Most people know NASCAR as a sport, but did you know that the Charlotte Motor Speedway is actually located in North Carolina’s Queensborough neighborhood? That’s right – the home of NASCAR is actually in Charlotte, but the name “Charlotte Motor Speedway” is something that you should know and use to reference the location’s street address, 400 Parrish Street.
A History Of NASCAR In Charlotte
It all started with Henry Ford and his Model T. Henry Ford built the first car race track in Charlotte back in 1913, and it was initially known as “The Speedway.” The name “Charlotte Motor Speedway” wasn’t used until later, in 1922 – that’s when the track was officially rechristened as such. For more than a century, the track’s name has remained unchanged.
In 1938, NASCAR was born when Bill France Sr. founded the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. The track’s first official race was held two years later in 1940, and it has been a part of NASCAR ever since. Today, the track hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series.
In addition to being the site of NASCAR’s premier events, the Charlotte Motor Speedway also hosts various automobile racing series such as the ARCA Racing Series, the World Sports Racing Series, and the USAR Hometown Legends series. In fact, the speedway even hosted the FIA World Exihibition in 1957 and the Grand Prix of America in 1988 – the latter of which made it the “Home of the International Speedway.”
The 2017 NASCAR Season
As always, the NASCAR season kicks off with the Daytona 500, which is the equivalent to the Super Bowl for car lovers. This year’s edition of the Daytona 500 is on February 12th, and tickets are on sale now. You can also get them at the Daytona International Speedway Box Office, which is open year-round and offers tickets for all NASCAR events.
The season then continues with the annual race at the Kentucky Derby, which is another important point of the season for car enthusiasts. The Kentucky Derby is on May 2nd this year, and tickets are available now. You can also get them at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Park store or by calling 800-222-9328.
Next up is the Indianapolis 500, which takes place in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s the second-to-last race of the season, and like the Daytona 500, you can get tickets for this one too. You can get them here or call 888-234-9276.
The last race of the season is the World Championship, which determines the best NASCAR driver on the planet. It’s held in late October at the Salem Speedway in Massachusetts. You can get tickets for this one too, and you can get them here or by calling 617-698-6374.
So, did you know that the Charlotte Motor Speedway is located in Charlotte? What city is it in? Is it near you? If not, when will the next NASCAR race be held near you?