Charlotte Motor Speedway

Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5 miles, Intermediate, quad oval) in Concord, North Carolina

From 1959-1960, the then and now again known as "Charlotte Motor Speedway" oval of Bruton Smith was built for dirt-cheap nowadays 1.25 million U.S. dollars in Concord, North Carolina. With 167,000 spectators, the track is also one of the big five in NASCAR, which this category comprises. The Speedway is still owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. and represents something like the flagship line of the company represents, whose company headquarters is also located on the premises. Similarly, the area of ​​Charlotte, North Carolina is the home of most NASCAR teams: 90% of all race teams have established their headquarters within a radius of 80km around the Speedway around, some even "opposite". 1999 sold the naming rights to their line for ten years in the U.S. home improvement chain Lowe's, which is also a sponsor of Jimmie Johnson at the same time. End of 2009, said contract ran out, however, so that the oval is known by its original name since 2010.

1.5 miles and 24 ° banking make the Charlotte Motor Speedway, one of the fastest circuits on the calendar. The layout divides the oval with his also in 1960 opened sister track in Atlanta and the still comparatively young Texas Motor Speedway: All distances are "quad ovals", ie have the usual four turns, but a bent through two links Knicks start-finish straight, which they differ slightly from the "D-shaped" ovals. Except for a Chase race in October is in Charlotte (actually Concord) went in May, where the NASCAR on two directly consecutive weekends a similarly big show as the "Daytona Speedweeks" rears, and even in a pit crew challenge the best pit crew of the Cup is determined. At the All-Star race one weeks later follows with the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the year. 2005 made it up to its name because it was so far the only race that lasted more than five hours, except red phases. Debt was Goodyear who brought an unsuitable tires for track, which previously received a roadway rehabilitation. Record breaking 22 Cautions were the result.