Eddie Gossage | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Edgar Gossage October 15, 1958 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | May 16, 2024 (aged 65) |
| Education | Middle Tennessee State University (BA) |
| Occupation(s) | Racing promoter, race track general manager, public speaker |
| Years active | 1980–2024 |
| 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 |
William Edgar Gossage (October 15, 1958 – May 16, 2024) was an American motorsports executive and promoter. He was best known as the president of the Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) banked racetrack in Fort Worth, Texas, which ran stock car racing and Indy car racing events throughout his tenure. He also was employed at other companies, holding various public relations positions.
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.
Throughout his tenure at the Texas Motor Speedway, Gossage 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.