Charlotte Roots

Stock car racing has deep roots in Charlotte.  One of the first races took place at the wood-tracked Charlotte Speedway, a 1.25 elevated wood oval located near Wilkinson Boulevard on the west side of the city, in 1924.  The first official Sprint Cup race was held in 1949 at the next incarnation of Charlotte Speedway, a 3/4 mile dirt oval near Pineville.

Early races used gimmicks to draw spectators.  For instance, a 1920s article floats various ideas including races between prominent political figures, women racing (in which the article notes that "all the men would have to get off the track, and an additional guard rail would no doubt have to be fixed around the front of the grandstand), and even Henry Ford unveiling the lastest Ford model at the track.