In a sport driven by characters that at times seemed larger-than-life – Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty among them – Smith always seemed to be among the best at capitalising on their appeal to the masses. Yes, the drivers were the stars. But to be stars, there had to be an audience that adored them.
It was that audience that Smith continued to provide for and tap into during his entire life, whether in motorsports, his automobile business or his philanthropic endeavours. Smith died on Wednesday aged 95, but his Hall of Fame legacy will always remain.
