when did charlotte turn into a road course for nascar

What year was the first race at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

 · And for the first time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Charlotte Motor Speedway will be turned into a road course — the Charlotte road course, or the Roval as it is popularly being ...

What is the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsport complex located in Concord, North Carolina, 13 mi (21 km) outside Charlotte.The complex features a 1.5 mi (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend, and the Bank of America Roval 400.The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the …

When was the first NASCAR race held?

 · Charlotte shows off road-course addition, new synthetic turf. CONCORD, N.C. – Mix 18 turns with 2.4 miles of asphalt, add a pair of chicanes and a generous helping of synthetic (yes, synthetic ...

Who is the owner of the Charlotte Motor Speedway?

Charlotte Motor Speedway ushered in a new chapter of its illustrious history in 2018, when the 2.28-mile, 17-turn ROVAL™ road course oval debuted in the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400. The unique circuit hosted the first road course race in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Is Charlotte speedway a road course?

Speedway Facts The Charlotte Motor Speedway complex encompasses nearly 2,000 acres and includes a 2.25-mile road course, a six-tenths-mile karting layout and a quarter-mile oval within the walls of the 1.5-mile superspeedway. A one-fifth-mile oval is located just outside Turn 3.

When did NASCAR road courses start?

Ross Chastain conquered the latest road circuit on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar with a thrilling Texas win at Circuit of The Americas, marking the first victory of his career. Take a look back at the all-time winningest drivers on road courses in the modern era, which began in 1972.

What was the first road course in NASCAR?

beach road courseNASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, is conceived. FEBRUARY 15, 1948 – NASCAR runs its first race in Daytona Beach at the beach road course. Red Byron wins in a Ford.

When was Charlotte Motor Speedway repave?

1994Lowe's chose not to renew its naming rights after the 2009 NASCAR season. The track reverted to its original name, Charlotte Motor Speedway, in 2010. In 2005, the surface of the track had begun to wear since its last repaving in 1994.

How many NASCAR road courses are there?

seven road course racesThe year of NASCAR road course racing is almost complete. With last Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, six of the seven road course races on this year's schedule are now in the books, and some drivers have had their fill.

Are there any road courses in NASCAR?

Existing tracks on the schedule, including Daytona International Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, now have an interior road course or “roval” race, while other road course races have been contested at venues added to the calendar, including Circuit of the Americas and Road America.

Where did NC NASCAR start?

NASCAR held its first Strictly Stock race on June 19, 1949, at the Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina.

How long has NASCAR had road courses?

The First Road Race. NASCAR's first premier series road race came in just the second event of the inaugural season. On July 10, 1949, Hall of Famer Red Byron (2018) won a 40-lap race on the Daytona Beach Road-Course, a 4.15-mile oval circuit that, as the name implies, was run both on a public road and the beach.

What is the oldest NASCAR track?

Darlington RacewayOpening in 1950, Darlington Raceway is one of NASCAR's oldest tracks, and the oldest superspeedway on the circuit. Built on farmland, the idea for Darlington was a track and event that could rival the Indy 500, but in the south. The track features a unique design, with turns one and two that are wide and sweeping.

Is Charlotte Motor Speedway built on a volcano?

Yes, the town is uniquely built on an ancient pool of hardened magma, but no, that's not the same thing as a volcano.

When did the bridge collapse at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

May 20, 2000On May 20, 2000, shortly after the finish of a racing event at the Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC, one span of a four-span, simply-supported, precast, pretensioned concrete pedestrian bridge collapsed injuring 107 people. The bridge was approximately five years of age at the time of collapse.

What year was the first race at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

Charlotte SpeedwayLocationCharlotte, North CarolinaOpened1949ClosedOctober 17, 1956Major eventsFirst NASCAR Cup Race In 1949Oval2 more rows

Who built the Charlotte Motor Speedway?

Charlotte Motor Speedway was designed and built by Bruton Smith and partner and driver Curtis Turner in 1959. The first World 600 NASCAR race was held at the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) speedway on June 19, 1960. On December 8, 1961, the speedway filed bankruptcy notice.

Who owns the Charlotte Speedway?

The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton) as track president.

When was the Zmax drag strip built?

Highway 29 from the main superspeedway. It was built in 2008 involving a total of 1,876 workers and a combined 636,000 man hours. With 300 workers on site daily working an average 11-hour shift, a 13-month construction project turned into a 6-month one. At one point during construction, concern by nearby residents led Concord city council to rezone land the drag strip was being built on, preventing it from being built. Following the decision Smith threatened to close Charlotte Motor Speedway and build a track elsewhere in Metrolina. When asked if he would go through with the threat Smith replied "I am deadly serious". After a month of negotiations, the issue was settled and, instead of the speedway closing, Smith announced $200 million worth of improvements including road and highway improvements, as well as noise attenuation for the drag strip. The drag strip officially opened on August 20, 2008, and a public open house was held a few days later. The first NHRA event was held September 11–14, 2008.

How long is the Bowman-Gray track?

Inside the front stretch is a 0.25 miles (0.40 km) flat oval designed after Bowman-Gray Stadium. The 1/4-mile track previously hosted the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Now it currently hosts the Summer Shootout Series and other events such as the Legends Million .

When was Charlotte Motor Speedway built?

Track History. Charlotte Motor Speedway was designed and built in 1959 by current chairman and NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee O. Bruton Smith. The late Curtis Turner, one of stock car racing's earliest stars and another Hall of Fame inductee, served as Smith's primary business partner.

Who was the first NASCAR driver?

Smith, a native of Oakboro, N.C., was an automobile dealer and short-track stock car racing promoter at Concord Motor Speedway and the Charlotte Fairgrounds. Turner, a Virginian who amassed his money in the lumber industry, became one of the first drivers on the NASCAR circuit after the sanctioning body debuted in 1949.

When was the Smith Tower built?

Smith Tower, a 135,000-square-foot, seven-story facility connected to the speedway's grandstands, was erected and opened in 1988.

How many stories are there in the Smith Tower?

Smith Tower, a 135,000-square-foot, seven-story facility connected to the speedway's grandstands, was erected and opened in 1988. The building houses the speedway's corporate offices, ticket office, souvenir gift shop, leased office space and The Speedway Club, an exclusive dining and entertainment facility.

Is Charlotte Motor Speedway a road course?

Charlotte Motor Speedway introduces final road-course layout. CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR and track officials revealed a revised layout Monday for the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, which will make its debut in September’s race weekend. The new layout, which combines the 1.5-mile oval with the infield road-racing section, ...

Who is Steve O'Donnell?

Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, indicated there was some initial talk of prepping the road-course circuit for last year’s playoffs, but that NASCAR and track officials opted to make sure the track had sufficient vetting and testing before it was approved for competition.