New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

Tooky

Tooky

Serious about performance
Wow this is some big news for drag racing if you ask me. In Concord, North Carolina, they just finished building a new 4-lane dragstrip, all concrete. This is the only 4 lane quarter mile strip in the US and only the 2nd dragstrip to be all concrete.

It sounds almost unbelievable but the budget is $60 Million and it is like two regular dragstrips side by side (not truly 4 lanes like a 4 lane highway).

They're calling this "the Bellagio of Drag strips" seating 30,000 and the first race is a scheduled NHRA race in September. Here's a construction photo:

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There are two pedestrian tunnels under the track.

Of particular interest to drivers such as Force [...] on hand Saturday, are two facts about the facility. It will have four lanes for competition, and the entire quarter-mile track will be concrete.

There's a lot of talk in the drag racing world about how a four-lane facility can be used. One set of lanes could be prepped to optimize conditions for Top Fuel and Funny Cars, for instance, while the other pair could be prepared with Pro Stock and Pro Stock motorcycles in mind. Having two pairs of race-worthy lanes also could streamline the length of a day of competition.
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Source: http://www.thatsracin.com/commentary/story/14629.html

Here are some more links:

June 5th 2008 construction photo gallery: http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/news_photos/photo_gallery/sf5826.html

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/29612.htm

Drag racer's discussion: http://forum.competitionplus.com/showthread.php?t=2714

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The track is complete and just cut the ribbon. Last Saturday was the Open House.

http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/dragway/news/534221.html

It really is a 4 lane dragstrip!!!!

C68721F5-1422-10BC-74B88570AAF11C5C.jpg


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Link to more aerial shots: http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/dragway/gallery/sf5914.html

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These photos are all obviously still under construction. Couldn't find any great shots of the finished work but I'm sure you all get the idea..

Now, who lives in the area and can race their SyTy on the track and post us some pics and tell us how it really is!?!?!
 
Luke

Luke

Fish sticks SUCK !!!
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

they had an open house last saturday that place is bad ass, just scored tickets for the race too. and only 15min from the house
 
alwayswantedone

alwayswantedone

Donating Member
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

Thats a very nice looking track. Nice to know there is a track like this in the area I will be moving to in the future. Not that I race much but its good to know its there.
 
Tooky

Tooky

Serious about performance
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

cloned 1 said:
they had an open house last saturday that place is bad ass, just scored tickets for the race too. and only 15min from the house
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I read the open house was going to feature spectator street drags, is that true? And how did they race? Really 4 at a time with 2 trees coming down simultaneously? What happened during an oil down?
 
B

BoostedGMC

Guest
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

Wow thats a cool track. I can't wait to get my truck back on the road and race there. I have never raced at a dragstrip, looks like a lot of fun.
 
Loeryder

Loeryder

New member
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

With all the small time tracks getting shut down its good to see there are new ones on the horizon.

Now if it were 15 minutes from my house I'd be happy as shit!

Looks like an awesome place though!
 
Luke

Luke

Fish sticks SUCK !!!
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

Tooky said:
I read the open house was going to feature spectator street drags, is that true? And how did they race? Really 4 at a time with 2 trees coming down simultaneously? What happened during an oil down?
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the first 300 cars to show could race, the "spare" set of lanes are used when there is a oil down, rather than wait for clean up, just switch sdes of the track, :tup: It's funny because there was a huge stink when Bruton Smith wanted to build that track because the houses nearby complained there would be too much noise, he basically said I f I cant build my track you can say goodby to Lowes motor speedway and all the tourist money that come with it.

I told the wife if we can get a house cheaper since you could see the track from the back yard we are moving :lol:
 
canadian

canadian

sy in progress
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

so is this one a full 1320 feet, or did they puss out and change it to 1000?
 
Loeryder

Loeryder

New member
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

08-0718-441_lg.jpg


houses nearby?

That looks like a golf course and a trailer park.
And we all know that the trailer park isn't bringing in the tax dollars lowes motor speedway is. lol

Mid America raceway got shut down by a newly built subdivision that was built 20+ years AFTER the track was established.
 
JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

haha thats funny,

Controversy broke out in September/October 2007 when Smith revealed plans to build a drag racing strip on land close to Lowes Motor Speedway. Many residents near the speedway in the city of Concord, NC opposed this move, stating that it would cause excessive noise and traffic. The city of Concord then changed the zoning around the track, essentially preventing him from being able to build the drag strip. On October 2, 2007, Smith demanded that the Speedway and his surrounding land be unannexed from the city of Concord or he would shut down Lowes Motor Speedway, taking hundreds of millions of dollars away from Concord and businesses surrounding it, and move it to a different plot of land within the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. He said that he would be able to finish such a project with $350 million and 11 months.[10] At that time the city council reversed it's decision under pressure from both the mayor and NC Gov. Easley. The local government of Concord recently suggested renaming a major street "Bruton Smith Blvd."
On November 26, 2007, Mr. Smith announced his intent to retain Lowes Motor Speedway in its current location in Concord, NC. His decision was an apparent response to an incentive package offered by the city, county, and state, worth approximately $80 million. In the incentives, Speedway Boulevard will be renamed to Bruton Smith Boulevard, and will be re-aligned or widened. The package includes three other major road projects near the speedway. Sources of funding for the projects are still under discussion, but could include a sales tax increase for local residents. (source: Charlotte Observer, 11/27/2007, page 1)
 
Daveman2

Daveman2

Autox Blazer
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

Thats awesome but they made it on the wrong side of the country
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

TwinTurboV8Ty said:
haha thats funny,

Controversy broke out in September/October 2007 when Smith revealed plans to build a drag racing strip on land close to Lowes Motor Speedway. Many residents near the speedway in the city of Concord, NC opposed this move, stating that it would cause excessive noise and traffic. The city of Concord then changed the zoning around the track, essentially preventing him from being able to build the drag strip. On October 2, 2007, Smith demanded that the Speedway and his surrounding land be unannexed from the city of Concord or he would shut down Lowes Motor Speedway, taking hundreds of millions of dollars away from Concord and businesses surrounding it, and move it to a different plot of land within the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. He said that he would be able to finish such a project with $350 million and 11 months.[10] At that time the city council reversed it's decision under pressure from both the mayor and NC Gov. Easley. The local government of Concord recently suggested renaming a major street "Bruton Smith Blvd."
On November 26, 2007, Mr. Smith announced his intent to retain Lowes Motor Speedway in its current location in Concord, NC. His decision was an apparent response to an incentive package offered by the city, county, and state, worth approximately $80 million. In the incentives, Speedway Boulevard will be renamed to Bruton Smith Boulevard, and will be re-aligned or widened. The package includes three other major road projects near the speedway. Sources of funding for the projects are still under discussion, but could include a sales tax increase for local residents. (source: Charlotte Observer, 11/27/2007, page 1)
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Money talks. NIMBY walks.
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

Loeryder said:
08-0718-441_lg.jpg


houses nearby?

That looks like a golf course and a trailer park.
And we all know that the trailer park isn't bringing in the tax dollars lowes motor speedway is. lol

Mid America raceway got shut down by a newly built subdivision that was built 20+ years AFTER the track was established.
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Nearby = within 6 or 7 miles, to these people. We get people (developers) trying to go after our track all the time. So far, so good, but it makes me wonder about the next 10-15 years.

I can hear the track from my yard, about 4 miles away, faintly. Nothing better while working in the garage, as far as I'm concerned. :)
 
sy2675

sy2675

He Saved the Pimp'n Game!
Re: New 4-lane all concrete dragstrip opened in NC

Damn home owners! Last i heard, here at our local strip, if you have an address close enough to hear the strip you get in free, but you can here it from quite a ways away. If you wernt a race fan, of car guy/girl i could understand. Same thing is happening to our Indiana State Gun Club, we shoot trap skeet and sporting clays here, home builder have built waht was farm land for miles into suburbs of $300,000 plus homes, and now bitch about the shotgun noise. It is grandfathered in for now, but cant be sold or change hands or it most likely will be shut down. HATERS are everywhere! sniff sniff, i think i smell me a hater right now.
 
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