Sam Pugh, the man who built Duck River Speedway in Wheel, Tenn., died Thursday. He was 85.

“Mr. Pugh had seen more laps in track prep than (most) racers racing at Duck River over his 40-year span at the track he built in 1973,” said Duck River Raceway Park owner Bob Harris via his Facebook page. “Our thoughts, prayers (and) support go out to the Pugh family as they mourn the loss of a husband, father, grandfather and great man. Our deepest condolences to the entire Pugh family.”

Pugh, who sold the speedway to his cousin in the early ‘80s, was never far from the track. Whether helping promote races or prepping the track for the handful of owners over a span of four-plus decades, Pugh was a regular fixture at the middle Tennessee facility. After building the track in 1973, Pugh ran the speedway until 1981 according to Harris’ Facebook post. Before building the track, Pugh was a regular competitor at middle Tennessee dirt tracks in the ’50s and ’60s.

“Mr. Pugh was a soft-spoken man with a powerful voice in the racing community and did things his way,” Harris continued. “He will be greatly missed by all of us here at Duck River Raceway, but not forgotten as we will always have him with us as we enter the gates of his lifelong passion and place he called home.”

Pugh is survived by his wife of 60 years, Annette Pugh; daughters Peggy Lawwell and Cindy Warren; son Jeremy Pugh; and three brothers, along with several grandchildren and great grandchildren. Funeral services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Doak-Howell Funeral Home in Shelbyville, Tenn. For complete arrangements, visit www.doakhowellfuneralhome.com.