The Racing Side of Charlotte
Concord, NC
Concord, Latin for “harmony”, was settled in 1750. Our county, Cabarrus County, was officially formed in 1792. The story goes that two towns were vying to be made the county seat of the newly-created Cabarrus County. The powers decided to build a new town between those other two and make this new town the county seat, in order to bring concord to the dispute. Thus, the town of Concord was founded. The North Carolina General Assembly named Concord as the county seat in 1796, and from the mid 1800’s to 1920, Concord became a booming textile and banking center. Today, we have a diverse economic base that includes distribution, manufacturing, racing, and professional services. The people of Concord work and play hard. There is always a feeling of excitement, energy and high expectations in the community. We like to call it High Performance Living. This best describes the people of the City and their quest for getting the most out of life.
Situated in the heart of NASCAR Country, Cabarrus County offers race fans an opportunity to get an up-close look at the high-octane excitement behind the fastest growing sport in the country. To race fans, this place is heaven. For those who don’t want to spend 24-7 doing NASCAR, the area offers plenty of other attractions as well, including world-class shopping and fascinating historical sites.
FAST CARS
Cabarrus County is home to Charlotte Motor Speedway – the superspeedway most drivers call home. It is also home to many of NASCAR’s most visitor friendly race shops. In fact, over 90 percent of all race shops are within a 100-mile radius, making Cabarrus County the destination for an ultimate race shop tour. This is where they build the cars and where the pit crews train. And this is where fans can catch a glimpse of their favorite driver and sometimes even a handshake and an autograph.
But the wheel-to-wheel excitement doesn’t stop there. A Charlotte Motor Speedway Tour goes behind the scenes to the Sprint Cup Garage, down pit road and into the Victory Circle where NASCAR’s greatest drivers have stood. A ride around the 1½ -mile oval track lets visitors feel the action of its 24-degree banks.
Programs like Richard Petty Driving Experience put visitors behind the wheel of a Nextel Cup style stock car at speeds over 160 miles an hour. NASCAR SpeedPark offers racetracks and games geared for all ages and skill levels.
Weekly racing at local tracks keeps the foot-to-the-floor thrills going. From March through October NASCAR, Legends, Bandoleros and Thunder Roadsters race at Concord Motorsports Park, Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the brand new zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway with its NHRA 4-Wide and Carolina Nationals.
Sam Bass Gallery of Motorsports Art showcases over 300 pieces of art by this world famous motorsports artist. Several motorsports museums showcase famous racecars and other motorsports exhibits.
We are also home of The NASCAR Hall of Fame – this state-of-the-art facility honors NASCAR icons and creates an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have impacted the sport in the past, present and future.
In Dale Earnhardt’s hometown, his friends and fans remember him along The Dale Trail, a self-guided automobile tour of landmarks relating to his life and legendary NASCAR career, including a 9-foot, 900-pound bronze statue in downtown Kannapolis of Dale as his friends and neighbors knew him – dressed in cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans.
Racing
Please visit websites or call for hours, admission and additional information for the following race shops.
NASCAR Hall of Fame | nascarhall.com
The NASCAR Hall of Fame concept is now reality – this state-of-the-art facility honors NASCAR icons and creates an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have impacted the sport in the past, present and future. The Hall is located in the heart of uptown Charlotte, directly across the street from the Charlotte Convention Center with the front entrance facing the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Brevard Street.
The Sam Bass Gallery
sambass.com
6104 Performance Dr. Concord, NC
800.556.5464
Sam Bass Gallery of Motorsports Art showcases over 300 pieces of art by this world famous motorsports artist, including originals, limited-edition prints and fine art posters
Hendrick Motorsports
hendrickmotorsports.com
4400 Papa Joe Hendrick Blvd., Concord
704.455.3400
In 1984, Rick Hendrick started Hendrick Motorsports with an unsponsored car, five employees and just 5,000 square feet of space. Over twenty years later, the organization has evolved into one of NASCAR’s top teams with nine championships and over 100 NEXTEL Cup victories. The Hendrick Motorsports Museum is a must-stop for all stock car racing fans. Inside the museum, see Hendrick Motorsports’ most famous stock cars, sports car exhibits and championship trophy displays.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc
daleearnhardtinc.com
1675 Coddle Creek Highway (NC Highway 3), Mooresville
Dale Earnhardt, Inc headquarters, aka The Garage Mahal. DEI has grown to be one of the premier NASCAR race teams. Showroom features ever-changing Dale Earnhardt exhibits and gift shop.
Richard Childress Racing
rcrracing.com
236 Industrial Drive, Welcome
1.800.476.3389 or 336.731.3334
The RCR Racing Museum, located on the RCR campus, encompasses the original Dale Earnhardt No. 3 race shop built at the RCR campus in 1986 and the original RCR Museum built in 1991.
Roush Fenway Racing
roushracing.com
4600 Roush Place, Concord
704.720.4600
Rouch Racing Museum, Race Shops and Corporate Headquarters are all located on Roush Place in Concord. The self-guided tour of the museum is a unique experience. You’ll see historical photos, trophies, race vehicles and educational sponsor displays.
Michael Waltrip Racing
michaelwaltrip.com
20310 Chartwell Center Drive, Cornelius
704.655.9550
This shop has put more thought into the fan experience than anyone else. You not only get a chance to see the cars being built, but also how pit stops work, a movie called “Race to the Green Flag!” that chronicles a week in the life of Michael Waltrip and much more. Also, they have a retail store that has souvenirs for many of the drivers including of course the MWR drivers. Great experience!
Joe Gibbs Racing
joegibbsracing.com
13415 Reese Blvd. W, Huntersville
704.944.5000
Viewing area and gift shop.
Richard Petty Motorsports
richardpettymotorsports.com
7065 Zephyr Pl, Concord, NC
704.743.5420
Showroom, shop and viewing area.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
earnhardtganassi.com
8500 Westmoreland Drive, Concord
704.662.9642
Viewing area and gift shop.
Stewart-Haas Racing
stewarthaasracing.com
6001 Haas Way
Kannapolis, NC 28081
704.652.4227
Viewing area and gift shop.
