As a part of the ongoing Fans First initiative at Charlotte Motor Speedway, fans coming to the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30 can expect plenty of recently-added amenities, events, displays, and upgrades at the Mecca of Motorsports. Below is a sampling of what’s new for May at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Roomier, More Comfortable, Stadium-Style Frontstretch Seats Charlotte Motor Speedway installed approximately 15,000 new premium seats along the 1.5-mile superspeedway’s frontstretch, and special bronze nameplates will adorn the seats of new Victory Lane Club season ticket holders in that area. The narrow cast-metal seats in the Chrysler and General Motors grandstands were removed and replaced with new 21-inch stadium-style deluxe flip-down seats with arm rests. The new seats will offer a prime view of the start-finish line and pit road for both races.
Expanded Display Area is More Interactive for Fans, Fans coming to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the May 30 Coca-Cola 600 will have more entertainment options right outside the track, as the display areas have expanded significantly for 2010. Nearly twice the number of interactive displays as 2009 will line the areas along the main speedway entrance and directly across the street. Some of the displays include the Coca-Cola Stage, which will feature live music on race days; the MillerCoors Porta Bar; and the Scotts Turf Builder Cornhole Classic area, where fans can play the popular tailgating game for prizes including cash and race tickets. Fans will find increased food and beverage options as well, and there will continue to be plenty of souvenir trailers in the display areas, so fans can buy their favorite driver’s gear at the track. Designated Smoking Lounges Presented by Native are New for 2010 There are new designated smoking lounges at the track, presented by Native Trading Associates. Located throughout the concourse areas, the lounges are equipped with high-definition televisions so fans don’t miss a minute of the race. Native and Herr’s Potato Chips will hand out samples and coupons to fans who use the designated smoking lounges, which are located adjacent to the concourses in the Toyota Fourth Turn Terrace, Chrysler, General Motors, Ford and Diamond Tower seating areas. Native is also sponsoring a smoking lounge in the infield, which is located just inside the Gate 26 tunnel.
CATS Route Provides Easy Access to Speedway The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), the City of Concord and Charlotte Motor Speedway have partnered to bring race day bus service from Center City Charlotte to the track. Starting from the Charlotte Transportation Center, race fans can take the 79X Concord Mills Express to beat the traffic and enjoy the Coca-Cola 600 at the speedway for just $6 round-trip. The route will run every 20 minutes from noon until 6:30 p.m. for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30. Return trips will begin immediately after the checkered flag and buses will be near the track’s main entrance. Tickets can be purchased at the Charlotte Transportation Center at 310 East Trade Street in Center City or online at http://secure.ridetransit.org/psales/.
Speedway Offers Tours of NASCAR Hall of Fame While fans are in town for the races, they can take advantage of convenient tours operated by Charlotte Motor Speedway of the newly-opened NASCAR Hall of Fame. Fans can take a shuttle from the zMAX Dragway main tower entrance to NASCAR’s newest attraction.. For more information, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/fans/tours.
Pinky’s Westside Grill Offers New Fare Fans coming to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 will have a new concession option at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Greg Auten, a former co-owner of the Charlotte landmark restaurant The Penguin, and former Penguin managers will soon open Pinky’s Westside Grill in Charlotte and the group plans to debut several Pinky’s menu items at the speedway. Homemade corn dogs, fries, chili dogs, and fried pickles will be available to fans for purchase.
Coca-Cola 600 Weekend Coca-Cola Family Walk Comes to Charlotte Motor Speedway May 28 New for 2010 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the Coca-Cola Family Track Walk, which gives fans the opportunity to mingle with top NASCAR drivers and get active while walking around the track. Fans can get moving alongside Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 28. Following the walk, fans can enjoy activities for the whole family, including games, music, racing simulators, motivating lifestyle tips and Q&A sessions with drivers. To round out the day, Coca-Cola and Charlotte Motor Speedway are bringing back a fan favorite from 2009 – the Quarter-Mile Cookout – using the nation’s longest grill. At 1,320 feet in length, the grill will use more than 3.5 tons of charcoal to cook up a picnic-style lunch following the Coca-Cola Family Track Walk. There will be plenty of healthy food options available at the cookout, including grilled chicken, ground chuck hamburgers, wheat buns, apples and baked Herr’s chips. The entire day of events is free and open to all ticket and annual credential holders for the Coca-Cola 600.
Military Vehicle Displays Pay Tribute to the Troops Fans can browse through a military vehicle display near the main entrance of the speedway during Coca-Cola 600 Race Week, just one of many tributes to the troops taking place during the Memorial Day Weekend race. Several military vehicles will be on display, including a Bradley tank, a Humvee, a PLS cargo vehicle and a mini C-130 turboprop military transport aircraft. The display will also feature a military-themed tribute Ford Mustang, complete with a custom red, white and blue paint job. Additional Vietnam-era vehicles will also be featured in the display area across Highway 29 from the main entrance of the speedway.
Tickets for all May races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(CMS)(5-26-2010)
