Losing a best friend is a painful experience in itself. While Kyle Petty is currently on the receiving end of it, the passing of his beloved friend Eddie Gossage has left him shattered. Gossage’s longtime employer Speedway Motorsports was one of the first to confirm his passing.

While the 65-year-old spent 32 years promoting major events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, it was at Texas Motor Speedway that he truly made a name for himself. As he lived by the mantra, “If we don’t make a big deal out of it, nobody else will”, he was instrumental in making the track an iconic venue.

Behind his phenomenal promotional tactics lay his out-of-the-box thinking abilities. While he believed in going with an unorthodox approach more often than not, it didn’t always get the appropriate response. One such event took place with Jeff Gordon when Gossage decided to gift him two Shetland ponies.

Kyle Petty mourns the death of one of NASCAR’s top promoters, Eddie Gossage

Eddie Gossage indeed envisioned NASCAR differently than others did. While his passion for the sport was unmatchable, his approach to improving it separated him from others. Unsurprisingly, his best friend, Kyle Petty, understood it better than most did. That’s the very reason Petty couldn’t fathom the reality of having to deal with his passing news.

Gossage breathed his last on 16th May, survived by his wife, Melinda, daughter Jessica, son Dustin, daughter-in-law Lauren, and his grandchildren. As a tribute to Gossage, Petty posted a heartbreaking message on social media.

While the reason behind Gossage’s demise is still unknown, the Sports Business Journal reported that the cancer he originally defeated years ago came back. Regardless, it is a big loss to the NASCAR community, especially after he beautifully revived the sport’s return at Texas Motor Speedway. In his 25 years as president of the track, Gossage turned the track into one of the best entertainment facilities in the country.

Right from garage signage to Big Hoss, the giant TV screen to the success off the track, the Tennessee-born promoter remained influential. In fact, Eddie Gossage never seemed to fail to amaze the NASCAR fanbase. One of those moments came before Jeff Gordon’s final season. While the former Hendrick Motorsports driver was felicitated with plenty of gifts, Gossage turned up at the TMS media center with two Shetland ponies.

Interestingly, the gifts were supposed to be for Gordon’s children, Leo and Ella. Understandably, the great Jeff Gordon was taken aback by the gesture and had mixed emotions about the thought process. As reported by NBC Sports, the HMS driver said, “Eddie, you have no idea what you’ve done to me. I’m mad at you, but at the same time, I’m overwhelmed. Because my kids are going flip out.”

Amazingly, this act perfectly sums up the character Eddie Gossage was. While his intentions always remained in the best interest of the concerned entity, his approach stayed unique in its own way. No wonder, many turned up with their condolences, including the likes of Tony Stewart, Kenny Wallace, and many others.

Tony Stewart joins the NASCAR community to pay tribute to the legendary Eddie Gossage

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Eddie Gossage and his unconventional approach may have irked many in the past. However, his passing and the love shown toward him clearly indicated how valued he was in the NASCAR community. In fact, it spoke volumes when Tony Stewart described Gossage’s passion in his commiseration. Smoke posted on Twitter, sharing, “Beyond shocked to learn of Eddie Gossage’s passing. The man was larger than life and one of THE biggest supporters of auto racing. He was always someone I looked to for guidance as a track promoter at Eldora. Eddie certainly made his mark and motorsports is better for it. RIP.”

Even the 1998 24 Hours of Daytona and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Arie Luyendyk, shared his condolences. He said, “Very sad and so sorry to hear about Eddie Gossage’s passing, what a shock! Mieke and I send our condolences to his family, RIP Eddie.”

Among others, Erik Jones came forward with his tribute. He remarked, “Saddened to hear about the passing of Eddie Gossage. His vibrant personality lit up the room and he was always dedicated to helping others. I’ll never forget his kindness in staging my high school graduation back at Texas Motor Speedway years ago – he knew how to make everyone feel special. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

At the same time, Kenny Wallace also paid condolences to Kyle Petty as he lost his beloved friend. “I am so sorry @kylepetty..I’ve watched you and Eddie Gossage be dear friends my whole life. I love you,” he noted.

While commiserations still continue to pour in from around the world, it just goes to show how influential Eddie Gossage was. Surely, NASCAR lost one of its most passionate supporters.