Fly & Drive: Fulfill Your Need for Speed in North Carolina

For car racing fans, North Carolina offers a trio of destinations that will get your adrenaline pumping. From feeling the thrill of the action at the track to exploring museums and touring team race shops, there’s more than enough to keep your engine revving throughout your visit.

Start Your Engines in Charlotte

Charlotte is home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, an ideal start to any race-themed road trip. With a combination of permanent and temporary exhibits, you can learn about the drivers, teams and events of the past and get a closer look at those making an impact today. Here you can also see the Hall of Honor, a tribute to those who have earned their place among NASCAR’s elite.

Compete against family and friends on one of the racing simulators, tackle the Pit Crew Challenge to see how fast you can change a tire or try your hand at broadcasting by calling a play-by-play of the race. It’s the perfect spot to get you in the racing mindset for your journey.

Make a Pit Stop in Concord

About a 30-minute drive from Charlotte, Concord features racetracks, race shops and a racing museum.

Charlotte Motor Speedway welcomes race fans to stop in for a visit any time of the year. The track maintains a full schedule of events, including two NASCAR weekends each year with races in all three of NASCAR’s top series, racing schools, speedway tours and even Speedway Christmas, an annual drive-thru holiday light show.

Next door, there’s The Dirt Track at Charlotte, which hosts dirt racing events like the World of Outlaws World Finals in November and the Cook Out Monster Truck Bash in August. Sitting alongside The Dirt Track, zMAX Dragway hosts the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals each year In April — a thrilling event, where four cars battle instead of the traditional two.

To get a closer look at some of your favorite race teams, stop by their race shops in the area. At Hendrick Motorsports, you can see race trophies, cars and other memorabilia in the lobbies of the 5/9 and 24/48 buildings, tour the museum and pop into the gift shop. Trackhouse Racing and RFK Racing shops are also nearby.

Some race shops offer guided tours, while others limit public access to designated areas such as team stores, viewing galleries or museums. Be sure to call ahead for details.

At Curb Motorsports Museum, see how Mike Curb combined his passions for country music and racing through a variety of exhibits that include race cars, gold award records, photographs and much more.

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Cross the Finish Line in Mooresville

Known as Race City USA, Mooresville has plenty of attractions and activities for race fans, and more race shops. At Spire Motorsports, visitors can watch the crew prep cars before picking up a souvenir in the gift shop. Over at Team Penske, the impressive 432-foot fan walk provides a close-up view of NASCAR vehicles getting track-ready. For a behind-the-scenes experience, fans can schedule a free tour at JR Motorsports, where they’ll see Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast studio and explore the departments that help build winning race cars.

For more NASCAR and NHRA history and legends, check out the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. And if you can’t get enough cars, Memory Lane Motorsports and Historical Automotive Museum has over 100! Its collection includes classic cars, muscle cars, motorcycles and, of course, race cars.

If you’re ready to climb behind the wheel, hit the track at Trackhouse Motorplex or The Pit, two go-kart racing facilities that offer plenty of competition and excitement. At Trackhouse Motorplex, challenge your friends to a spin around the 0.7-mile, 11-turn outdoor track as you reach speeds up to 55 mph. At The Pit, see who can take the checkers on the indoor, 20-turn track that stretches just more than a third of a mile in length.

Don’t leave Mooresville without stopping at Lancaster’s BBQ. While indulging your taste buds with barbecue pork and smoked ribs, you can take in all the NASCAR memorabilia that adorns the walls, ceiling and even the bathrooms. You can even dine in a fan bus inside the restaurant. Think of it as a trip to victory lane to wrap up your trip!

Plan your trip with a AAA travel advisor and rent your car with Hertz. AAA members can save up to 20% on Hertz rentals.