Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex in Concord, North Carolina, United States. It is 13 miles (21 km) from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing.[2] It is best known for the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend. The All-Star Race, as well as the Bank of America Roval 400 also run here. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith. It is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.
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| Location | 5555 Concord Parkway South Concord, North Carolina, 28027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 134,000[1] | |
| Owner | Speedway Motorsports, Inc. | |
| Operator | Speedway Motorsports, Inc. | |
| Broke ground | 1959 | |
| Opened | 1960 | |
| Construction Cost | $1.25 million | |
| Architect | Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner | |
| Former Names | Charlotte Motor Speedway (1960–1998, 2010–present) Lowe's Motor Speedway (1998–2009) | |
| Major Events | NASCAR Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Xfinity Series | |
| Quad oval | ||
| Surface | Asphalt | |
| Circuit Length | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) | |
| Turns | 4 | |
| Banking | Turns: 24° Straights: 5° | |
| Lap Record | 0:24.490 (Tony Stewart, Team Menard, 1998, IndyCar Series) | |
| ZMAX Dragway | ||
| Surface | Asphalt | |
| Circuit Length | 0.25 mi (0.4 km) | |
| Banking | 8000$ | |
| The Dirt Track | ||
| Surface | Clay | |
| Circuit Length | 0.4 mi (0.64 km) | |
The 2,000 acres (810 ha) complex also features a state-of-the-art quarter mile (0.40 km) drag racing strip, ZMAX Dragway. It is the only all-concrete, four-lane drag strip in the United States. It hosts NHRA events. Alongside the drag strip is a modern clay oval that hosts dirt racing including the World of Outlaws finals.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Media
Charlotte Motor Speedway 2024
- Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval 2024.svg
Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval 2024
- Curtis Turner 1949.png
A portrait photo of businessman and NASCAR driver Curtis Turner published in 1949.
- J. Braxton Craven (cropped).jpg
For over a year, district judge James Braxton Craven Jr. (pictured above) oversaw CMS' financial restructuring.
- HumpyWheeler2010NMPA.jpg
NASCAR track operator and personality w:Humpy Wheeler at a 2010 National Motorsports Press Association event in 2010. Photo by Ted VanPelt creative commons license.
Night racing at the 2008 Bank of America 500; in 1992, the track installed lights to accommodate night racing, the first track of its size to do so.
- Lowe's Motor Speedway zMax Drag Strip.jpg
The Charlotte Motor Speedway drag strip pictured in 2008. The drag strip was built after a tumultuous and controversial approval process.
- Roval Backstretch Pace Lap 2018.jpg
NASCAR racing at the track's roval course; in 2018, NASCAR changed their fall race weekend to race on the track's roval.
- 2024 Coca-Cola 600 third stage from frontstretch.jpeg
The 2024 Coca-Cola 600. The Coca-Cola 600 has been held annually at the facility since 1960.
References
- ↑ "Speedway Facts". Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
- ↑ Craig Distl, Insiders' Guide® to Charlotte (Guilford, CT: Insiders' Guide; Bath: Footprint, 2010), p. 121
Other websites
16x16px Media related to Charlotte Motor Speedway at Wikimedia Commons
