NASCAR baron Bruton Smith is eyeing a potential real estate investment trust later this year, sources say. The venture will likely be separate from publicly traded Speedway Motorsports, whose holdings include Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Sonic Automotive, his expanding car-dealership company. Smith couldn’t be reached. A source close to Smith says, “There might be something to that, but it’s not something I can say a whole lot about. I’ve heard it mentioned.” Local real estate types have also heard talk of a Smith-led REIT.(Business Journal of Charlotte)(5-13-98)
