Cars race during the Sprint Showdown to try to make their way into the Sprint All-Star Challenge. at Lowe's Motor Speedway. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images Photo) » More Photos

Wheeler has been extremely active in civic affairs both on the local and national levels. A past chairman of the Charlotte Convention & Visitors Bureau, he has also served on the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, and on the board of Charlotte Catholic Services, Mercy Hospital, the Boy Scouts of America and the National Head Injury Foundation.
He currently serves on the board for Belmont Abbey College , the National Motorsports Council and the Governor's Sports Commission. He also serves on the President's Advisory Committee at the University of South Carolina and is a trustee of Speedway Children's Charities.

Wheeler has been honored with numerous awards including the Belmont Abbey Grace Award, the Charlotte Chamber's Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1999, the Charlotte Public Relations Society Infinity Award, the National Auto Racing Promoter of the Year, the North Carolina Travel Attractions Award, the Charles J. Parker A ward for the person who contributed the most tourism to the state of the North Carolina, the Hugh Deery Memorial Award for outstanding service to the motorsports industry, the Humanitarian Award by the Charlotte Athletic Club, the Order of the longleaf & Pine by the Governor of North Carolina and the Bill France Award for outstanding achievement in auto racing given by Pocono Raceway.

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to


While a student at the University of South Carolina, Wheeler was a member of the varsity football team and an amateur boxer, compiling a 40-2 record in Golden Gloves competition. He was inducted into the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992 and is also a member of the Belmont Hall of Fame and the World Karting Association Hall of Fame.

Wheeler and his wife, Pat, reside on lake Norman in Cornelius, N.C. They have three grown children. Wheeler is a member of St. Marks Catholic Church in Huntersville, N.C and a member of the Knights of Malta.