"He makes investment in people" - Kelley Earnhardt, Elton Sawyer, and Kyle Petty honor NASCAR Xfinity director Wayne Auton ahead of his final race

With the 2024 Xfinity Series season coming to an end soon, NASCAR icon Wayne Auton is set to step down from the role of Xfinity director. Elton Sawyer, Kelley Earnhardt, Kyle Petty, and several top figures in the sport honored the Xfinity boss through a video on social media.

Auton's career began with helping his father, Robert “Hoot” Auton in the infield areas of Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina. By the age of 20 years, He became an official at Hickory Motor Speedway, working under David Hoots (former Cup Series race director). After spending close to eight years there, Auton got into his first full-time official role with NASCAR in the Goody’s Dash Series.

By 1995, Auton was appointed as the director for the Truck Series. He later moved into the director's chair in the Xfinity Series in 2013. After spending over four decades with America's premier stock car racing body, Auton has decided to step down from the role of the top boss in the Xfinity Series.

As a token of appreciation for his hard work and dedication to the sport, several top figures and racers shared their thoughts and experiences with Auton in a special video, ahead of his final race at Phoenix Raceway.

"There is, as we know it, no Xfinity series without Wayne Auton," former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty said (0:15 onward).

"He's always got a smile on his face. He's always got something positive to say," senior vice president of competition of NASCAR Elton Sawyer commented (0:29 onward).

"He makes an investment into people. That's why he is so respected. You know, that's how you get people to work harder and smarter and invest in what you're trying to build, by investing in them," CEO of JR Motorsports Kelley Earnhardt Miller explained (0:46 onward).

Here's a look at the video shared on X on the Xfinity Series' official page, captioned:

"He's one of the most respected and cherished figures in the garage. Join us in saluting Wayne Auton ahead of his final race as the series director of the NASCAR Xfinity Series!"

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"You have taught so many of us what NASCAR is all about" - Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. penned a heartfelt message for Xfinity director Wayne Auton

Spending close to seven years in the Xfinity Series, two-time champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has spent a fair share of his racing career under Xfinity director Wayne Auton.

The eight-time Xfinity race winner penned a heartfelt message for Auton ahead of the latter's last race at Phoenix Raceway. Here's a look at the post with the message in the caption:

"Congrats on a great career, you have taught so many of us what NASCAR is all about we are going to miss you at the track. I'm sure we will all still get our Merry Christmas calls."

Apart from Stenhouse Jr., several drivers like Justin Allgaier, Austin Cindric, William Byron, and a few others also shared their thoughts in a special video.