Ed Clark will retire as president of Atlanta Motor Speedway following next year’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, track officials announced Monday.
Clark has served at AMS president for the past 27 years as part of four decades in the NASCAR industry.
“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 statement. “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.”
Next year’s race will take place on March 15, 2020.
Clark joined Speedway Motorsports in 1981 as a member of the public relations department at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He was quickly promoted to director of public relations, and in 1987 was named the vice president of events at America’s Home for Racing. In 1992, Speedway Motorsports executive chairman Bruton Smith tapped Clark to be the general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. He added the title of AMS president in 1995.
Clark, 64, is the second-longest tenured employee at Speedway Motorsports, trailing only Smith, the company founder.
“Ed has been a pillar in the motorsports industry for more than 40 years, and the full effect of his work at Atlanta Motor Speedway is impossible to measure,” Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, said in a statement. “His tireless leadership and focus on creating unmatched fan experiences at each of his events sets him apart from his peers and has a direct impact on the success of Atlanta Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports.”
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