AUTOGRAPHS

NC’s Most Well Known Race Track

Concord, NC will welcome NASCAR at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21^st for the Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race XXVII. Excluding 1986, when the race was was run at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the race has been hosted here annually since its origination in 1985.

Originally called The Winston until 2004, and then being renamed the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge until 2007, when Sprint took over the race, deeming it the Sprint All-Star Race, this race has gone by many names. The race covers a total of 100 laps, amounting in 150 miles all-together, split up into four segments. Half the duration of the race, the first segment covers 50 laps, and is followed by two segments of 20 laps each and a final segment of 10 laps to finish it off.

Grandstands border most of the track, which is a mile and a half long. As is customary with most NASCAR events, there is also a large area enclosed in the track for campers with motor homes. The stadium bleachers and luxury boxes, accompanied by the rest of the accommodations has a capacity for 140,000 spectators.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway opened in 1960 and shortly after, in an unexpected turn of events, the owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1961 due to inadequate ticket sales after spending $1.25 million on construction, but quickly recovered. It became the first modern site to host night racing in 1992, following a 1,200-fixture permanent lighting system was installed. The naming rights were bought by Lowe’s and the speedway was renamed the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1998, but when Lowe’s decided not to renew their deal, the venue’s name was changed again to that of the former in 2009.

Three people were slain in the grandstands when the tire was thrown into the crowd at an Indy car race, a competetor lost a tire in the midst of an accident in 1999. Eight other people were injured and for safety reasons, it was determined that they speedway would no longer host Indy car races, proceeding only twenty-four months in Charlotte.

The victors of past series’, past All-Star winners, and racers from the 2010 and 2011 seasons who have built up enough points to qualify will be welcomed in the hugely anticipated approaching Sprint All-Star Race. On May 22^nd, the day after the race, the Charlotte Motor Speedway will also hold the formal induction of the 2011 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, it currently includes the likes of Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson, and Lee Petty.

Mid-Ohio Race Highlights