Exhibit 24

POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Thomas H.
 O'Donnell, Jr., the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

1. Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as an individual, officer, director and/or owner of
shares of common stock of Sonic Automotive, Inc. (the "Company"),
Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

2. Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5, complete and execute any amendment
or amendments thereto, and file such form or amendment thereto with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
exchange or similar authority; and

3. Take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-
fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by,
the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by
such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power
of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-
fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full
power and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing
whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of
any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and
purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present,
with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's
substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.
The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorney-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, is not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5
with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in
securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the
undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorney-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 21st day of November, 2003.



					/s/ Theodore M. Wright