CONCORD, N.C. _ Marcus Smith's seventh-floor corner office at Charlotte Motor Speedway not only offers a gorgeous look at the track itself, but also a panoramic view of the countryside that stretches to the distant horizon. It is a fitting symbol, because the 45-year-old Smith is charged with running not only the CMS track but also taking the wide view for the seven other racetracks around the country in the Speedway Motorsports portfolio.
Smith and I sat down for a wide-ranging conversation Tuesday about the state of the sport this week. On the eve of Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, the CEO of Speedway Motorsports answered questions about sports betting in stock-car racing, the greatest sporting event he has ever seen and whether his family would be interested in buying NASCAR outright (OK, he danced around that one). Smith's comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.
