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Charlotte is the home base for approximately 100 Nextel Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series teams. The Lowe's Motor Speedway also hosts two Nextel Cup, two Busch Series and one Craftsman Truck Series event each year, as well as the annual NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge event in May. The region is home to NASCAR's licensing and research and development headquarters. Rick Hendrick, owner of four Nextel Cup teams (including Jeff Gordon's and Jimmie Johnson's), is part of the committee lobbying NASCAR to place the Hall of Fame in North Carolina. NASCAR roots run deep in this state, with legendary drivers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty coming from this region. |
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Projected cost: $137 million (includes $37.5 million designated for adding ballroom to convention center) Metro population: 1.5 million Population within 300 miles: 32.9 million Projected annual attendance: 400,000 |
Size/location: 100,000-square-foot facility on a 5-acre site in downtown Charlotte adjacent to the convention center
* - Metro population numbers based on 2000 census |
