NASCAR came to Concord last week for a red-white-and-blue showcase for the sport, culminating with the running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 26. “In the next two weeks, hundreds of thousands of fans will attend race events at the speedway, enjoy Food Lion Speed Street and visit area race shops and the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Marcus Smith.
To kick off the May races, the I-77 South Welcome Center held a “Pit Stop” last Friday to welcome race fans. VisitCharlotte and other partners from the area greeted visitors, answered questions and otherwise welcomed hundreds of fans to North Carolina. The Welcome Center provides extensive information on racing, including race shops, tours, track schedules and more.
Dedicated fans from all 50 states and as far away as Queensland, Australia are traveling to Cabarrus County in the heart of NASCAR country to take in all the excitement of back-to-back weekends at Charlotte Motor Speedway. About 5,000 people work at the speedway during each NASCAR event weekend, according to the speedway. In addition, with fans camping or staying in local hotels, eating at local restaurants and visiting area attractions, the economic impact to the region has been estimated at $250 million to $275 million.