William Edgar Gossage (born October 15, 1958) is an American public speaker and a former motorsports executive and businessman. He is best known as the former president of the Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) banked racetrack in Fort Worth, Texas. He previously held positions at numerous companies, holding various public relations positions. He is a major auto racing promoter and businessman, particularly in stock car racing and IndyCar racing.
Eddie Gossage | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Edgar Gossage October 15, 1958 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Middle Tennessee State University (B. A.) |
| Occupation(s) | Racing promoter, race track general manager, public speaker |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Organization | Texas Motor Speedway |
| Spouses | Lena Jane Williams
(m. 1979; div. 1997)Melinda Marie Cobb (m. 1999) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Howell Lee Gossage (father) Martha Lucille Gossage (mother) |
| Website | eddiegossage |
Gossage was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1980, he obtained his first major publicity job when he was hired by the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. After a brief stint with the Bristol Motor Speedway, he transferred to be the public relations director for the Miller Brewing Company's racing program for six years. Afterward, he was hired by Charlotte Motor Speedway president and racing promoter H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler in 1989 to become the vice president of public relations at the speedway. In 1995, he was promoted by Speedway Motorsports owner Bruton Smith and placed in charge of building the newly-announced Texas Motor Speedway, becoming the track's general manager. After his retirement from the position in 2021, he focused on a motivational speaking career.
Gossage is regarded as a foremost promoter who hosted some of the largest events in terms of attendance in both auto racing and concerts. Throughout his tenure at the Texas Motor Speedway, he ran various races and concerts that attracted over 200,000 people per event. A protégé of Wheeler, he has also spurred the creation of a myriad of promotions and campaigns to promote the speedway, later being regarded as the last "old-school promoter" in racing. His advertising campaigns and promotions have sometimes been viewed as controversial in the motorsports landscape, turning Gossage into one of the most polarizing figures in auto racing.