Lowe’s Motor Speedway Makes It Official: NHRA will Race in 2008
Written by David Lamm · January 24, 2008
The NHRA officially announced that Charlotte, N.C. will be the location of the Sept. 11-14 event in this year’s 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule. A new state-of-the-art drag racing facility, The Dragway @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway, is being built by Speedway Motorsports Inc. in Concord, N.C. It is the first addition to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule since 2000 and expands the season to 24 events.
“Bringing NHRA POWERade Drag Racing to Charlotte, which has evolved into a hot bed for motorsports, makes perfect sense,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. “The fact that SMI is building yet another first-class facility to entertain our fans, sponsors and race teams speaks volumes to the future growth ahead for NHRA and the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.”
NHRA recently announced modifications to its playoff-style NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship. As a result, the NHRA Carolinas Nationals at The Dragway @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway will begin the playoff round when the top 10 competitors in all four professional categories: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle compete in the six-race NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship and race for the chance to be crowned NHRA POWERade world champions.
“NHRA events have been hugely successful at our other SMI facilities. We’ve entertained more than 1.75 million fans at NHRA events at our tracks, and we expect nothing but tremendous things when the Carolinas Nationals comes to Charlotte,” said O. Bruton Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports Inc. “What a fabulous way to open the doors at what will be the world’s premiere drag racing facility. It’s the perfect compliment to the wide variety of motorsports entertainment already on the schedule at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.”
Several current NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams are based in the Charlotte metropolitan area including: Top Fuel driver Doug Herbert; Pro Stock drivers Greg Anderson and Jason Line, as well as the Pro Stock team of Cagnazzi Racing. Pro Stock Motorcycle riders Shawn Gann and Matt Smith also are North Carolina natives.
Since its inception in 1951, NHRA has sanctioned numerous drag strips throughout the state, running within Division 2 which encompasses the states of North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, eastern Tennessee and Puerto Rico. The last time NHRA staged an event in the state of North Carolina featuring the professional classes was 1998. The specialty race was conducted for 10 years at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, N.C.
This marks the second new venue on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series to cater to the growing fan base in the Southeast United States. In 2006, the series returned to Virginia Motorsports Park outside Richmond, Va.
A number of artists renderings of the new dragstrip were published. Take a look at what the newest racing surface on the NHRA tour will look like.
Artist rendering of front of tower
Artist rendering of the Dragway - Inside look
Map of the new dragstrip
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I think it’s apalling that NHRA would bold face lie to it’s fans in Albuquerque New Mexico. For years now Albuquerque tried to get NHRA to build a state of the art facility for a stop on it’s tour only to be told by NHRA officials they cant afford to add another race to it’s already stressed 23 race stop. Now NHRa has added a 24th stop on it’s tour at the new dragway at Lowes motor speedway. As honest and true we thought this sport to be they are now sounding more and more like capitol hill politicians. Lying to your face to get a vote. Well from Albuquerque New Mexico NHRA gets a vote of no confidence!
Is there going to be camping area near the strip and what is the price range