Jayski's® Silly Season Site - Lowe's Motor Speedway News

LOWES MOTOR SPEEDWAY NEWS/RUMORS

Mailing Address:
5555 Concord Pkwy. South
Concord, NC 28027

Phone: (704) 455-3200, (704) 455-3204
Phone for tickets: 800-455-FANS

Track Specs:
Superspeedway: 1.5-mile quad oval
Banking: turns: 24 degrees; straights: 5 degrees
Straights: Frontstretch - 1952.8 feet; Backstretch - 1360 feet
Grandstand Seating: 167,000

Websites:
Lowes Motor Speedway
600Racing.com

Charlotte Motor Speedway
by Greg Fielden

Back to Back winners of the Coca-Cola 600: #48-Jimmie Johnson won his 3rd straight Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, a new record, the six other times the race was won two times in a row:
Jeff Gordon, 1997-1998
Dale Earnhardt, 1992-1993
Darrell Waltrip, 1988-1989
Neil Bonnett, 1982-1983
Darrell Waltrip, 1978-1979
Buddy Baker, 1972-1973
2007 Lowe's Motor Speedway Schedule of Events (tentative - subject to change)
Oct. 10 Dirt Track Racing - The Dirt Track
Oct. 11 Bojangles' Pole Night
Oct. 12 [Busch Seires] Dollar General 300 (8:10 p.m. Green Flag)
Oct. 13 Bank of America 500 (7:20 p.m. Green Flag)
Oct. 26 - 28 Goodguy's Southeastern Nationals
Nov. 2-3 World Short-Track Championships - The Dirt Track
Nov. 23 Souvenir & Race Ticket Blow-Out
(dates and times confirmed with NASCAR - subject to change)
Dole Named Honorary Race Director For Coca-Cola 600: Senator Elizabeth Dole has been named honorary race director for the May 25 Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Coca-Cola and speedway officials also announced that Richard Thompson, speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates, will serve as the honorary starter, waving the green flag to send the 43 drivers on their 600-mile journey. In her role as honorary race director, Dole will attend the pre-race drivers’ meeting, preside over pre-race ceremonies and visit the control tower during the race. A native of nearby Salisbury, N.C., Dole has served five United States Presidents and was elected in 2002 to serve the people of North Carolina in the U.S. Senate. After being discharged from the military, Thompson earned a criminal justice degree from Marshall University. He then graduated with honors from the West Virginia University College of Law and returned home to Lavalette, W.Va., to establish his practice. Tickets for the May 25 Coca-Cola 600 start at just $39 and can be purchased by visiting www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or calling the Lowe’s Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS)(5-8-2008)
Record $6.6 Million Purse for May 25 Coca-Cola 600: Sprint Cup Series drivers will battle for a record $6.6 million during the May 25 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway while total posted awards for the track's schedule of May events is nearly $14.7 million. Nine races will be run at Lowe's Motor Speedway and The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway between Friday night, May 16, and Sunday evening, May 25, and each carries a record purse with a total of $14,692,658 up for grabs. Already one of the richest races on the NASCAR circuit, the $6,648,557 in total awards for the Coca-Cola 600 is $78,929 more than was posted for last year's event and $4,219,759 more than competitors raced for in the 600-mile event 10 years ago. Competitors participating in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Sprint Showdown on Saturday night, May 17, will compete for a record $4,308,251 with the All-Star Race winner guaranteed a minimum of $1,012,975. In addition to the posted prize money, $1,780,853 in television awards for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will be distributed through the Sprint Cup Series Car/Champion Owner Program. Tickets for all May events, including the May 17 Sprint All-Star Race and the May 25 Coca-Cola 600, can be obtained online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS)(5-6-2008)
3 Doors Down to Rock Lowe's Motor Speedway: NASCAR's All-Star Weekend adds another group of all-stars as multi-platinum recording artists 3 Doors Down will perform a 75-minute concert prior to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday, May 17, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The concert begins at 3:30 p.m. in the infield between Turns 1 and 2. Admission to the concert is free with the purchase of a ticket to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Tickets for the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and May 25 Coca-Cola 600 can be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the track ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS)(5-6-2008)
Lowe's Motor Speedway to Install Additional SAFER Barriers: Lowe's Motor Speedway crews will install 340 feet of additional SAFER barriers along the track's inside backstretch retaining wall prior to the May 17 Sprint All-Star Race and the May 25 Coca-Cola 600."The hard licks that Jeff Gordon and Michael McDowell took earlier this season reminded us all that bizarre and unexpected things can happen in racing," said H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "This additional SAFER barrier will add more protection on our backstretch for May, and we're looking at some additional improvements back there as well." Wheeler also said engineers are researching alternatives to the current opening in the inside backstretch wall at LMS, which is used during races for staging emergency response vehicles. The concrete wall just past that opening is currently protected by encapsulated polystyrene blocks that are bolted to the wall. In April 2004, more than 6,100-linear feet of SAFER barriers, which utilize foam blocks positioned behind rolled steel tubing, were installed at Lowe's Motor Speedway. That project included placing the energy-absorbing barriers in front of approximately 4,000 feet of outside retaining walls in the turns; 1,351 feel along the frontstretch quad-oval; and 796 feet on the insides of Turns 2 and 4. The original installation included 476 feet of SAFER barriers along the inside concrete wall on the backstretch, starting at the exit of Turn 2. The new installation will continue those barriers down the backstretch toward the inside of Turn 3. Tickets for the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and May 25 Coca-Cola 600 can be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the track ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(Lowe's Motor Speedway)(4-30-2008)
Burnouts and Donuts Highlight Pre-Race Show For Sprint All-Star Race: Top Sprint Cup Series drivers will prove who can execute the best burnout and donuts during the inaugural Pennzoil Victory Challenge prior to the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night, May 17, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The timed-competition will include five drivers who must demonstrate four essential skills of any victory celebration: a tire-smoking burnout; spectacular donuts; precision driving into "Victory Lane;" and, as with anything in racing, speed. Clint Bowyer, a first-time Sprint All-Star Race participant and driver of the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevy, is the first official entry for the inaugural event. Other participants will be announced at a later date. The Pennzoil Victory Challenge will take place on the frontstretch of the 1.5-mile superspeedway at 6:15 p.m., just prior to the start of the Sprint Showdown. Each driver will be in similarly prepared Richard Petty Driving Experience cars wrapped with Sprint All-Star Race decals. A $10,000 donation will be made to the winner's designated charity. The inaugural Pennzoil Victory Challenge will be televised live during SPEED Channel's pre-race coverage of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.(LMS PR)(4-23-2008) Comment here
Davidson Basketball Coaches Named Co-Grand Marshals; Ice Road Trucker Hugh Rowland to Visit Sprint All-Star Race: Bob McKillop, the head men's basketball coach at Davidson College, and his assistants, Matt Methany, Jim Fox, Tim Sweeney and Jeremy Henney, will serve as Co-Grand Marshals for the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. McKillop and his staff will attend the NASCAR drivers' meeting, be introduced during pre-race ceremonies and join selected Sprint customers to say "Gentlemen, start your engines." Hugh Rowland, star of The History Channel's "Ice Road Truckers," will also be a VIP guest during the Sprint All-Star Race weekend activities. The rugged Canadian, nicknamed "polar bear," will attend the NASCAR drivers' meeting, be recognized during pre-race ceremonies and greet race fans at The History Channel's display booth. Rowland will also square off against the fastest driver from the Freightliner Hauler Challenge, a driving skills competition that pits the drivers of the NASCAR team haulers against each other on race-day morning. (LMS PR)(4-23-2008)
Yellow walls return for All-Star race: In preparation for the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the retaining walls at Lowe's Motor Speedway are once again being painted Sprint yellow. This is the second consecutive year the inside and outside walls have been changed from their traditional white to bright yellow for the sport's annual all-star event. It will take 286 man hours to complete the painting project which started late Sunday evening and was finished Wednesday. Eleven men from JKS Motorsports are applying 575 gallons of Sprint-yellow paint to the inside and outside retaining walls using rollers and four gas-powered sprayers. "The yellow wall is really psychedelic. It reminds me of the '60s," veteran driver Kenny Wallace said after the walls were painted yellow for the first time. "You get used to a look for 20 years-I've been racing here since 1989-and now it's different. But it's neat. It adds a lot of color to the place." Tickets for the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race start at just $30 and can be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS)(4-11-2008)
Wheeler Encourages NASCAR to Schedule an Open Sprint Cup Test at LMS: Looking to increase competition, H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, is encouraging NASCAR to host an open Sprint Cup Series test at the 1.5-mile superspeedway prior to the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race . "It's our intention to have the best racing possible here during the month of May and I have always believed that preparation is the key to great racing," Wheeler said. "You can compute, work the post machine and microscope the car until your tools bleed, but nothing, absolutely nothing, is as valuable as track time. So, we have offered NASCAR at least two days, May 5-6, to bring the teams in so they can test the new car. We'll have the track open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. so they can experiment with chassis set-ups during both daytime and nighttime conditions," Wheeler added. "Then, if further testing is needed, dates closer to the May 17 Sprint All-Star Race can be provided." If NASCAR accepts Wheeler's offer, the test session would take place on Monday and Tuesday following the Saturday night race at Richmond International Raceway and prior to teams heading to nearby Darlington Raceway for another Saturday night event. Tickets for all May events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the May 25 Coca-Cola 600, can be purchased by calling the track ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS)(4-10-2008)
LMS Value Menu Details Affordable Options for May Races: As the debate continues over whether this country is truly in a recession, consumers, including NASCAR fans, are looking for value with each purchase. With that in mind, Lowe's Motor Speedway officials have created a special Value Menu which details affordable ticket prices and packages available for the track's May NASCAR races. Lowe's Motor Speedway's May schedule includes two action-packed weekends of NASCAR action, highlighted by the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night, May 17, and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday evening, May 25. In addition to several affordable individual race tickets, the Lowe's Motor Speedway Value Menu includes specially priced tickets for children, group discounts, race and room hotel packages, a grandstand with all-you-can-eat concession items and affordable camping opportunities. Fans are also reminded that the speedway offers 154 acres of free parking and coolers are welcome in the grandstands. A three-step payment plan is also available for fans purchasing tickets prior to the close of business on Sunday, March 30. To obtain additional information about the Lowe's Motor Speedway Value Menu or to purchase tickets for any May event, visit www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or call the ticket services department at 1-800-455-FANS.
Lowe's Motor Speedway Value Menu - Affordable NASCAR Race Tickets:
Individual tickets for the May races start at incredibly low-prices:
May 16, N.C. Education Lottery 200 Truck Race and Sprint All-Star Race Qualifying: $20
May 17, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: $30
May 22, Windstream Pole Night (Coca-Cola 600 Qualifying): $12
May 24, CARQUEST Auto Parts 300: $17
May 25, Coca-Cola 600: $39
600 Super Ticket: Three Coca-Cola 600 Week NASCAR events for one low price - $89.
CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 Family Four-Pack: Two adult and two children's tickets, four hot dogs and four Coca-Colas - $59.
All-You-Can-Eat Grandstand: Combine a NASCAR Sprint Cup race ticket with all the hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, chips, peanuts and Coca-Cola soft drinks you can eat and drink. Tickets start at just $59.
Children's Tickets: Ages 12 and under get in for just $10 for any Nationwide Series or Sprint Cup Series race in our smoke- and alcohol-free family grandstands. On Windstream Pole Night, bring your child to see his/her favorite driver qualify for the Coca-Cola 600 and ages 6 to 12 get in for just $1.
Group Discounts: Buy 20 or more tickets to the Craftsman Truck, Nationwide Series or Pole Night events and save 10 percent.
Military Discount: To honor members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Lowe's Motor Speedway offers specially priced tickets at $20 for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and $30 for the Coca-Cola 600. Call with your military I.D. number and take advantage of the savings.
Affordable Campsites: Dry campsites located within a half-mile of the track start at just $100 for the entire race week. Convenient shuttle service on race days is included. Call (704) 455-4445 for camping options.
Payment Plans: Reserve your tickets in March and make just three easy payments to get your May tickets.
Race and Room Hotel Packages: Starting at $350 (for two) or book hotel rooms starting at $92 per night (no minimum stay). Shuttle service also available from select hotels. Visit www.racepackage.com.
FREE Parking: Available on 154 acres of speedway-owned lots near the track.
Bring Your Cooler: Coolers measuring 14 inches by 14 inches are allowed in the grandstands, so pack your food and drinks to save money.
Lowe's Motor Speedway Value Menu offers are based on availability. Certain restrictions on seating sections may apply. Call the ticket services department at 1-800-455-FANS for details.(LMS PR)(3-10-2008)
All Remaining Bank of America 500 Tickets on sale: With renewals completed, all remaining tickets for the Oct. 11 Bank of America 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Lowe's Motor Speedway went on sale at Monday, Feb. 11. Priced from $29 to $135, a wide selection of grandstand seating options are available, including a limited number of premium frontstretch seats. The lower sections of the Chrysler, General Motors and Ford grandstands along the frontstretch have been renovated and now feature individual, stadium-style seats with backs and arms. Tickets in those sections will also be on sale. The Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office will be open extended hours Monday operating from 8am to 6pm. Additional information about tickets for all Lowe's Motor Speedway events can be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR)(2-12-2008)
Fans Help Wheeler Install First New Frontstretch Seat at LMS: The first phase of Lowe's Motor Speedway's $200 million renovation project marked a major milestone today with the installation of the first of 22,850 new seats along the frontstretch of the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway. The plastic back and bottom of the seat were installed by H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, with assistance from Coca-Cola 600 ticketholders Larry and Jeff McCorkle, of Huntersville, N.C., and Johnny Bustle, of Cornelius, N.C. A new steel-and-aluminum structure is being built over the lower concrete bleacher sections of the Chrysler, Ford and General Motors grandstands along the track's front straightaway. The sections being covered were the track's only frontstretch seats when the facility hosted the inaugural Coca-Cola 600 on June 19, 1960. "The original concrete bleachers now serve as the foundation for the new grandstands being built directly over them," Wheeler explained. "Where fans formerly sat on concrete, they will now have comfortable, stadium-style seats with backs and arms." The massive new structure includes more than one-million pounds of steel and aluminum. It features 20-inch wide seats and the width of each row has been increased to give fans additional leg room. Handrails are being added down the center of each aisle and the aisles will be wider for easier entry and exit. Additional handicap-seating accommodations are also part of the project. Seats in the renovated sections of the General Motors, Chrysler and Ford grandstands are now on sale, starting at $65 for the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and $80 for the May 25 Coca-Cola 600. Tickets can be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS PR)(2-8-2008)
NHRA for sale - Bruton interested? NASCAR interested? NHRA drivers and crews will spend part of the season wondering who is going to buy the series. HD Partners Acquisition Group was set to purchase the NHRA and its assets for $121 million, but the company's board voted down the deal last week, citing the uncertain economic climate. No one is sure when or if the series will be sold this season. Bruton Smith, head of Speedway Motorsports Inc. (which owns Texas Motor Speedway), had expressed an interest in buying the series. He is building a drag strip at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. "We'll wait, and sometime down the road we'll probably take a look at it," Smith said this week. "I see that the sport is growing. We'll see."(Dallas Morning News), and also heard NASCAR could be interested in the series and is looking in to it.(2-7-2008) Comment here.
NASCAR Fans to Help "Humpy" Wheeler Install the First New Frontstretch Seat at LMS: The initial phase of Lowe's Motor Speedway's $200 million renovation project will mark a key milestone Thursday, Feb 7th at 10:30am/et when Coca-Cola 600 ticketholders help H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler install the first of 22,850 new seats along the frontstretch of the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway. A new steel-and-aluminum structure is being built over the lower concrete bleacher sections of the Chrysler, Ford and General Motors grandstands. The massive structure will feature 20-inch wide stadium-style seats with backs and arms, and the width of each row has been increased to give fans additional leg room. The unique green color of the seat uprights will be very familiar to area media members as they have been recycled from the Charlotte Coliseum. H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway Coca-Coca 600 ticketholders Larry and Jeff McCorkle, of Huntersville, N.C., and Johnny Bustle, of Cornelius, N.C., are scheduled to assist with the seat installation.(LMS PR)(2-6-2008)
LMS Employee of the Year Award: Susan McKee has been named Lowe's Motor Speedway's 2007 Employee of the Year. Presented annually, the award recognizes an individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty in executing his or her responsibilities. The winner is determined by a vote of the speedway's executive committee and is selected from among 12 Employee of the Month award recipients. A native of Charlotte who now lives in Concord, N.C., McKee joined the speedway staff in 1988. She works in the finance department where she serves as the track's systems administrator and benefits coordinator. As the 2007 Employee of the Year recipient, H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway presented McKee with a $1,000 bonus, a reserved parking space and the keys to a Toyota Camry company pace car to use throughout 2008.(LMS PR)(1-23-2008)
Engineer to study LMS road needs: Lowe’s Motor Speedway officials plan to hire an outside engineering consultant to study major infrastructure plans around Lowe’s Motor Speedway deemed very time consuming by N.C. Department of Transportation engineers, said county officials. At a meeting this week, the DOT engineers offered alternatives for the realignments of Bruton Smith Boulevard and Morehead Road, citing the two projects as very time consuming, said County Manager John Day. However, Day said, the DOT’s alternative suggestions for the two projects would not meet the goal of original plans in decreasing traffic congestion in front of the speedway. Day, DOT engineers, speedway construction officials and City Manager Brian Hiatt met Wednesday to discuss a $97 million list of infrastructure improvements proposed at the speedway. The Morehead Road and Bruton Smith Boulevard projects, totaling an estimated $33.5 million, are part of the list, which also includes the replacement of the Rocky River Bridge. The list must be tweaked to fit $80 million in incentives being shared among Concord, Cabarrus and the state. The incentives are part of an agreement with Speedway Motorsports CEO Bruton Smith to keep the track in Concord after a skirmish with the city over a $60 million drag strip had Smith looking elsewhere in the Charlotte region. Day said speedway officials told him plans for the drag strip planned for a site near track had been submitted to county inspectors.(Independent Tribune)(12-15-2007)
Christmas lights ignite fire at Bruton Smith's house: Firefighters put out a small fire about 9 p.m. [Friday night] at the home of the Lowe's Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith. An electrical short in the wire of outdoor Christmas lights caused a spark that lit the shrubbery in front of Smith's south Charlotte house, fire officials said. A passerby saw the flames and flagged down a police officer, who called firefighters. Battalion Chief Tom Link said Smith was home at the time of the fire, but "he actually didn't know (about the fire) until we tried to get to the door."(Charlotte Observer)(12-8-2007)
Speedway Boulevard Name Change Approved: Goodbye Speedway Boulevard; hello Bruton Smith Boulevard. At the city of Concord's request, the N.C. Transportation Board unanimously voted Thursday morning to rename the road from Interstate 85 to Lowe's Motor Speedway, a Department of Transportation spokeswoman said. Smith owns the track. Concord made the request after the billionaire threatened to move the speedway to elsewhere in the Charlotte region, following a dispute with Concord over his plans to build a drag strip nearby.(Charlotte Observer)(12-7-2007)
SCC Distributes $700,000 to 66 Organizations: Over 50,000 children in the Charlotte region will benefit from the more than $700,000 distributed by Speedway Children's Charities Thursday night during the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Lowe's Motor Speedway. H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, was joined by Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Tom Sadler, executive director of Speedway Children's Charities, in awarding the grants to 66 local organizations. Speedway Children's Charities raised the record amount through individual and corporate donations along with various fundraising activities throughout the year.(LMS PR)(12-7-2007)
Lowe's Motor Speedway Christmas Tree Lighting: What: H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, and Scott Smith, president of the Charlotte chapter of Speedway Children's Charities, will light a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree at the main entrance to Lowe's Motor Speedway and distribute in excess of $700,000 to 64 local organizations on behalf of Speedway Children's Charities. The money will assist nonprofit charities making a direct and significant impact in the lives of children in need. The public is invited to attend the ceremony that will include lighting a 50-foot Christmas tree; holiday music; refreshments and appearances by Lug Nut, the world's fastest mascot; and Santa Claus. Festivities begin at 6:30pm/et on Thursday, Dec. 6 with the tree lighting scheduled for 6:52pm/et at the Avenue of Flags in front of Smith Tower at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The track is located at the intersection of Speedway Blvd. and Highway 29 in Concord, NC.(LMS PR)(12-2-2007)
Smith to Concord: 'We're here forever': A news conference today [Monday] touting billionaire Bruton Smith's decision to keep Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord was long on congratulations and short on details about $80 million in incentives for him. But after nearly two months of anxiety over the track's fate -- which Smith disclosed last Wednesday -- Smith turned to Concord Mayor Scott Padgett at the news conference and said, "Mayor, I'll tell you, we're here forever." Smith stressed he had been seriously considering moving his track out of Concord. He first threatened to move elsewhere in the Charlotte region last month, after the Concord City Council initially thwarted his plans to build a $60 million drag strip. Council members said they had little information about the project and heard of neighbors' concerns about noise. But city leaders quickly backpedaled from their opposition in the face of Smith's assertions. "We took it very seriously," said John Cox, head of the Cabarrus County Economic Development Corp. Cabarrus leaders quietly put together the incentive proposals this month, based in part on a "wish list" from Smith. Some have criticized the incentives to keep Smith as a bad approach to economic development. But Padgett said incentives are a fact of life for every state now. Much of the incentives are centered on improving roads around the speedway. Local leaders are pitching the road improvements as a boon for the entire area, not just the speedway. Smith did not detail his planned expansion, although Padgett said it would help solidify the area as the center of motorsports. Smith said he has been planning the changes for 1 1/2 years.(Charlotte Observer)(11-27-2007)
Lowe's Motor Speedway will stay in Concord: Lowe's Motor Speedway will remain open in Concord, a speedway spokesman said late this afternoon. No details were immediately released. The speedway spokesman said more information would be released Monday. Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith had said he would decide before Thanksgiving whether an incentives deal in the range of $70 million would convince him to spend $100 million to $200 million to renovate the 47-year-old speedway and build a $60 million drag strip at the racing facility. Concord City Council members initially blocked Smith from building his planned drag strip near the speedway, saying they were worried noise from the hot rods could carry into nearby neighborhoods. Smith then threatened to move Lowe's Motor Speedway, one of the county's biggest taxpayers, When Smith announced the Thanksgiving deadline, officials assumed "he would have everything he needs to do what he needs to do," said Cabarrus Economic Development leader John Cox. Cabarrus leaders have offered Smith incentives, which were outlined in an e-mail County Manager John Day sent to commissioners, county officials have said. The options include extending the George Liles Parkway to U.S. 29, replacing the U.S. 29/Rocky River bridge, providing structures to decrease noise from the drag strip and giving Smith property and sales tax rebates based on the amount of investment on the drag strip and speedway improvements.(Charlotte Observer)(11-21-2007)
[LMS] Speedway incentive package could surpass $70 million: Incentives aimed at keeping Bruton Smith from closing Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord could exceed the figure previously disclosed by Cabarrus County leaders, the chairman of the county's board of commissioners said Monday. Bob Carruth said local officials were continuing to work with Smith's staff, and that any incentives package ultimately must be approved by commissioners, the Concord City Council and state officials. But Carruth acknowledged that the total list of projects that emerged after Smith threatened to close Lowe's isn't guaranteed to stay below $70 million. "It just keeps going up and down," he said. "Those numbers could come out different based on the flavor of the moment." Regardless, Carruth added, "we're not giving the store away." Concord Mayor Scott Padgett said he didn't know the total cost of incentives being discussed Monday. A specific number may be hard to determine, Padgett said, since the options include road widening and a bridge replacement -- state transportation projects that often see budget increases over time. "I think the focus is more on projects than costs," Padgett said. "I don't know if they'll come up with definite figure before it's settled." Carruth, Smith and others said an agreement on incentives and the speedway still could come by Thanksgiving. Smith said he's waiting on information from Concord and wants to decide soon so he can respond to overtures from other communities where he could build a new speedway to replace Lowe's. While declining to give specifics, Smith said some offers were more attractive than what Concord and Cabarrus have pitched, but that his staff's negotiations with those areas were "probably not" as intense as those with Concord and Cabarrus. With Thanksgiving approaching, Carruth said he anticipated a resolution by the time he leaves Wednesday for vacation. "Hopefully," he said, "I get to enjoy my weekend."(Charlotte Observer)(11-20-2007)
Souvenir and Race Ticket Blow-Out at Lowe's Motor Speedway: NASCAR enthusiasts and Christmas shoppers will have the opportunity to fulfill their dream of driving around Lowe's Motor Speedway during the Souvenir and Race Ticket Blow-Out on Friday, Nov. 23. Shoppers spending $50 or more on merchandise or race tickets during the annual day-after-Thanksgiving event will be allowed to drive their personal vehicle two laps around the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway. As a special bonus, fans will receive a free Windstream Pole Night ticket for each 2008 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Challenge or Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup race ticket they purchase. This one-day sale offer is good only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office or by phone at 1-800-455-FANS. Lowe's Motor Speedway will offer a full line of NASCAR memorabilia and apparel at reduced prices with many items selling for only $1. A wide variety of hats and T-shirts will be available starting at just $3. In addition, more than a dozen NASCAR souvenir rigs are expected to be on hand, offering driver and team merchandise at drastically reduced prices. When: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 23. Information concerning the annual Souvenir and Race Ticket Blow-Out can be obtained by contacting the Lowe's Motor Speedway Gift Shop at (704) 455-3204. More info at lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR)(11-19-2007)
LMS's Gappens heading to NHMS [NHIS]: Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bruton Smith has promoted Jerry Gappens to the position of Executive Vice President and General Manager at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. On Nov. 2, Smith announced Speedway Motorsports Inc. had reached an agreement to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre. The $340 million transaction should close early in the first quarter of 2008, and the name of the facility will become New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Gappens, 46, has worked in the motorsports industry for 25 years and brings a successful 15-year track record of promoting SMI events to Loudon, N.H. Most recently, Gappens served as senior vice president of events and marketing for Lowe's Motor Speedway, SMI's flagship facility located near Charlotte, N.C. Gappens was responsible for promoting a wide array of annual events hosted at the multi-use motorsports complex, including three Nextel Cup race weekends and three major car shows. A Windfall, Ind., native, Gappens joined LMS in 1993 as publicity director. He was promoted to director of communications in 1995 and named vice president of promotions and public relations in 1996. In 2002, Gappens was honored as NASCAR's Most Valuable Public Relations Representative. He was promoted to senior vice president of events and marketing at LMS in 2005. Prior to joining Lowe's Motor Speedway, Gappens worked as an account executive for Sales Consultants, a national contingency search firm in New Jersey. He also worked with National Speed Sport News, a leading weekly motorsports publication, for eight years and served as a pit reporter for ABC Sports' coverage of the Indianapolis 500; various CART, NASCAR and IROC races; and the Monaco Grand Prix Formula One event. Active in various civic and charitable organizations, Gappens has served on several boards in the Charlotte region, including the Charlotte Visitors and Convention Bureau, Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, UNC-Charlotte Athletic Foundation, Speedway Children's Charities and the 600 Festival. Gappens, who will relocate from Charlotte to New Hampshire, has two sons, Denny (22) and Wes (21). In 2008, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host two NASCAR Sprint Cup races, the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 on June 29 and the Sylvania 300 on Sept. 14. Ticket information can be obtained by calling (603) 783-4931 or online at www.nhis.com.(LMS PR)(11-14-2007)
Commissioners work to meet Bruton's "wish list": Millions of dollars are on the line as Cabarrus County leaders try to keep the county’s biggest money maker where it is. Christmas may come early for Lowe’s Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith. Cabarrus County Commission Chairman Bob Carruth said, “It was a wish list that his folks had put together of what they needed there.” The list is spelled out in an e-mail leaked to the media. It details exactly what Smith wants to keep Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord. There are also ideas from the County Commission, the Concord City Council and the economic development folks on how to fulfill the $75 million request. Mostly it comes down to improvements to every major road around the speedway, tax rebates, and help building a structure to deal with the noise from the proposed drag strip. Raising property taxes is one thing commissioners are considering as a way to pay for the package, but the commission chairman said that is a last resort. He’s also hoping to get help from the state, and should find out about that after a meeting Wednesday morning. “We need to do everything we can to hang on to this,” Carruth said. Tuesday night’s meeting is a closed door meeting because it is basically a business deal and there is potential competition in the region. The Commissioners will take their proposal to Smith Wednesday and he is expected to make a decision before Thanksgiving.(WCNC.com)(11-13-2007)
OFFICIAL - SMI buys New Hampshire track, renames it: Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE:TRK) has agreed to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre for $340 million in cash. The agreement was announced today by O. Bruton Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2008. To align with other SMI-owned speedway brands, the track will be renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway following completion of the acquisition. The speedway, which opened in 1990 and hosts two Nextel Cup Series events each year, is located about one hour north of Boston in Loudon, N.H. According to the latest census numbers, the population within 200 miles of the speedway is more than 18 million people. The venue is easily accessible via Interstate highways from all metro areas in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Located on approximately 1,100 acres, the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England and features a 1.058-mile oval speedway, with chair-back seating for 92,000 spectators, and a 1.6-mile road course. The speedway hosts the only Nextel Cup Series, Busch Series, and Craftsman Truck Series events held in the six-state New England region. Both Nextel Cup Series races regularly sell out and exceed the NFL Super Bowl in attendance. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our company to grow our business as we continue to invest in this sport and the motorsports industry," said Smith. Smith added that he has offered Bob Bahre the opportunity to remain associated as a consultant with the track that he built. In addition to the major NASCAR races, the track hosts several regional professional racing series, including the NASCAR Grand National Division, NASCAR Busch East Series and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Amateur series events complete the schedule with SCCA sports cars, motorcycles, World Karting Association go-karts and racing schools. New Hampshire Motor Speedway will join a strong portfolio of SMI facilities. The company also owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.; Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.; and Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, Texas. With this acquisition, the company will own race tracks in the West, Northeast, Southeast and Southwest, including four of the nation's top-10 metropolitan markets. The breakdown includes: the sixth-largest market (Infineon/San Francisco); the fifth-largest market (Texas/Dallas-Ft. Worth); the seventh-largest market (New Hampshire/Boston); the ninth-largest market (Atlanta); the 25th-largest market (Lowe's/Charlotte); the 41st-largest market (Las Vegas); and the 92nd-largest market (Bristol/Tri-Cities). Speedway Motorsports, Inc. will promote 13 NASCAR-sanctioned Sprint (formerly NEXTEL) Cup races in 2008 and nine NASCAR-sanctioned Nationwide (formerly Busch) Series events. Combined seating for the seven SMI facilities will exceed 850,000 permanent seats.(SMI PR)(11-2-2007)
SMI buying NHIS? UPDATE2: There is talk of an announcement on Thursday that will go a long way toward determining if Lowe's Motor Speedway will remain in its present location or go on the road to a neighboring community, as Smith has threatened. It all started in August, when Smith announced plans for a mega-drag strip complex on land adjacent to Lowe's Motor Speedway. SMI and city / county government had been discussing an economic package that could offer as much as $2.4 million for the construction of the strip, plus address the reported $200 million in improvements to LMS that Smith has been contemplating. On Friday of last week, Concord City Council reversed its earlier zoning decision, but that doesn't mean Smith will necessarily stay put. The announcement on Thursday will likely give the answer. Compare Smith's likely success in his quest to both improve his product by adding a drag strip and get help with needed improvements to infrastructure with the International Speedway Corp.'s failure to build a racetrack on Staten Island in New York City. Smith, if he chooses to make the improvements to the current facility, will have come out of the ruckus with tax incentives and possibly even a road (Speedway Boulevard) named in his honor. Thursday's rumored announcement will tell the tale.(NASCAR.com) and have heard that Smith could be buying the New Hampshire track, which could be the announcement....from a Charotte Observer article in part: [Bruton] Smith did give a couple of interviews on Charlotte radio stations on Wednesday [Oct 31]. He told WBT-AM (1110) and WFNZ-AM (610) that he has a “big” announcement planned for 2pm Friday. Presumably, that would come at Texas Motor Speedway, the track he owns near Fort Worth where NASCAR’s top three series will be racing this weekend. What (David Poole) called Smith to ask about Wednesday was whether he’d made a deal to buy New Hampshire International Speedway. Smith told (Poole) he has heard that John Henry and Jack Roush, the owners of Roush Fenway Racing (and, in Henry’s case, of the Boston Red Sox) were interested in buying that track. Smith said he has also heard that George Gillett, Ray Evernham’s partner, might want it. Or that Kentucky Speedway owner Jerry Carroll wants it. What (Poole) asked him, though, was whether he’s bought it, or has a deal to buy it. He tried to change the subject again, then finally said, “It’s unfortunate that you weren’t able to get up with me for a comment today.” But he also said that I might be able to reach him later this week [at Texas].(11-1-2007)
UPDATE 2: sources with knowledge of the deal indicated last night that O. Bruton Smith, CEO and chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., had entered into an agreement to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob Bahre, the track's 80-year-old chairman who is among a rare breed in NASCAR: the independent track owner/operator. A press conference is expected to be held tomorrow at Texas Motor Speedway, one of six SMI-owned racing venues that stage 10 Nextel Cup events. With the acquisition of NHIS, that stands to grow to 12 Cup dates. Efforts to reach Bahre last night were unsuccessful. Reached last night, NHIS spokesman Fred Neergaard said, "There's nothing new to report." An SMI source, however, indicated Smith had reached an accord with Bahre, but was not clear as to the terms. SMI's racing empire includes Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which host one Cup event, and Bristol Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., and Texas, which host two Cup dates. Texas won its second Cup date as part of a lawsuit settlement stemming from a complaint brought by Francis Ferko, an SMI shareholder, against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. Smith acquired his first Texas date and Bahre his second NHIS date after they partnered in 1996 to purchase North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and split its two Cup dates. NASCAR, though, must approve and sanction all dates and race locations before any changes are made to the schedule. NASCAR, which has released its 2008 Sprint Cup schedule, has signed agreements with tracks for all 36 races next season. It had long been speculated that if NHIS were to be sold to Smith, it would take him no time to strip the track of its Cup dates. But, the SMI source suggested, that may not be the case. While NHIS could lose its July date to Las Vegas, SMI could salvage NHIS's spot on the NASCAR schedule by swapping Chase dates with Texas, thus making it the start of the Chase.(Boston Globe)(11-1-2007)
Concord City Council Lifts Drag strip restriction: Bruton Smith got his way Friday night. The billionaire owner of Lowe's Motor Speedway had threatened to move his track after Concord barred him from building a drag-racing strip on his property. On Friday, council members voted unanimously to remove that restriction. But it's not clear whether Smith wants to make up with the motorsports city. "I think that would show a lot of friendship," Smith said Friday afternoon when asked whether a vote in his favor that night would keep the speedway in Concord. But he said he would continue to consider suitors in other cities.(Charlotte Observer)(10-27-2007)
Bruton Smith Boulevard? They've offered to let him build his drag strip. They may offer him a tax break. Now Cabarrus County officials are offering billionaire Bruton Smith the ultimate form of civic love if he keeps Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord: his own road. Concord City Council members and Cabarrus County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to ask the state to change the name of Speedway Boulevard to Bruton Smith Boulevard.(Charlotte Observer)(10-25-2007)
Smith: '90 percent chance' I'll move speedway, Track would be razed, sold: Lowe's Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith now says there is a "90%" he will move his track out of Concord for another site around Charlotte. And if he leaves Concord, Smith said, he will raze the track and sell the property piecemeal. Smith's comments to the Observer on Monday are the latest twist in an episode that began when the city of Concord moved to stop work on a $60 million drag strip on speedway property. After the City Council's Oct. 1 vote to rezone the property to ban drag strips, Smith threatened to move the track. Last week, the city reversed its position on the drag strip and started talking about offering incentives to help reduce noise from the drag strip, a concern among neighbors. Smith said he would feel obligated to buy back the 52 condominiums at the speedway from their owners. A final decision on the move won't be made until after the Concord City Council revisits the issue Oct. 26, Smith said. That meeting will be held at 6 p.m.; it originally had been scheduled for Oct. 24. Local officials are continuing to try to persuade Smith to stay put. Several state lawmakers approached him at Saturday's Bank of America 500 race, telling him how much they appreciated his being in North Carolina, said state Rep. Linda Johnson, R-Cabarrus. Smith declined to encourage speculation that he was considering a move to Rock Hill, saying he has not disclosed where he is looking to move. He did say he was considering about 20 sites within an 18-mile radius of Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. Smith also has said he is willing to spend $350 million to abandon the Concord track and build another elsewhere in the Charlotte area.(in part from the Charlotte Observer)
AND Concord's planning and zoning commission unanimously gave its blessing to a controversial drag strip near Lowe's Motor Speedway Tuesday night, the latest move by the city to try to keep the track from leaving. The board mirrored the City Council's retreat from its earlier opposition to the project. In a vote Oct. 1 that halted the $60 million drag strip project, the City Council banned drag strips as a permitted use on Smith's property, citing neighbors' concerns over noise. A public hearing, previously set for Oct. 24. is now scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 26. The planning board, after a 13-minute discussion Tuesday, recommended that the city council change its zoning ordinance back to allow drag strips on speedway property. Preliminary plans show the drag strip across from the speedway, north of The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway on U.S. 29, south of Tom Johnson Camping Center and beside the Rocky River.(Charlotte Observer)(10-17-2007)
Concord now wooing Smith's drag strip: A week ago, Concord ordered Lowe's Motor Speedway to stop building a planned drag strip, and frustrated speedway owner Bruton Smith was threatening to leave town. Now, local officials may give the speedway a tax break to build the strip. The Concord City Council voted unanimously Thursday night to ask city staff to come up with a tax incentives package for the $60 million drag strip and for improvements Smith has floated for the race track. "Clearly this is an opportunity to demonstrate our good faith," Councilman Hector Henry said. The move comes two days after council members voted to reverse their earlier opposition to the drag strip. Just days before Saturday's Bank of America 500 race, Mayor Scott Padgett said Concord "is doing what it can to show once again that we are very proud of motorsports."(Charlotte Observer)(10-12-2007)
Concord backs off drag strip ban: Concord may allow a drag strip after all, after a vote by the city council Tuesday that could put an end to the standoff between the city and Lowe’s Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith. Smith had threatened to move LMS out of Concord after the city put a stop to a proposed drag strip adjacent to the speedway by amending the area’s zoning laws. In a work session meeting Tuesday, the City Council voted to ask the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider amending the speedway’s zoning district to allow drag strips. Two weeks ago the council said no to Smith’s drag strip because of environmental and noise issues. Smith in turn threatened to move Lowe’s Motor Speedway, if he couldn’t build the drag strip on his property.(wcnc.com)(10-10-2007)
NASCAR to wait and see on LMS possible move: The dust-up over a proposed drag strip at Lowe's Motor Speedway involves plenty of people -- not only speedway owner Bruton Smith and Concord city leaders, but also business recruiters and real estate brokers in other counties. It doesn't, however, involve NASCAR, the organization's top boss said Friday. Despite the possibility that Lowe's -- one of racing's most prominent and popular venues -- could be replaced by another speedway, NASCAR chief executive Brian France said he doesn't plan to get involved in what he considers a local dispute. "I'm not familiar with all the issues," Brian France said. "They'll figure out what they need to do." France, NASCAR's chairman and chief executive, was in Charlotte to appear on CNBC's "Power Lunch" program. The visit capped a week that began with Concord officials changing the zoning for the proposed drag strip because of potential noise for nearby residents. The next day, a defiant Smith said he might build another speedway elsewhere in the region, leading to several land offers -- including a public overture from Rowan County officials, just north of Cabarrus. Finding a large piece of land near major highways could be difficult and expensive. But Smith said Friday that his office has received 15 to 20 offers, that he has visited three potential sites, and that his representatives have visited several others. "We're being offered a lot of land," he said. "It's amazing." Although Lowe's Motor Speedway has about 2,000 acres, Smith said he could build a new track on as little as 500 acres. As for location, he said it should be about the same distance from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport as Lowe's -- roughly 20 miles.(Charlotte Observer)(10-6-2007)
Bruton Smith searching for new speedway site [in Charlotte]: Nearly a half-century after he built his first speedway near Charlotte, Bruton Smith has threatened to shut it down and build another one in the region. But the Charlotte area's dramatic growth will make it hard to find a location comparable to Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Concord track owned by Smith's Speedway Motorsports. Among available sites in the region, few are close to the speedway property's massive size -- roughly 2,000 acres. Those that are lie much farther from Charlotte and major highways than Lowe's, located near the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus line near Interstates 85 and 485. A new track also could need new or improved water and sewer lines and roads -- something Concord has spent millions of dollars to upgrade in recent years, in large part because of Lowe's. Still, Smith says he is committed to checking his options for a new speedway in the Charlotte market. His team looked at two sites Wednesday, he said, and representatives for two other sites have called him. "I don't have an option on those properties so I can't say where they are," Smith said. But, he added, "we will be in this area, and fans will have a bigger and better place to go." The prospect of building a new track emerged from a blow-up between Smith and Concord leaders over a proposed drag-racing strip at Lowe's. Smith wants to build the $60 million strip and began grading the site last month. But the Concord City Council, concerned about noise in nearby neighborhoods, on Monday unanimously voted to change the zoning to ban drag strips. On Wednesday, Smith said Speedway Motorsports has been exploring possible renovations to Lowe's for almost a year, and that a Charlotte architectural firm said upgrades could cost about $200 million. Although they hope to resolve the dispute, Concord officials said talk of closing Lowe's by itself won't force them to reverse the drag-strip vote. "I don't see us caving into any threats about moving the speedway," Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ramseur said. "If Mr. Smith wants to spend $300 million in retribution, there's nothing we can do about that." Smith has the money to build almost anything he wants. Forbes magazine last month named him to its list of the 400 richest Americans and estimated his worth at $1.5 billion.(more at Charlotte Observer)(10-4-2007)
Smith to move LMS? Bruton Smith, owner of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., said Tuesday that if Concord [NC] does not work with him on a controversial drag strip, he’ll take Lowe’s Motor Speedway somewhere else. Smith told Eyewitness News he is already looking for plots of land in the Charlotte area. He said he’ll close Lowe’s and build a new speedway and his own airport so that race car drivers will easily be able to fly in and out of town. Concord doesn’t look like it’s going to be a place for him to grow, he said, so if city leaders don’t change their minds, he will take his business and go. Smith said he’s dumbfounded that the Concord City Council voted against a proposed drag strip near the speedway on Monday night, effectively changing the area’s zoning rules. Workers had already started grading the land to make way for the strip. Dozens of residents showed up at the city council meeting to protest the strip so close to their homes. Others argued the economic benefits of such a motorsports attraction. Smith will have to take the city to court in order for the decision to be reversed. He wants Concord to undo an annexation, which made the speedway, and the land around it that had been zoned for motorsports, part of the city limits. “Either they go, or we go,” he said. Eyewitness News contacted the mayor of Concord and told him what Smith had to say. He said he had no comment.(wsoctv.com)(10-2-2007)
Coca-Cola 600 likely to keep name: The Coca-Cola 600 likely will keep its name and won't have to share the specific Coke brand with another NASCAR race despite a major sponsorship deal announced Monday. Coca-Cola North America and International Speedway Corp. signed a 10-year agreement to bring Coke brands to 10 ISC race tracks. The deal also gives Coca-Cola the naming rights for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race held in July at the Daytona International Speedway. The annual race -- this year's was Sunday -- was the Pepsi 400 for several years. In the Charlotte region, the Coca-Cola 600 has been held every May for more than 20 years at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord. Speedway Motorsports owns the speedway and five others and is the biggest rival to ISC, which owns Daytona and a dozen other tracks. Financial terms of the deal between Coca-Cola and ISC weren't released. Officials with both companies said Monday that the new name for the July race in Daytona hasn't been decided. The first Coca-Cola 600 was in 1985 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, said Lauri Wilks, a spokeswoman for the facility and Speedway Motorsports. The speedway's first 10-year deal with Coke was the longest in motorsports history, Wilks said.(Charlotte Observer)(7-12-2007)
$4 Million Frontstretch Grandstand Renovation at LMS: A $4 million renovation of the frontstretch grandstand that includes replacing the current concrete and aluminum bleachers with spacious stadium-style seats is among several capital improvement projects planned this year at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The design and procurement phase of the grandstand renovation is underway and construction will begin following the May 27 Coca-Cola 600. It is scheduled for completion prior to the Oct. 13 Bank of America 500. The $4 million frontstretch grandstand project involves renovating the lower portions of the Ford, General Motors and Chrysler sections, all of which were part of the original grandstand when the track opened in 1960. The renovation is the first phase of a multi-year plan to rebuild the track's frontstretch. This phase includes the construction of a steel and aluminum grandstand which will be placed over the old concrete structure. The new section will include approximately 18,000 stadium-style seats, more walkways, added depth between rows and additional handicap-accessible seating. Other capital projects underway as Lowe's Motor Speedway prepares for its 48th season of NASCAR racing include the construction of a new infield care center and the addition of a modern office/warehouse. The track's souvenir shop is also being renovated and an expansion of the administrative offices on the seventh floor of Smith Tower is nearing completion. All of these projects are slated to be finished before the track's May events, which start with the May 19 Nextel All-Star Challenge. The new 3,200-square-foot Carolinas HealthCare Infield Care Center will be located inside Turn 4 and is designed to meet the medical needs of both fans and competitors. A new medical heliport adjacent to the care center is also part of the plan. Tickets for all 2007 events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the May 19 Nextel All-Star Challenge and the May 27 Coca-Cola 600, are now available and can be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR)(2-2-2007)
In Town [Charlotte area] for the races? some cool places to check out I have been to an enjoy since moving to Mooresville, NC in 2004:
Memory Lane Museum on Hwy 150 W in Mooresville, NC,
North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame Lakeside Park, Mooresville
To eat...Lancaster's Bar-B-Que is a large place with a lot of NASCAR stuff all over the walls
and to check out some team shops, see my Team Address page, on that page there are a few links for Race Shop Tours [click here].
Or drive up I-85 and head to Richard Petty Museum
[Richard] Childress Vineyards.
in Concord, check out Quaker Steak and Lube for some great wings and food
and check out the Sam Bass Gallery, right near the track.
(this is not an ad and not looking for suggestions, just some things to helps folks in town)

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