Zach Yost

Veteran motorsports executive Jerry Gappens Jr., who for the last two years served as general manager of Eldora Speedway, died Tuesday, the track announced. The Sharpsville, Ind., native was 63. The track didn't announce the cause of death.

Eldora owner Tony Stewart praised the experience and grassroots-racing knowledge of Gappens when his hiring was announced in April 2022, and Gappens said that replacing Roger Slack at the legendary Rossburg, Ohio, oval providing a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Jerry came to Eldora with a wealth of experience and an equal amount of humility,” Stewart said in a Wednesday announcement. “No job was too big or too small. His attention to detail was impressive, and he made sure the fan experience at Eldora was exceptional, always finding ways to make improvements with each and every event he oversaw.

“With Jerry at the helm, Eldora Speedway was in great hands, and I’m confident track founders Earl and Berneice Baltes would agree.

“The Eldora community prays for Jerry’s wife, Cheryl, their children Denny, Wes, Allison and Brad, and their family. Jerry’s presence was immeasurable, and he is sorely missed by all of us.”

Gappens, last year's Promoter of the Year in the North American Sprint Car poll, followed the footsteps of his late father, a sprint car competitor who promoted the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track and later assisted in track preparation at Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway.

“I remember riding in the truck with him on the way home with the race car on the trailer behind us," the younger Gappens said. "I’d put his racing helmet on and fall asleep across the seat in the truck. He took me to my first Indy 500 when I was 8 years old back in 1969 and we didn’t miss an Indy 500 until I went to work at Charlotte Motor Speedway.”

The younger Gappens had a 1981-88 stint working in northern New Jersey for National Speed Sports News under the publication’s late founder Chris Economaki and eventually spent 23 years with Speedway Motorsports, first as senior vice president of events and marketing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. (2008-15) and then as executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (2008-2015).

Before taking his role at Eldora, Gappens promoted the Jack Himelick-owned Gas City (Ind.) I-69 Speedway from 2018-22.

As Eldora's general manager, Gappens oversaw the track's second Eldora Million for Dirt Late Models in 2022 and last season ushered in the Dirt Track World Championship's arrival, the track's first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event.

Funeral arrangements will be shared at a later date.