Charlotte, North Carolina, is steeped in auto racing legend. It’s the place that Dale Earnhardt was born and where many of the NASCAR outfits are headquartered. Each year, the Lowe’s Motor Speedway is host to the Coca Cola 600 and the Bank of America 500 and race fans and tourists descend on Charlotte in droves. Be warned that tickets are snapped up quickly and every hotel room within 20 miles of the Speedway is booked solid early on. Many visitors also trek to Charlotte in motorhomes, and will literally park their vehicles in the center of the track or in the parking lot and stay there for the duration of the event. It turns into a big week-long party.
Some of the local motor sports teams such as Hendrick’s and DEI, are open to the public, and allow visitors to check out an array of memorabilia and purchase team related souvenirs. It allows you to get up close to these powerhorse cars, and investigate the inner mechanics of how things work. Check out this site to find hours and directions.
If you really feel the need for speed, you have the opportunity to get into a stock car yourself and ride on the same track like the best in NASCAR. You can spend a week at an racing school and learning how to maneuver the vehicle in a true training environment. The teachers will help you refine your skills, and give you tips that will allow you to climb higher speeds safely.
Charlotte just won rights to become home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame–a museum honoring NASCAR’s greatest racers. The history of racing is planned to be a prominent part of the exhibit, as are interactive displays. Ground was broken in January 2007, and the building is set to be completed in 2010 in uptown Charlotte. The building site has become a tourist attraction, and you can go to see the structure going up yourself.
If you get tired of cars, you can check out the Concord Mills Mall just a few miles from the track. Strangely, this mongo mall happens to be Charlotte’s biggest tourist attraction–and has every store (including outlets) imaginable and a 24-screen cinema. Just in case you forgot that you’re in Race City USA, there is even a enormous NASCAR store where you are able to buy jackets, shirts and goodies representing every racing team out on the circuit.
If you get hungry, be sure to stop at Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe just across the street from the mall. It has a fun New Orleans inspired menu, and their fried alligator is my absolute favorite. Portions are big and the prices are modest, and they make a terrific margarita. Be warned that there can be a bit of a wait during dinner time, especially on the weekends.
See you at the races!