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Humpy Wheeler Joins Carolinks' Board; NASCAR Chief Enters World of Rail and Barges

Posted on: Thursday, 13 July 2006, 09:00 CDT

Howard "Humpy" Wheeler, one of the foremost promoters of NASCAR racing and the president of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Lowes Motor Speedway, is joining the advisory board of Carolinks, the Charleston-based inter-modal company which is launching a $250 million operation to move containers from the Port of Charleston by rail and barge to a newly constructed inland port.

Although the speed of rail and barge may be considerably slower than Mr. Wheeler's usual environment, he is personally highly enthusiastic about Carolinks' plans to deal with the challenges that are being created as maritime trade continues its dramatic growth. "I admire the bold concept of Lucy Duncan Scheman and the Carolinks team in creating an entirely new solution to deal with the challenges of port congestion and at the same time, create over 200 new jobs in a region where they are greatly needed. Velocity drives our common business interests and I look forward to help fuel Carolinks' growth," said Mr. Wheeler.

Lucy Duncan Scheman, President and CEO of Carolinks said, "We are very proud that Mr. Wheeler has accepted our invitation to join the advisory board. He is a brilliant and passionate businessman who has nurtured and overseen the growth of what is now one of America's greatest sports and he works hard to improve the economies of North and South Carolina."

Ms. Duncan continued, "As his company imports the Legends enthusiast cars into the Port of Charleston, he understands the need to transport cargo quickly from portside. He certainly has the ability to see what's around the corner and, as an example, was the first person to put women in racing. This ability to see future trends is one of the things that makes his association with us so valuable."

Humpy Wheeler has been described as racing's PT Barnum, combining showmanship's flair with astute business discipline. He claims to have organized his first race at the age of nine with bicycles and nickels in a bucket. He was recently inducted into the International Racing Hall of Fame.

On the advisory board of Carolinks, Mr. Wheeler will join Chuck Raymond, Chairman and CEO of Horizon Lines and Maggie Gilliam, founder of Gilliam & Company. Gilliam & Company is a leading research and consulting entity specializing in retail and consumer products. For thirty years, Ms. Gilliam was a Wall Street analyst covering all aspects of retailing.

Source: Business Wire

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