No stranger to speed, O. Bruton Smith has raced Sonic Automotive into the leading pack of US auto dealers, just behind rivals like AutoNation and Penske Automotive. Sonic has gone from five dealerships in 1997 to having today more than 100 new and used vehicle dealerships, 114 franchised dealerships, and and about 20 collision repair centers in major markets in more than a dozen states, including California, Texas, the Carolinas, Alabama, and Tennessee. The company sells some 25 brands of cars and light trucks and offers extended aftermarket services. Chairman Smith is also the majority owner of Speedway Motorsports, which operates more than half a dozen NASCAR auto racetracks.