Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009 due to sponsorship reasons) is a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad-oval intermediate speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The track has hosted various racing series since its inaugural season of racing in 1960, including NASCAR, IndyCar, and the IMSA SportsCar Championship. The track is currently owned by Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI), with Greg Walter currently serving as the track's general manager. The track is served by U.S. Route 29.
| America's Home for Racing | |
|---|---|
Quad-oval (1960–present) | |
| Location | 5555 Concord Parkway South, Concord, North Carolina, 28027 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (UTC−4 DST) |
| Coordinates | 35°21′09″N 80°40′57″W |
| Owner | Speedway Motorsports (1976–present) |
| Broke ground | 28 July 1959 |
| Opened | 15 June 1960 |
| Construction cost | $2 million USD |
| Former names | Lowe's Motor Speedway (1999–2009) |
| Major events | Current: NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 (1960–present) Bank of America Roval 400 (1960–present) Former: NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR All-Star Race (1985, 1987–2019) IMSA SportsCar Championship Grand Prix of Charlotte (1971, 1974, 1982–1986, 2000, 2020) IndyCar VisionAire 500K (1997–1999) |
| Website | https://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/ |
| Quad Oval (1960–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.500 miles (2.414 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns: 24° Straights: 5° |
| Race lap record | 0:24.735 ( Kenny Bräck, Dallara IR-7, 1998, IndyCar) |
| NASCAR Road Course "Roval" (2019–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.280 miles (3.669 km) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Banking | Oval turns: 24° Oval straights: 5° |
| Race lap record | 1:18.188 ( Paul Menard, Chevrolet Camaro Trans-Am, 2022, Trans-Am) |
| NASCAR Road Course "Roval" (2018) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.280 miles (3.669 km) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Banking | Oval turns: 24° Oval straights: 5° |
| Race lap record | 1:18.078 ( Kyle Larson, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, 2018, NASCAR Cup) |
| Roval (1971–2014) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.250 miles (3.621 km) |
| Turns | 18 |
| Banking | Oval turns: 24° Oval straights: 5° |
| Race lap record | 1:05.524 ( Jan Magnussen, Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S, 2000, LMP900) |
The speedway has a capacity of 95,000 as of 2021, down from its peak of over 170,000 in the 1990s and 2000s. 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 1⁄5 mile (0.32 km) clay short track, a 2⁄5 mile (0.64 km) dirt track, and a 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) 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 in the American Southeast that began in the late 1940s and stretched into the 1950s, racing promoter Bruton Smith sought to build a state-of-the-art facility with Charlotte businessman John William Propst Jr. At the same time, driver and businessman Curtis Turner sought to do the same. After Propst backed out with Smith due to health reasons, Smith sought to partner with Turner. Turner refused, leading Smith to announce plans for a track that rivaled Turner's, knowing that Turner did not have enough funds to build a track. The two eventually partnered to build the Charlotte Motor Speedway after Smith agreed to sell shares needed for the track's construction. Construction started in 1959, and after a tumultuous and chaotic construction process, the track was barely completed before the start of the track's first major race weekend, the 1960 World 600.
The track has gained publicity and praise within the motorsports landscape for its facilities, amenities, and annual events that have become staples on the NASCAR schedule. The track was the subject of numerous innovations and ideas under the guise of longtime track general manager and promoter Humpy Wheeler, including the creation of the NASCAR All-Star Race and the implementation of lights, the first intermediate or larger oval track to do so. Since Wheeler's departure in 2008, the track has conducted less promotions but has also made numerous developments, including renovations to its infield road course to host NASCAR races.