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Charlotte Motor Speedway (known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009 due to sponsorship reasons) is a quad-oval intermediate speedway in
Concord, North Carolina Concord ( ) is the most populous city in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 105,240 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Concord is the second-most populous city in the Cha ...
. It has hosted various major races since its inaugural season of racing in 1960, including
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
,
IndyCar IndyCar, LLC (stylized as INDYCAR), is an auto racing sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization sanctions two racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with the Indianapolis ...
, and
IMSA SportsCar Championship The IMSA SportsCar Championship, currently known as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship under sponsorship, is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada and organized by the International Motor Sports Association (I ...
races. The facility is owned by Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI), with Greg Walter serving as its general manager. Charlotte Motor Speedway is served by
U.S. Route 29 U.S. Route 29 or U.S. Highway 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida, to Ellicott City, Maryland, just west of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, in the Eastern United Stat ...
. The speedway has a capacity of 95,000 as of 2021. The track features numerous amenities, including a Speedway Club, condos, and a seven-story tower located on the complex for office space and souvenirs. In addition, the Charlotte Motor Speedway complex features numerous adjacent tracks, including a clay short track, a dirt track, and a long drag strip. The main track also features an infield road course that is used with the oval to make a " roval". With the rise of popularity in
stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...
in the
American Southeast The Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and the southern portion of the Eastern Uni ...
that began in the late 1940s and stretched into the 1950s, racing promoter
Bruton Smith Ollen Bruton Smith (March 3, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was an American motorsports executive and businessman. He was best known as the owner of two public companies, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) and Sonic Automotive. Smith held the positions ...
sought to build a state-of-the-art facility. At the same time, driver and businessman Curtis Turner sought to do the same. After initially refusing, Turner eventually partnered with Smith after they agreed to sell shares needed for the track's construction. Charlotte Motor Speedway was constructed in less than 11 months. The facility immediately faced a litany of issues, particularly financial woes. Within the facility's first decade of existence, ownership changed hands numerous times, with Smith and Turner both leaving. After a period of stability under the ownership of Richard Howard from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, Smith and his new partner, racing promoter and eventual longtime track general manager
Humpy Wheeler Howard Augustine Wheeler Jr. (born October 23, 1938), nicknamed Humpy Wheeler, is an American motorsports executive and businessman. He is best known as the former general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, a banked racetrack in Concord, Nort ...
, completed a takeover of Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1976. Since then, the Smith family and their company, SMI, have directed the facility's expansion and growth into one of the largest sports facilities in the United States.


Description


Configurations

Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in its current form is measured at , with 24 degrees of banking in the turns and five degrees of banking on the track's frontstretch and backstretch. Within the main track's frontstretch, there is a oval that was built in 1991 and is primarily used for legends car racing. Numerous tracks exist in the track's infield. In 1970, track officials announced plans for an infield road course that was connected to the speedway's backstretch. According to then-general manager Richard Howard, original plans for the speedway included a road course, but this was cut due to budget issues. The original road course's length has varied in reports, from as short as according to the ''
Salisbury Post The ''Salisbury Post'' is an American, English-language daily newspaper, founded in 1905, in Salisbury, North Carolina Salisbury ( ) is a city in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region of North Carolina, United States; it has been the ...
'' to as long long according to ''
The Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. It is owned by Chatham Asset ...
''. The road course held its first races on May 22, 1971, as part of the 1971 World 600 race weekend. By August 1974, the track was reconfigured to a length of . In 2018, the road course was modified to suit NASCAR racing, adding a backstretch chicane. this was modified the following year In 2019, one of the speedway's chicanes, located on the backstretch, was modified. In 2020, developers constructed a purpose-built go-kart track in the track's infield. Further modifications to two of the road course's chicanes were announced in 2024.


Amenities

CMS is located in
Concord, North Carolina Concord ( ) is the most populous city in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 105,240 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Concord is the second-most populous city in the Cha ...
, directly next to
U.S. Route 29 U.S. Route 29 or U.S. Highway 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida, to Ellicott City, Maryland, just west of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, in the Eastern United Stat ...
. At the time of CMS's initial construction, the complex covered and had a capacity of around 30,000. Over the span of several decades, CMS and its complex have been expanded and improved numerous times. Throughout the ownership of Bruton Smith, the facility oversaw capacity growth, seeing a peak of over 170,000 by the end of the 1980s. However, since the 2000s, capacity has seen a decrease, with multiple grandstands being demolished in the 2010s; , the track is reported to have a capacity of 95,000. The complex has also expanded to around . Numerous buildings, used for a variety of purposes, are located in the complex. In 1983, to celebrate the facility's 25th anniversary, officials announced the construction of 36
condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership regime in which a building (or group of buildings) is divided into multiple units that are either each separately owned, or owned in common with exclusive rights of occupation by individual own ...
s that were built to overlook CMS's first turn. By the time the project was completed in mid-1984, the number of condos increased to 40, and all were sold by the end of 1983. At the end of 1984, officials announced the construction of a mall underneath the condos. Three years later, officials announced the construction of a members-only private club and restaurant named The Speedway Club, with annual membership starting at $6,500 (adjusted for inflation, $).


Adjacent tracks

The Charlotte Motor Speedway complex has two adjacent tracks and a drag strip near the main speedway. By July 1993, construction started on a clay short track that was made to conduct dirt legends car races. On August 10, 1999, then-general manager
Humpy Wheeler Howard Augustine Wheeler Jr. (born October 23, 1938), nicknamed Humpy Wheeler, is an American motorsports executive and businessman. He is best known as the former general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, a banked racetrack in Concord, Nort ...
announced a new dirt track that was to be constructed across the main speedway. By January 2000, the planned track had been extended to . The first races on this track, which featured a lighting system and a capacity of 15,000, were held on May 28, 2000. In August 2007, owner of Speedway Motorsports,
Bruton Smith Ollen Bruton Smith (March 3, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was an American motorsports executive and businessman. He was best known as the owner of two public companies, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) and Sonic Automotive. Smith held the positions ...
, announced plans to build a drag strip on the complex. Although the plan initially faced heavy opposition from local politicians, the drag strip was eventually built after Smith threatened to close down the speedway, coercing the city to give him an incentive package of approximately $80 million by leveraging fears that a closure would cripple the Concord economy. The drag strip, which cost $60 million to build, held its first races in September 2008.


History


Planning and construction

Stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...
, which traces its roots to moonshiners during the
Prohibition era Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacturing, manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption ...
, gained significant popularity across the
American Southeast The Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and the southern portion of the Eastern Uni ...
during the 1940s and 1950s. This surge in interest led to the construction of modern racetracks like
Darlington Raceway Darlington Raceway is a egg-shaped oval track in Darlington, South Carolina. The track has hosted a variety of racing events since its inaugural season of racing in 1950; primarily races sanctioned by NASCAR. The venue has a capacity of 47,00 ...
. In the late 1950s, promoter
Bruton Smith Ollen Bruton Smith (March 3, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was an American motorsports executive and businessman. He was best known as the owner of two public companies, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) and Sonic Automotive. Smith held the positions ...
, who had achieved success organizing races in the Carolinas, aspired to build his own racetrack. In 1956, he partnered with businessman John William Propst Jr. to pursue the project. At the same time, driver and timber businessman Curtis Turner was also working with a group of investors to build a racetrack. However, Propst suffered a heart attack in 1958 and withdrew from his partnership with Smith due to health concerns. Smith then sought a partnership with Turner. After initial discussions, Turner declined the offer during a meeting at the Barringer Hotel. Feeling betrayed and aware that Turner lacked the funds to start his track independently, Smith decided to bluff Turner's plans. On April 22, 1959, Smith announced his intention to build his own speedway—the same day Turner officially announced his track plans. Turner's track was set to be built near
U.S. Route 29 U.S. Route 29 or U.S. Highway 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida, to Ellicott City, Maryland, just west of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, in the Eastern United Stat ...
in
Cabarrus County, North Carolina Cabarrus County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina ...
, with a proposed capacity of 30,000 spectators. However, he struggled to sell the 300,000 shares needed to finance the project. Ultimately, Turner agreed to partner with Smith, who became the vice president of the project and successfully sold 100,000 shares. Additional stocks were made available in December 1959 and April 1960 to continue funding the speedway's construction. Groundbreaking on the facility began on July 28, 1959, two months later than planned due to legal issues surrounding the land purchase. Construction faced immediate challenges. Crews discovered large granite veins beneath the soil shortly after breaking ground, forcing grading contractor W. Owen Flowe to use dynamite for removal, causing further delays. Aggressive hornets on-site led to multiple workers quitting, and in March 1960, three snowstorms compounded the setbacks. Despite the delays, the track's publicity director insisted construction was "still ahead of schedule." By late March, developers considered scrapping plans for grandstands to save time. The complications forced the track’s first major race, the
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
-sanctioned 1960 World 600, to be postponed from May 29 to June 19. Longtime NASCAR mechanic Smokey Yunick criticized the location, remarking, "a giant mistake. If they'd have searched North Carolina for the worst possible place to build a racetrack, that's where they built it." Smith blamed Turner for many of the delays, claiming Turner often hired workers while intoxicated, requiring Smith to dismiss them. Despite these obstacles, the project secured additional funding, including a $300,000 (about $ today) loan from Washington D.C. businessman James L. McIlvaine, who expressed confidence in its success, stating in ''
The Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. It is owned by Chatham Asset ...
'', "This is going to be one of the best investments I've ever made, and I've made some good ones." As construction of the facility neared completion, a contract dispute arose between Flowe and his workers over unpaid fees and bounced checks. On June 9, just days before the World 600, Flowe halted construction by parking several earthmovers on the track and threatened to sue CMS officials. Accounts differ regarding what followed: Flowe claimed that multiple individuals, including Smith and Turner, threatened to shoot him and his workers if they did not resume work. Smith, however, stated that only Turner showed up with a shotgun, " ctlike he was somebody" before a guard confiscated the weapon. Construction eventually resumed and was barely completed in time for the start of activities for the 1960 World 600. Smith later called it a "miracle" that CMS was finished, admitting to losing $150,000 during its construction. According to McIlvaine, the project cost approximately two million dollars (about $ today) with $74,000 (about $ today) in debts owed to Flowe at the time of its completion.


Early track and financial troubles

CMS officially opened to cars for a practice session on June 15, 1960, but issues quickly emerged. ''The State'' reported incomplete facilities on the first day, while the track's asphalt surface developed holes due to cars reaching speeds of around . ''
The Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. It is owned by Chatham Asset ...
'' writer George Cunningham described the scene, noting "four gravel-deep fox holes grew...out of the second turn. And practically the entire surface on the third and fourth turns resembled an old lady's wrinkled face." Despite this, some, including driver Glenn "Fireball" Roberts, hoped the surface would improve at higher speeds. Track officials ordered a hasty repaving, which mostly held up by the following day. However, financial troubles followed on June 18, when officials were sued for $10,000 (about $ today) by Roy E. Thomas, who claimed breach of contract after being fired from his role selling advertising space for souvenir programs. On race day, promoter Bruton Smith prayed the race would surpass halfway, fearing he'd have to issue refunds otherwise. During the race, surface problems returned. Drivers such as Tom Pistone, Doug Yates, and
Ned Jarrett Ned Jarrett (born October 12, 1932) is an American former race car driver and broadcaster. He is a two-time NASCAR Grand National Series champion. Because of his calm demeanor, he became known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett". He is the father of form ...
reported mechanical failures, including blown tires, broken axles, and suspensions due to the track's rough conditions. Emanuel Zervakis exclaimed, "It's rough as hell! All the cars will have to be rebuilt...there's no doubt about it." Asphalt broke apart in multiple areas, forcing drivers to dodge flying debris. Max Muhlehurn of '' The Charlotte News'' summed it up: "The 600 will go down in history as the only race ever run in which drivers were forced to dodge track blemishes more often than other cars.". On July 17, McIlvaine spread rumors that the facility's board of directors intended to appoint new management, possibly under
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
president Bill France Sr. or
Darlington Raceway Darlington Raceway is a egg-shaped oval track in Darlington, South Carolina. The track has hosted a variety of racing events since its inaugural season of racing in 1950; primarily races sanctioned by NASCAR. The venue has a capacity of 47,00 ...
president Bob Colvin. Both Smith and Turner quickly denied the rumors, with Turner threatening legal action. Over the next few months, multiple claims surfaced alleging that Smith and Turner owed significant sums to various organizations and companies, including $90,000 (about $ today) to the Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., $40,200 (about $ today) to the
Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
, $65,000 (about $ today) to Propst and his construction company, and $204,000 (about $ today) to McDevitt Street and Co. The facility had also defaulted on its initial mortgage. By early August, only Propst had been paid, though additional track repaving was scheduled to address ongoing surface issues. By November 22, reports indicated that CMS had accumulated approximately $1 million (about $ today) in debt. In January 1961, two more lawsuits were filed by excavating companies. On March 1, 1961, Flowe filed a civil lawsuit against the track, alleging breach of contract and seeking $138,155.28 (about $ today) in reparations for construction costs. Three months later, following McIlvaine's threat of foreclosure and the auction of CMS, Turner and Smith resigned from the board of directors, though Smith remained as the promotional director. Duke Ellington, a board member, replaced Turner as the track's general manager. Turner later accused Smith and Ellington of conspiring to oust him and inflating the track's profits. In July, Turner and his investor group announced plans to regain control of CMS by either purchasing the track in a public sale or acquiring a controlling amount of stock. By August, despite an "unusually successful" 1961 World 600, the track warned stockholders that CMS was in "serious trouble" and could only achieve financial stability through immediate long-term financing. By early October, the facility still faced $500,000 in debt, and foreclosure proceedings began, with plans to auction the track on October 30. In a last-ditch effort to stop the foreclosure, several solutions were proposed, including securing a "miracle" loan and a plan for Smith to partner with investors to raise $600,000 to save the facility. After the auction was delayed,
U.S. District Judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the United States federal judiciary, U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each United States federal judicial district, federal judicial district. Each district cov ...
James Braxton Craven Jr. ruled on November 3 that the court would take over management of CMS. The track entered Chapter 10 bankruptcy, with all officers and directors removed from their positions. The facility was placed under court protection, shielding it from creditors and effectively becoming a
ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
of the court.


Federal court control

After Craven's ruling, he appointed Robert Nelson Robinson, a local Charlotte lawyer, to manage the track. Several loan offers were made to help resolve the facility's financial troubles, including separate proposals from businessmen Roger D. Edwards and Dwight Cross. On December 9, Craven ruled that the track's management could seek loans without immediate pressure from creditors, and he ordered Robinson to develop a plan to ensure a $900,000 (about $ today) payment to various creditors. By early January 1962, no progress had been made, prompting Craven to threaten
liquidation Liquidation is the process in accounting by which a Company (law), company is brought to an end. The assets and property of the business are redistributed. When a firm has been liquidated, it is sometimes referred to as :wikt:wind up#Noun, w ...
of the track by March if a viable plan was not presented. By the end of January, a shareholder committee led by A. C. Goines proposed a solution: asking the track's nearly 2,300 shareholders to purchase trustee certificates valued between $100 and $1,000, with the goal of raising $300,000—half of the $600,000 needed for reorganization. Following a successful stockholder meeting on February 18, a final effort to raise an additional $50,000 took place six days later. The committee succeeded in meeting the $300,000 goal, but a loan offer from Cross to cover the remaining debts was rejected. By May, Craven ordered an investigation into Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS). By July, while Craven remained optimistic about saving the facility, preliminary findings of mismanagement and potential fraud led to the involvement of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
(FBI). Eventually, a reorganization plan hearing was scheduled for November 5. In October, a new $345,000 loan from McIlvaine was guaranteed, despite track officials already owing him over $300,000, alleviating some financial pressure. The following month, Craven approved Robinson's proposal to allow stockholders and creditors to vote on a reorganization plan, scheduled to run through January 3, 1963. While the plan initially lacked sufficient creditor support, it was eventually approved, and Craven granted final approval for a stock sale in February. By April, the plan had achieved significant success, with the owners repaying over $740,000 in debt. In mid-April, Craven approved the establishment of private ownership under an 11-person board of directors led by A.C. Goines, with the arrangement set to last for at least one year, effectively completing the reorganization process. That same year, Bruton Smith left his position after being found guilty of failing to file tax returns for 1955 and 1956.


Richard Howard era, stabilization

In December 1963, Goines announced a 10% stock dividend, stating, "We've taken some bitter medicine, but the patient has been saved." By February 1964, CMS reported its first profit. Goines stepped down after the mandatory one-year period, and Richard Howard, a leading stockholder and furniture store owner, took over. The track faced several tragedies in the mid-1960s. Veteran driver Fireball Roberts died on July 2, 1964, from complications following a fiery crash at the
1964 World 600 The ''1964 World 600'', the fifth running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that took place on May 24, 1964, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. There was a 30-mile consolation race the day before t ...
. Another fatality occurred on October 17, 1965, when Harold Kite, a
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
veteran, was killed in a crash during the first lap of the 1965 National 400. Under Howard's leadership, CMS paid off its mortgage three years ahead of schedule, finally resolving the track's financial challenges. Known as a "good ol' country boy," Howard was conservative with spending but invested strategically in renovations and capacity expansions. In 1965, track officials diversified their holdings by acquiring the Rightway Investment Corporation, an insurance finance company. In 1970, management announced plans to construct a new road course and additional grandstands, as indicated by tax records. By 1972, CMS was achieving consistent year-over-year profit growth.


Bruton Smith and Humpy Wheeler's takeover

In the mid-1970s, after a successful career in the car dealership business, Smith saw the potential profitability of reacquiring CMS, particularly with the
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) is an American tobacco manufacturing company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded by namesake R. J. Reynolds in 1875, it is the largest tobacco company in the United States. The company is a w ...
and its subsidiary Winston sponsoring the
NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...
starting in 1970. By 1973, Smith had purchased nearly 500,000 shares—a significant increase from his initial 40,000 shares—remarking that he wasn't sure why he acquired so many. In early 1974, despite efforts to block board elections, Smith was elected chairman of the track's board of directors, effectively returning him to a leadership role. Howard was appointed as the facility's president, and later that year, he announced a $2.5 million (about $ today) renovation project to enhance the track's appearance and expand seating capacity. Throughout 1975, Howard and Smith engaged in a heated battle for control of the organization, exchanging sharp criticisms in the media. In January, Howard regained control of the board of directors despite initially threatening to resign. By February, Howard criticized Smith for managing the track from Illinois, prompting Smith to accuse him of consolidating power and financial misconduct. A major turning point came in July when Smith purchased approximately 80,000 shares from Howard's relatives. On August 29, Smith hired H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler, a former public relations executive, as the track's development director. Local media speculated that Wheeler’s hiring signaled Smith’s impending takeover. On October 5, ''
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (''AJC'') is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merger ...
'' reported that the upcoming National 500 would likely be Howard's last race associated with the facility, with a final decision expected at the annual stockholders' meeting on January 30, 1976. Although Howard initially denied these claims and expressed interest in working as a consultant for Smith, he later admitted on October 23 that he was "99% certain" of leaving. At the stockholders' meeting, a tearful Howard officially announced his resignation, giving Smith full control of the facility. Wheeler subsequently assumed the role of president.


Humpy Wheeler era, promotions, failed NFL proposal

Under the leadership of Wheeler and Smith, CMS underwent significant promotion, expansion, and modernization. In Wheeler's first year as president, he announced a $3–5 million renovation project slated for completion in 1981. Wheeler became known for his creative and elaborate promotional efforts. In 1976, he attracted female spectators by convincing Janet Guthrie to enter the
World 600 The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960 in NASCAR, 1960, was a ...
. The following year, he fueled the rivalry between veteran driver
Cale Yarborough William Caleb Yarborough (March 27, 1939 – December 31, 2023) was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner, businessman, farmer, and rancher. He was the first driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships, winn ...
and newcomer Darrell Waltrip by creating a spectacle involving Waltrip's nickname, "Jaws," and Yarborough's sponsor, Holly Farms Poultry. Wheeler placed a dead chicken inside the mouth of a dead shark, mounted it on a pickup truck's sling, and paraded it before the first qualifying round of the 1977 NAPA National 500. By 1980, officials announced additional renovations worth $16 million, aiming to increase the speedway's capacity to 150,000. In 1983, Bruton and Wheeler unveiled plans for the construction of 36 condominiums, later expanded to 40. Despite initial skepticism, all units sold out by their completion in 1984. In 1985, the city of Charlotte made efforts to attract a professional football team. In March,
Bruton Smith Ollen Bruton Smith (March 3, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was an American motorsports executive and businessman. He was best known as the owner of two public companies, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) and Sonic Automotive. Smith held the positions ...
announced plans to construct a 76,000-seat stadium on the frontstretch of CMS. The proposed stadium would feature temporary endzone grandstands and retractable seating behind the track's pit road. While the original track plans had included a football stadium, those plans were abandoned due to construction challenges. During the official announcement on March 13, Smith declared he would move forward with the stadium project if the local government or private investors contributed $10 million. Meanwhile, George Shinn, another Charlotte businessman, also pursued a professional football team, expressing interest in acquiring either a
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) franchise or a
United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
(USFL) team. Smith, however, was focused solely on securing an NFL team. The city ultimately declined to provide financial support for the stadium, and the plans were abandoned by the end of the year. Despite this, Smith expressed renewed interest in hosting an NFL team at the track two years later.


Mass expansion and improvement, injury-riddled period

In 1987, construction began on The Speedway Club, an exclusive members-only restaurant and club. By the end of the decade, the track had a capacity of 170,922. In 1991, Smith oversaw the installation of lights—an unprecedented move for an oval track of its size—with help from Iowa-based Musco Lighting. The project was completed in April 1992. In 1994, the garage area was renovated for $1 million, earning praise from driver Dale Jarrett. In 1999, the track made history by selling naming rights to Lowe’s, the first such deal for a speedway. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the track saw numerous serious incidents involving both drivers and spectators. In 1989, track president Wheeler created the NASCAR Sportsman Division to give short-track drivers experience on larger circuits. The series quickly developed a reputation for danger, with three fatal crashes in six years: David Gaines in 1990, Gary Batson in 1992, and
Russell Phillips Russell Lee Phillips (March 6, 1969 — October 6, 1995) was an American NASCAR Sportsman Division driver. He was killed in a crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1995. Personal life Phillips graduated from Independence High School in Charlott ...
in 1995. The third of these was decapitated after his head hit a caution light on the track's catchfence. Wheeler handed the series over to NASCAR in late 1995, who quickly shut down it in 1996. In 1999, during the VisionAire 500K — an
Indy Racing League IndyCar, LLC (stylized as INDYCAR), is an auto racing Governing body, sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization sanctions two Auto racing, racing series: the premier IndyCar Serie ...
race — a crash involving Stan Wattles and John Paul Jr. on the track's frontstretch sent heavy debris into the grandstands, killing three spectators and injuring eight others, resulting in the cancellation of the race. A year later, after the 2000 Winston, a pedestrian bridge collapsed, injuring 107 people, which was later blamed on an improper additive used in construction. In 2001 and 2002, two ARCA drivers,
Blaise Alexander Blaise Robert Alexander Jr. also known as BR Alexander (March 26, 1976 – October 4, 2001) was an American professional stock car racer from Montoursville, Pennsylvania. He began racing at the age of 12 in go-karts, winning the coveted World Kart ...
and Eric Martin respectively, were killed in separate accidents. In 2005, officials repaved the track using a process called levigation to smooth out bumps, but it caused problems during both of that year's NASCAR weekends. This led to another repave in 2006. In 2007, Smith announced plans to build a drag strip, which faced strong opposition from the Concord City Council. Despite the pushback, Smith began grading the site. On October 2, the council unanimously voted to block the project. In response, Smith threatened to shut down the track or turn it into a testing facility, which would have hurt the local economy. The council quickly reversed course, offering an $80 million incentive package (about $ today), a street named after Smith, a tax break, and approval to build the drag strip. On November 26, Smith confirmed the track would continue operating, saying, "We're here forever."


Post-Wheeler era

Tensions between Smith and Wheeler had been documented since 1991, with the two being in "constant disagreement" over topics. By 2008, Wheeler grew frustrated with several of Smith's decisions, including the controversial drag strip. On May 21, 2008, Wheeler announced his retirement following the
Coca-Cola 600 The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960, was also the firs ...
, ending a tenure that began in 1975. Though Smith claimed to offer Wheeler a consulting role and said Wheeler wanted a part-time position, Wheeler ultimately stepped away from all duties at CMS. He was succeeded by Smith’s son, Marcus. In 2009, Lowe's ended its eleven-year sponsorship, and the track returned to its original "Charlotte Motor Speedway" name.


Steady attendance declines, renovations

During the 2010s, CMS experienced steady attendance declines, mirroring broader trends in NASCAR. In response, officials removed 41,000 seats in 2014 and more in 2017. That same year, the track served as a filming location for '' Logan Lucky'', a heist film set at the facility. In 2018, Marcus stepped down as general manager to focus on his role as SMI CEO, with executive vice president Greg Walter taking over. Walter expressed interest in expanding CMS’s non-racing uses and pursuing further renovations. In 2021, the NASCAR All-Star Race—long held at CMS except in 1986 and 2020—was moved to Texas Motor Speedway in hopes of boosting Texas Motor Speedway's attendance. Since the 2010s, CMS has undergone several renovations. In 2011, Marcus oversaw the installation of a 200-by-800-foot video screen on the backstretch, replacing old seating. In 2015, the track's SAFER barrier were upgraded following
Kyle Busch Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation)#ZL1, Chevrolet ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing and par ...
's injury at Daytona. In 2023, plans were announced for a dedicated road course. The road course, named the Ten Tenths Motor Club, was opened in October 2024.


Events


Racing events


NASCAR

Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts two annual NASCAR weekends: the
Coca-Cola 600 The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960, was also the firs ...
(originally known as the World 600) and the Bank of America Roval 400. The Coca-Cola 600, introduced in 1960, quickly became one of the longest, most prestigious, and highest-paying motor races in the world. It is now considered a " Crown Jewel" event on the NASCAR schedule. The Bank of America 500 was originally a race held in October, first run in 1960. Starting in 2018, the race was shifted to a specialized " Roval" course. In addition to its NASCAR Cup Series races, CMS also hosts lower-tier
NASCAR Xfinity Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...
and
NASCAR Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...
events on both the oval and roval layouts as support races for the Cup Series. In 1985, Wheeler and the
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) is an American tobacco manufacturing company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded by namesake R. J. Reynolds in 1875, it is the largest tobacco company in the United States. The company is a w ...
introduced The Winston (now known as the NASCAR All-Star Race), a showcase event featuring race winners from the previous season. From 1987 to 2020, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the event annually, with periodic changes to its format and eligibility rules. In 2020, the race was relocated to
Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway (formerly known as the Bristol International Raceway from 1978 to 1996 and as the Bristol International Speedway from 1961 to 1978) is a oval Oval track racing#Short track, short track in Bristol, Tennessee. The track ha ...
.


Other racing events

In late 1979, the
United States Auto Club The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the List of USAC Championship Car seasons, United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the ...
(USAC) announced plans to run a race in October 1980. However, the race was canceled in April due to an agreement with USAC and
Championship Auto Racing Teams Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) was a Governing body, sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 1979 until dissolving after the 2003 CART season, 2003 season. CART was founded in 1979 by team owners formerly ...
(CART). In December 1996,
IndyCar IndyCar, LLC (stylized as INDYCAR), is an auto racing sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization sanctions two racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with the Indianapolis ...
announced plans for a race to be held in July 1997. The race ran for three years; the last race was canceled after an accident caused flying debris that killed three spectators. Numerous runnings of the Grand Prix of Charlotte, a sports car event, have been run by various organizations. In 2000, the facility held a one-off Grand Prix of Charlotte that was sanctioned by the
American Le Mans Series The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consisted of a series of Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le M ...
. The race was last run in 2020 by the
IMSA SportsCar Championship The IMSA SportsCar Championship, currently known as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship under sponsorship, is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada and organized by the International Motor Sports Association (I ...
.


Non-racing events


Festivals and shows

On August 10, 1974, CMS hosted the August Jam. Regarded as "Carolina's Woodstock", the festival drew over 200,000 people, more than double than what was expected due to a security breach. The festival unintentionally became the largest music festival in North Carolina history. It soon gained a reputation for violence; Richard Howard, president of CMS, compared the actions of spectators to Japanese Army suicide attacks at the
Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Impe ...
, with damages totaling $50,000. From 2013 to 2018, the facility held the Carolina Rebellion festival. Since 2021, CMS has hosted a branch of the touring Breakaway Festival. In 2024, the organizers of the Breakaway Festival also planned a second show at the facility, tailored for EDM. CMS hosts an annual Christmas-themed drive-thru lights show, a tradition that started in 2010. In the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the track hosted high school graduations for 10 high schools within the Cabarrus County area.


Unrealized events

In February 1961, track officials wished to host a
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) exhibition game between the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
and the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
; however, the deal fell through when Smith found terms from Redskins owner
George Preston Marshall George Preston Marshall (October 11, 1896 – August 9, 1969) was an American professional American football, football executive who founded the National Football League (NFL)'s Washington Commanders. The team began play as the Boston Braves in ...
to be unreasonable.


Lap records

As of October 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Charlotte Motor Speedway are listed as:


Notes


References


External links

* {{Authority control Motorsport venues in North Carolina IndyCar Series tracks Concord, North Carolina NHRA Division 2 drag racing venues NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway American Le Mans Series circuits IMSA GT Championship circuits Sports venues in Cabarrus County, North Carolina Tourist attractions in Cabarrus County, North Carolina Off-road racing venues in the United States Sports venues completed in 1960 1960 establishments in North Carolina NASCAR tracks ARCA Menards Series tracks Road courses in the United States