NASCAR: Top 5 figures who could be owners of the Carolina Panthers

JOLIET, IL - SEPTEMBER 17: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AXALTA Chevrolet, stands on the grid with Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tales of the Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 17, 2017 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 07: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

Background information (continued)

We recently found out what that one of the main backers of this group will be Speedway Motorsports founder Bruton Smith with his son and president Marcus Smith.

The Smith’s have been rumored to be interested in buying the Panthers for many years, but up until now, the team have never been available. Now they are, and it is now their chance.

Along with the Smith’s, Sabates has said there are five other businessmen, two current Carolina Panthers minority owners and two NASCAR drivers, who could also be investors. He declined to name them.

The interesting factoid to come out of all this is that Sabates admitted he would not be the majority owner of the Panthers in this business group by a “long shot.” So, I must ask, who would be?

It’s easy to speculate that the Smith’s would be the majority owners in this deal, but who else could challenge them?

Who could these other mystery investors be? I did some digging and found five NASCAR businessmen who could be some of the founding members of this bid and I hope could even be contenders for majority owner.

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