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127-478: The first running of the race was held in 1985 at NASCAR's longest and fastest non-restrictor-plate superspeedway Charlotte Motor Speedway (briefly renamed Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999, before reverting to the original in 2009) and was run there every year until 2019, except in 1986 when it was run at Atlanta Motor Speedway . Michael Waltrip became the first driver to win the All-Star race after transferring in from

254-514: A 1 ⁄ 5 mile (0.32 km) clay short track, a 2 ⁄ 5 mile (0.64 km) dirt track, and a 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) long drag strip. The main track also features an infield road course that is used with the oval to make a " roval ". With the rise of popularity in stock car racing in the American Southeast that began in the late 1940s and stretched into the 1950s, racing promoter Bruton Smith sought to build

381-409: A "wonderful" initial stockholder meeting on February 18, a last-ditch effort was scheduled to raise $ 50,000 six days later. On the day of the meeting, the committee was successful in raising the $ 300,000 needed. However, a loan offered by Cross to cover the remaining debts was rejected. By May, Craven ordered an investigation of CMS. By July, although Craven was convinced the facility could be saved,

508-493: A capacity of 30,000. However, Turner struggled to sell the 300,000 shares needed. Turner eventually agreed to partner with Smith, with Smith becoming the vice president of the project and selling 100,000 shares. Additional stocks to be sold were added in December 1959 and April 1960. Groundbreaking on the facility commenced on July 28, 1959. It was meant to start two months earlier, but was delayed due to legal issues relating to

635-440: A crash on the race's first lap. Under the leadership of Howard, CMS was able to pay off its mortgage three years early, finally ending the last of the track's financial woes. Throughout Howard's tenure, he was seen as a "good ol' country boy" who spent conservatively on the track; however, he was willing to renovate parts of the track and increase its capacity. In 1965, track officials opted to diversify their holdings, buying out

762-614: A drag strip on the complex. Although the plan initially faced heavy opposition from local politicians, the drag strip was eventually built after Smith threatened to close down the speedway, coercing the city to give him an incentive package of approximately $ 80 million by leveraging fears that a closure would cripple the Concord economy. The drag strip, which cost $ 60 million to build, held its first races in September 2008. Stock car racing , with its origins tracing back to moonshiners during

889-483: A drag strip. This plan was met with heavy criticism from the Concord City Council, which held a special legislative session to decide whether to block it. Smith, in turn, decided to start preliminary grading work regardless of the council's decision. On October 2, the council voted unanimously to block Smith's plans. In response, Smith threatened to shut down the track or relegate it to a testing facility unless

1016-482: A driver could win all five segments. This has not been achieved yet. In 2014, NASCAR changed qualifying from a single car two-lap run to a group qualifying effort with two (on short tracks and road courses) or three (On bigger tracks) rounds. All-Star Race qualifying remained the same. The Showdown was moved to Friday as well as the Fan Vote announcement so they can compete for practice and qualifying. In 2015, NASCAR made

1143-533: A fairly long run. The qualifying race also featured a name change, to the Sprint Showdown (the qualifier reverted to the "Open" name with the Monster Energy sponsorship in 2017). All prize money remained unchanged for that year's race. For the 25th anniversary of the race, two of the more popular elements of the classic format returned for this special edition. The first segment became a 50-lap quarter, with

1270-403: A former public relations representative for various companies, was hired as the track's development director. With this, Howard felt his position was threatened, with local media predicting that Wheeler's hiring was the final piece needed for a total takeover by Smith. On October 5, The Atlanta Constitution reported that the 1975 National 500 was to be Howard's final race with any ties with

1397-438: A mall underneath the condos. Three years later, officials announced the construction of a members-only private club and restaurant named The Speedway Club, with annual membership starting at $ 6,500 (adjusted for inflation, $ 17,432). The Charlotte Motor Speedway complex has two adjacent tracks and a drag strip near the main speedway. By July 1993, construction started on a 1 ⁄ 5 mile (0.32 km) clay short track that

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1524-514: A mandatory pit stop taking place in Lap 25 of the segment, the pit stop must be a four-tire Stop and take place during a green flag condition. Following the first two segments, cars will have the option of pitting, but they will lose track position should they do so. The second and third segments were twenty laps each, returning to the 2007 format. Following the end of the third segment, a ten-minute break took place, allowing for adjustment of cars preceding

1651-454: A period of stability under the ownership of Richard Howard from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, Smith and his new partner, racing promoter and eventual longtime track general manager Humpy Wheeler , completed a takeover of Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1976. Since then, the Smith family and their company, SMI, have directed the facility's expansion and growth into one of the largest sports facilities in

1778-556: A pit stop to change four tires) remained in place to determine the starting lineup, with $ 50,000 for the winner, $ 10,000 for second, and $ 5,000 for third, with the pit crew receiving half of the winner's share. Three drivers from the Nextel Open event, a 40-lap race with two 20-lap segments, gained entry to the Challenge. The top two finishers of the Open plus the leading fan vote winner still on

1905-447: A practice session on June 15, 1960. Immediately, CMS saw issues. During the facility's first day, incomplete facilities were reported by The State . To further compound problems, the asphalt had several holes due to speeds of approximately 130 miles per hour (210 km/h) on the track's surface. The issue had gotten so prevalent that Charlotte Observer writer George Cunningham reported that "four gravel-deep fox holes grew... out of

2032-442: A professional football team. In March, Smith announced plans to build a stadium on the track's frontstretch, with a capacity of 76,000, temporary endzone grandstands, and retractable grandstand seating behind the track's pit road . Original plans for the track had included a football stadium, but this had been scrapped due to numerous construction issues. During the official announcement on March 13, Smith stated that he would build

2159-515: A qualifying race in 1996. Until 2001, the rule restricted only champions of the past five All Star Challenge events, but in 2005, the rule became the winners in the past ten years of either the NASCAR Cup Series or the All-Star Race. For 2015, the full-time drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series or All-Star Race are now exempt, regardless of when they won the race. The All-Star Open (formerly

2286-499: A racetrack. At the same time, driver and successful timber businessman Curtis Turner sought to do the same, collaborating with a group of businessmen. In 1958, Propst suffered a heart attack, backing out of the partnership due to health issues. Consequently, Smith sought to partner with Turner. After a few weeks of initial success, in a meeting at the Barringer Hotel , Turner declined the partnership. For numerous reasons, including

2413-476: A reorganization plan from December to January 3, 1963. Although the plan initially did not receive enough support from creditors, it was eventually approved, with Craven giving final approval for a stock sale in February. By April, the plan saw major success, with the owners repaying over $ 740,000 of debt. In mid-April, Craven allowed private ownership under an 11-person board of directors led by A. C. Goines. This

2540-479: A series of crashes at CMS. Three fatal crashes occurred within six years; David Gaines in 1990, Gary Batson in 1992, and Russell Phillips in 1995, with the third being decapitated when his head hit a caution light. In late 1995, Wheeler gave control of the series to NASCAR, who ended it quickly afterward in 1996. During the 1999 VisionAire 500K – an Indy Racing League race – an early accident involving Stan Wattles and John Paul Jr. occurred on

2667-454: A slight modification to the All-Star Race. The ten-year rule for former Series and All-Star Race champions was replaced with a rule allowing a full-time driver who has won either to have a "lifetime" exemption provided they race full-time. Also, for the Showdown, the "No Bull Sprint" format returned. The first segment was 20 laps, then the winner advanced to the All-Star Race. The second segment

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2794-442: A specific point in the race. Also, the inversion is moved to the final 20 lap sprint, and the ten-minute break is restored between the second and final segment. When Nextel took over title series title sponsorship from RJ Reynolds in 2004, the race name was changed using the previous de facto "All-Star Race" moniker which newer fans had been using since FX began broadcasting ran the event live and as an RJR brand, conflicted with new

2921-519: A state-of-the-art facility. At the same time, driver and businessman Curtis Turner sought to do the same. After initially refusing, Turner eventually partnered with Smith after they agreed to sell shares needed for the track's construction. Charlotte Motor Speedway was constructed in less than 11 months. The facility immediately faced a litany of issues, particularly financial woes. Within the facility's first decade of existence, ownership changed hands numerous times, with Smith and Turner both leaving. After

3048-438: A tenure that had lasted since 1975. Although Smith claimed that he offered Wheeler a consulting job and that Wheeler himself hoped for a part-time position, Wheeler ultimately left all track duties related to CMS. Wheeler was replaced by Marcus Smith , one of Smith's sons. In 2009, corporate sponsor Lowe's ended its eleven-year partnership with the track, which reverted back to the "Charlotte Motor Speedway" name. Throughout

3175-471: A track. Throughout the 1990s and the early 2000s, numerous injuries and fatalities occurred at the track, involving both drivers and spectators. In 1989, Wheeler created the NASCAR Sportsman Division , a series that had the intended goal of giving short-track drivers experience on longer tracks. The track played host to numerous races. The series immediately gained a reputation for danger due to

3302-399: A variety of purposes, are located in the complex. In 1983, to celebrate the facility's 25th anniversary, officials announced the construction of 36 condominiums that were built to overlook CMS's first turn. By the time the project was completed in mid-1984, the number of condos increased to 40, and all were sold by the end of 1983. At the end of 1984, officials announced the construction of

3429-528: Is currently owned by Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI), with Greg Walter serving as its general manager. Charlotte Motor Speedway is served by U.S. Route 29 . The speedway has a capacity of 95,000 as of 2021. The track features numerous amenities, including a Speedway Club, condos, and a seven-story tower located on the complex for office space and souvenirs. In addition, the Charlotte Motor Speedway complex features numerous adjacent tracks, including

3556-462: Is generally considered most teams' home track . Live national television coverage on ABC would also be featured for the first of four years. This format consisted of a 75-lap first segment, with a mandatory green flag pit stop, a 50-lap second segment, and a 10-green flag lap final sprint. Each segment would be separated by a ten-minute break. In addition to the race format, the method for choosing participants changed. The 20-driver field consisted of

3683-452: Is no inversion of the field. Finally, after the third segment, there is a five lap caution period so team can make a required pit stop (for work on their cars or a "stop and go" akin to a speeding penalty on pit row) for all teams which will determine the running order before the Dash for Cash, namely the $ 1 million ( US ) grand prize. The changes to Sprint All-Star Race XXIV from XXIII was not only

3810-403: The 1971 World 600 race weekend. By August 1974, the track was reconfigured to a length of 2.25 miles (3.62 km). In 2018, the road course was modified to suit NASCAR racing, adding a backstretch chicane . this was modified the following year In 2019, one of the speedway's chicanes, located on the backstretch, was modified. In 2020, developers constructed a purpose-built go-kart track in

3937-425: The 1976 World 600 to attract female spectators. In 1977, to promote a rivalry between longtime driver Cale Yarborough and newcomer Darrell Waltrip , he created a contraption that poked fun at Waltrip's nickname, "Jaws", and Yarborough's sponsor, Holly Farms Poultry. Wheeler placed a dead chicken inside the mouth of a dead shark, attached it to a pickup truck's sling, and paraded it before first qualifying round of

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4064-412: The 1977 NAPA National 500 . In 1980, officials announced further renovations worth $ 16 million, with a stated goal of bringing the speedway's capacity to 150,000. In 1983, Bruton and Wheeler announced the construction of 36 condominiums ; the number later increased for 40, and despite initial mockery all were sold by the dwellings' completion in 1984. In 1985, the city of Charlotte sought to attract

4191-495: The 1985 season were eligible. Only nine different drivers won a race in 1985, so the highest placed non-winner in final 1985 points, Geoffrey Bodine , was added to the field for an even 10 cars. A 100-lap (152.2 miles) consolation race for the rest of the drivers, the Atlanta Invitational was held the same day. It featured only thirteen participants, and was won by Benny Parsons . A lackluster crowd of only 18,500 attended

4318-508: The August Jam . Regarded as "Carolina's Woodstock", the festival drew over 200,000 people, more than double than what was expected due to a security breach. The festival unintentionally became the largest music festival in North Carolina history. It soon gained a reputation for violence; Richard Howard, president of CMS, compared the actions of spectators to Japanese Army suicide attacks at

4445-587: The Battle of Okinawa , with damages totaling $ 50,000. From 2013 to 2018, the facility held the Carolina Rebellion festival. Since 2021, CMS has hosted a branch of the touring Breakaway Festival. In 2024, the organizers of the Breakaway Festival also planned a second show at the facility, tailored for EDM . That same year, CMS officials also announced that the speedway would host the inaugural edition of

4572-526: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was asked to assist with the investigation due to preliminary findings of mismanagement and potential fraud. Eventually, a reorganization plan hearing was set for November 5. In October, a new $ 345,000 loan from McIlvaine was guaranteed despite track officials owing McIlvaine over $ 300,000, relieving more financial pressure. The next month, Craven approved Robinson's proposal to let stockholders and creditors vote on

4699-556: The National 500 , which was run in October and first run in 1960. In 1966, the race distance increased to 501 miles (806 km), which remained until 2018. In 2018, in attempts to reverse declining attendance, the race both decreased to 400 kilometres (250 miles) and was run on a specialized "roval" course. Along with its Cup Series races, CMS also hosts lower-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series races. In 1985, Wheeler and

4826-729: The Philadelphia Eagles ; however, the deal fell through when Smith found terms from Redskins owner George Preston Marshall to be unreasonable. As of October 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Charlotte Motor Speedway are listed as: 1985 in NASCAR The 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 37th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 14th modern-era Cup series season. The season began on Sunday, February 10 and ended on Sunday, November 17. Darrell Waltrip , driving for Junior Johnson ,

4953-589: The Prohibition era , became increasingly popular within the American Southeast throughout the 1940s and 1950s. With this rise, new modern tracks, such as Darlington Raceway , were built across the Southeast. In the late 1950s, Bruton Smith , a promoter who had found major success promoting races across the Carolinas, sought to build his own racetrack. In 1956, he partnered with businessman John William Propst Jr. to build

5080-403: The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and its subsidiary Winston introducing their sponsorship of the NASCAR Cup Series in 1970. By 1973, Smith bought almost 500,000 shares – a more than tenfold increase from his initial amount of 40,000 – stating that he did not know why he bought this many. In early 1974, despite an attempt to stop elections for the track's board of directors, Smith

5207-549: The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company directed the creation of The Winston (now called the NASCAR All-Star Race), a race that featured race winners of the previous season. From 1987 until 2020, CMS ran the event annually, with various changes to its format and eligibility rules over time. The race was moved in 2020 to the Bristol Motor Speedway due to COVID-19 restrictions . In 2021, the race officially moved to

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5334-648: The Texas Motor Speedway to reverse declining attendance at Texas. In late 1979, the United States Auto Club (USAC) announced plans to run a 500 kilometres (310 mi) race in October 1980. However, the race was canceled in April due to an agreement with USAC and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). In December 1996, IndyCar announced plans for a race to be held in July 1997. The race ran for three years;

5461-611: The World 600 (known as the Coca-Cola 600 for sponsorship reasons) and the Bank of America Roval 400 . Upon the former's inaugural iteration, it became one of the longest, largest, and highest-paying motor races in the world, becoming a staple on the NASCAR schedule and one of its " crown jewel " events. The Bank of America Roval 400, meanwhile, was formerly a 500-mile (800 km) race commonly known as

5588-468: The "Showdown" from 2008 to 2016; the Open name was also used under Winston and Nextel sponsorships) was restricted to the top 50 drivers in either the final standings of the previous year or current standings in the current year. From 2000 to 2002, and again starting in 2015, two qualifying races are implemented. In 2004, Nextel, predecessor to Sprint, added a vote of race spectators, internet users and Sprint cellphone users to add one additional driver not in

5715-433: The "T-Rex" car, nicknamed after its Jurassic Park: The Ride paint scheme. Due to its dominance in the race, NASCAR banned the car from further competition. After Michael Waltrip 's win by being the last car to transfer from The Winston Open, NASCAR changed the procedure by reverting to a format featuring the 1996 and 1997 race winning drivers and owners, and then adding the preceding year's race winning drivers not yet in

5842-509: The "Talladega 500" and the Marlboro 500 was called the "Michigan 500." Without a generic alternative, television and other media were forced to acknowledge Winston as the title sponsor, effectively skirting, and pushing the limits of tobacco advertising regulation. The event is however referred as "The All-Star" in NASCAR Thunder 2003 and NASCAR Thunder 2004 , EA Sports ' games based on

5969-537: The 2007 race, held May 19, 2007, there were major changes. Announced during the Media Tour in Charlotte on January 23, 2007, the annual Pit Crew Challenge, held May 16, 2007, at Charlotte Bobcats Arena , won by Ryan Newman 's crew in 2007, not only gave each member of the crew $ 10,000 each, but gave the driver the first choice of pit box, instead of the usual post-qualifying selection. The unique three-lap qualifying (with

6096-492: The 2010s, CMS oversaw steady attendance declines that correlated with overall reduced attendance within NASCAR. As a result, officials ordered the removal of 41,000 seats in 2014 and an unspecified amount of seats in 2017. In 2017, the track was used for the filming of the movie Logan Lucky , a fictional tale about a group of people stealing $ 14 million from the facility. In 2018, Marcus stepped down from general manager responsibilities to focus on running SMI as its CEO, handing

6223-548: The 2010s. In 2011, Marcus directed the construction of a 200-by-800-foot (61 by 244 m) television screen on the track's backstretch, demolishing old seats in the process. In 2015, the track's barriers were renovated in response to Kyle Busch 's injury at the Daytona International Speedway in February. In 2023, officials announced plans to build a dedicated road course. Since 1960, Charlotte Motor Speedway has held two annual NASCAR Cup Series races per year:

6350-547: The All-Star Race. In 2023, during NASCAR's 75th anniversary season, the race moved once more to North Wilkesboro Speedway . The twelve race winners from the 1984 season participated in the inaugural running of The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway . The race was 70 laps with one pit stop required. It was held the day before the Coca-Cola World 600 . A $ 10,000 bonus was paid to the leader of Lap 20 for leading that lap. Terry Labonte won that bonus. From its first year,

6477-636: The Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., $ 40,200 (adjusted for inflation, $ 414,028) to the Internal Revenue Service , $ 65,000 (adjusted for inflation, $ 669,449) to Propst and his construction company, and $ 204,000 (adjusted for inflation, $ 2,101,039) to McDevitt Street and Co. The facility also was found to have defaulted on its initial mortgage. By early August, only Propst had been paid off, with further repaves being scheduled to fix track surface issues. On November 22, CMS

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6604-619: The Lovin' Life Music Fest. CMS hosts an annual Christmas-themed drive-thru lights show, a tradition that started in 2010. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic , the track hosted high school graduations for 10 high schools within the Cabarrus County area. In February 1961, track officials wished to host a National Football League (NFL) exhibition game between the Washington Redskins and

6731-490: The Rightway Investment Corporation, an insurance finance company. In 1970, track management announced constructions of a new road course, along with new grandstands according to tax records. By 1972, CMS was increasing their profits year-by-year. In the mid-1970s, after a successful stint in the car dealership business, Smith began to believe that reacquiring CMS would be an highly profitable venture, with

6858-469: The Showdown race was moved to the night preceding the All-Star Race. To replace the event, Charlotte Motor Speedway president, Marcus Smith announced that qualifying for the All-Star Race will take place shortly before the main event. In 2020, the race was moved to Bristol Motor Speedway in July, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Charlotte from accommodating fans. The venue changed again in 2021 to Texas Motor Speedway , which replaced its spring date with

6985-471: The United States. Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in its current form is measured at 1.5 miles (2.4 km), with 24 degrees of banking in the turns and five degrees of banking on the track's frontstretch and backstretch. Within the main track's frontstretch, there is a 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) oval that was built in 1991 and is primarily used for legends car racing . Numerous tracks exist in

7112-462: The Western District of North Carolina , ruled to let the district court take over and manage the track and let CMS enter Chapter 10 bankruptcy, with all officers and directors being removed from their positions. The facility was also protected from creditors by the court, essentially becoming a ward . After Craven's ruling, he appointed Robert Nelson Robinson, a local Charlotte lawyer, to run

7239-431: The beginning of January 1962, however, no progress was made, leading to threats from Craven to liquidate the track by March if no plan was made. By the end of the month, a shareholder committee , headed by A. C. Goines, planned to ask the track's nearly 2,300 shareholders to buy trustee certificates, ranging in value from $ 100 to $ 1,000; this would raise $ 300,000, half of the $ 600,000 needed to start reorganization. After

7366-443: The board of directors despite threatening to resign. In early February, Howard stated that he was tired of the track being run from Illinois, where Smith lived. In response, Smith accused him of consolidating too much power along with financial irregularities. In July, Smith bought around 80,000 shares from Howard's relatives, which was considered a major turning point in their battle for control. On August 29, H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler ,

7493-460: The cars will have to be rebuilt... there's no doubt about it". In addition, the surface was reported to have come apart in numerous areas, with drivers having to avoid flying pieces of asphalt during the race. Max Muhlehurn, writer for The Charlotte News , stated that "The 600 will go down in history as the only race ever run in which drivers were forced to dodge track blemishes more often than other cars". On July 17, McIlvaine spread rumors that

7620-465: The ceremony. The popularity of the reality show Survivor influenced Winston to make changes to the format in 2002, adding a new elimination format ("Survival of the Fastest"), and the final segment returned to 20 laps to make tire wear an issue. Only race winning drivers and owners from 2001 would be in the field, and all former Cup titleholders and the past five winners of The Winston would be added to

7747-456: The controversial 10-lap shootout, and The Winston Open went to a short 30-lap format. The 1992 race marked the first superspeedway race held under-the-lights, and resulted in a spectacular finish. Davey Allison and Kyle Petty battled on the last lap, and crashing crossing the finish line. Allison won the race, but spent the evening in the hospital rather than victory lane. Starting in 1992, former NASCAR Champions were automatically invited to

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7874-557: The day of events, the NASCAR Legends Race was held on a quarter-mile oval paved between the Charlotte Motor Speedway Dog-Leg front stretch, or quad-oval, and between the first and second pit row sections. Elmo Langley won the exhibition event featuring retired NASCAR champions and stars. The race was moved up one day to Saturday night, and it moved to live coverage on The Nashville Network . The Winston revived

8001-472: The day set the field for two 25-lap sprint races. The finish order for the first 25 set the odd positions for the Winston Open, and the finish order for the second 25 set the even positions for the Winston Open. In 2001, The Winston Open reverted to single-car qualifying, best of two laps. In 2000–2002, immediately following The Winston Open, a 16-lap "No Bull 5 Sprint" last-chance race was added. The winner of

8128-417: The decision was reversed, which would have significant financial repercussions for the Concord economy. The council quickly backtracked, and tried to convince Smith to stay by offering him an incentive package of $ 80 million (adjusted for inflation, $ 117,554,165), a street named in his honor, and a tax break, along with letting him build the drag strip. On November 26, Smith stated his final decision in letting

8255-410: The end of the year; however, Smith did state renewed interest of hosting an NFL team at the track two years later. In 1987, construction began on a membership-exclusive club and restaurant named The Speedway Club. By the end of the 1980s, CMS had a maximum capacity of 170,922. In 1991, Smith directed the installation of lights at the track with the help of Iowa-based Musco Lighting . At the time, it

8382-430: The facility's board of directors would appoint new management, under either NASCAR president Bill France Sr. or Darlington Raceway president Bob Colvin. The rumor was repudiated by both Smith and Turner, with the latter threatening legal action. Within the next couple months, numerous claims of Smith and Turner owing money to various groups and companies were made, including $ 90,000 (adjusted for inflation, $ 926,929) to

8509-415: The facility, with Wheeler filling in as president. Under the leadership of Wheeler and Smith, CMS was extensively promoted and rapidly expanded and modernized. In Wheeler's first year as president, he announced a $ 3–5 million renovation that was to be completed in 1981. Wheeler became known in the following years for pulling off elaborate and unique promotions. In 1976, he convinced Janet Guthrie to enter

8636-431: The facility, with a final decision to come on January 30, 1976, the day of the annual stockholders' meeting. Although Howard initially denied these claims and later professed interest in taking a consultant job with Smith, on October 23 Howard stated that he was "99% certain" of leaving. On the day of the stockholders' meeting, a tearful Howard officially announced his resignation, essentially giving Smith full control over

8763-437: The feeling of betrayal, the fact that Turner did not have enough funds to start his own track, and knowing that the city of Charlotte could only support one track, Smith announced his intention to build his own speedway to bluff Turner's plans on April 22, 1959, the same day Turner announced his track. On May 8, Turner announced the track would be built bordering U.S. Route 29 , inside of Cabarrus County, North Carolina , with

8890-430: The field until the field reached 19, and then the winner of The Winston Open. If the number added to the previous year reached over 19, then all drivers who won races that year would be in the field. The race remained at its 70 lap format, but for 1998, only green flag laps would count in any segment, not just the third segment. The second ten-minute break was eliminated and replaced with caution laps, and cars would have

9017-492: The field, but in the Showdown, and finishing on the lead lap, to the final starting field. For 2008, the event's name featured the use of the edition of the race in Roman numerals , with the 2008 race's official name being the "Sprint All-Star Race XXIV". Also, the fan entry driver was changed, with the new formula coming from those attending races up to that point, Sprint retail locations and double votes from Sprint subscribers. In 2014,

9144-417: The field, plus the winner of the qualifying races. The No Bull Sprint was eliminated after 2002, and for 2003, The Winston Open would become a 20-lap race with pit stops, and then a 10 green flag lap sprint after pit stops. If the caution flag waved on Lap 40 of the first segment, two green flag laps or the next yellow flag would be run to finish the segment. In The Winston, only the top 20 cars advanced to

9271-410: The final segment, a ten-green flag lap shootout. The popularity of the double-file restarts throughout the race led NASCAR to adopt the rule for the second half of the 2009 season . The 28th running (2012) came with a slight twist to the format. For the first time in the race's history, there were five segments run in the race, four of them for 20 laps and concluding with a 10-lap sprint. The format

9398-554: The final time to date, all 9 drivers that failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 were allowed to race in a 30 lap (75 mi (121 km)) race on February 15. Rick Newsom was on the pole. Full Results Average speed: 189.341 mi (304.715 km) Caution flags: none The Daytona 500 , the 27th running of the event, was held on February 17, 1985, at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bill Elliott won

9525-440: The foreclosure and subsequent auction of CMS, Turner and Smith resigned from the board of directors, with Smith staying as a promotional director. Board of directors member Duke Ellington replaced Turner as the track's general manager. Turner later accused Smith and Ellington on conspiring to oust him, along with stating inflated profits. In July, Turner and his investor group announced plans to regain control of CMS by either buying

9652-446: The land's purchase. The project was immediately plagued with construction issues. The crew who worked on the track discovered large veins of granite underneath the soil shortly after groundbreaking. To remove it, grading contractor W. Owen Flowe decided to blast it with dynamite, causing delays. In addition, aggressive hornets led to multiple workers quitting. In March 1960, three snowstorms delayed construction even further; although,

9779-614: The last race was canceled after an accident caused flying debris that killed three spectators. Numerous runnings of the Grand Prix of Charlotte , a sports car event, have been run by various organizations. In 2000, the facility held a one-off Grand Prix of Charlotte that was sanctioned by the American Le Mans Series . The race was last run in 2020 by the IMSA SportsCar Championship . On August 10, 1974, CMS hosted

9906-409: The last seasons of Winston title sponsorship. By 2004, Nextel used the "All-Star" name in the event, which NASCAR has since adopted. The race moved to Atlanta International Raceway in 1986 , with a 200 kilometer format of 83 laps (126.326 miles) on Mother's Day , a day typically avoided on the NASCAR calendar. Like its previous counterpart, green flag pit stops were mandatory, and only winners from

10033-501: The lead lap joined the automatic entries from past decade's All-Star race winners and active Cup Champions, along with the winners of the previous year's and first eleven Nextel Cup races of the current season. Winners of those first eleven races in that season were also eligible for the following season's All-Star event. In addition, as part of NASCAR's new television agreements, coverage was moved from FX to Fox sibling network Speed . The race format also changed as well. The main race

10160-421: The mandatory one-year period, with his position being filled by leading stockholder Richard Howard, a furniture store owner. The track later oversaw numerous driver fatalities in the mid-1960s; longtime driver Fireball Roberts died on July 2, 1964, due to complications from a fiery crash at the 1964 World 600 , and Harold Kite , a World War II veteran, died on October 17, 1965, during the 1965 National 400 in

10287-519: The name change with Roman numerals akin to the Super Bowl , and the first All-Star Race utilizing the Car of Tomorrow template, but also an expansion of the race by 25%. Each quarter now had five more laps to race, which changes the complexion of each segment, as tire wear will become a greater factor as well as fuel mileage would become more of an issue throughout the race. The 2007 race with its 20-lap segments

10414-454: The next three segments. Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski did the same after winning Segments 2 and 3 respectively. Criticism to this practice resulted in the final segment pit stop changed from Segment winners to the drivers with the best average finish in Segments 1–4. The same year the pit stop was made for a mandatory 4-tire change. Track owner Bruton Smith promised a bonus million dollars if

10541-411: The next two years, two ARCA drivers died in accidents; Blaise Alexander in 2001, and Eric Martin in 2002. In 2005, officials announced a repave, using a process called levigation to smooth out bumps on the track's surface. This repave led to numerous problems for both of the facility's NASCAR race weekends in 2005, leading to another repave in 2006. In 2007, Smith announced plans to construct

10668-479: The option of pitting for tires and fuel, at the expense of losing track position. The inversion is changed to a random draw between 3 and 12 cars for the inversion after the first segment. In 1998, qualifying for The Winston Open was changed. Previously it was accomplished with one-lap qualifying runs. From 1998 to 2000, the No Bull 25 Shootout twin races determined the lineups. Practice speeds (odd/even) from earlier in

10795-417: The ownership of Bruton Smith, the facility oversaw capacity growth, seeing a peak of over 170,000 by the end of the 1980s. However, since the 2000s, capacity has seen a decrease, with multiple grandstands being demolished in the 2010s; as of 2021 , the track is reported to have a capacity of 95,000. The complex has also expanded to around 2,000 acres (810 ha) as of 2020 . Numerous buildings, used for

10922-457: The past nineteen race winners, regardless of season. The remaining drivers would participate in a 100-lap, last-chance race, the Winston Open , with the winner advancing to the final starting position. In 1989, qualifying for the starting lineup for The Winston changed to a three-lap time trial with the fastest lap key and a quick-pit two-tire pit stop. After a pair of controversial dashes in

11049-557: The past three years which infuriated fans, the race was cut to two segments of 50 and 20 laps to prevent some of the reckless driving, giving the race its 70-lap total distance which would be used until 2001. The ten-minute break was installed between segments. During the break, a fan vote would determine whether or not the field should be inverted for the second segment. Two changes were made in qualification in 1991. Automatic berths were given only to race-winning drivers and owners in 1990 and 1991 up until The Winston. Also, The Winston Open

11176-577: The pole due to being the defending NASCAR Winston Cup Champion . Top Six Results The Coca-Cola World 600 was run on May 26 at Charlotte . Bill Elliott won the pole. Top Ten Results The Budweiser 400 was run on June 2 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California . Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Top Ten Results The Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500 was run on June 9 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania . Bill Elliott won

11303-539: The pole with a new track record (at the time) speed of 205.114 mph (330.099 km/h), he also won his qualifying race. Top Ten Results The Miller High Life 400 was run on February 24 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in Richmond, Virginia . Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Top Ten Results The Carolina 500 was run on March 3 at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina . Terry Labonte won

11430-535: The pole. Top Ten Results The Coca-Cola 500 was run on March 17 at Atlanta International Raceway in Atlanta, Georgia . For the final time in his Cup Series career Neil Bonnett won the pole. Top Ten Results The Valleydale 500 at Bristol International Raceway in Bristol, Tennessee was originally scheduled to run on Sunday, March 31, 1985, but was postponed and ran Saturday, April 6 due to rain. Harry Gant won

11557-555: The pole. Top Ten Results The Miller 400 was run on June 16 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan . Bill Elliott won the pole. Top Ten Results The Pepsi Firecracker 400 was run on July 4 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida . Bill Elliott won the pole. Top Ten Results The Summer 500 was run on July 21 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania . Darrell Waltrip won

11684-635: The pole. Top Ten Results The TranSouth 500 was run on April 14 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina . Bill Elliott won the pole. Top Ten Results The Northwestern Bank 400 was run on April 21 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina . Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Top Ten Results The Sovran Bank 500 was run on April 28 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia . Darrell Waltrip won

11811-605: The pole. Top Ten Results The Winston 500 was run on May 5 at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama . Bill Elliott won the pole. Top Ten Results The Budweiser 500 was run on May 19 at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware . Terry Labonte won the pole. Top Ten Results The inaugural Winston was run on May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina . Terry Labonte won

11938-599: The position over to the speedway's executive vice president at the time, Greg Walter. In interviews, Walter expressed a desire for expanding the CMS's uses for endeavors other than racing, along with further renovations. In 2021, the NASCAR All-Star Race , which had been held at the track annually, with two exceptions in 1986 and 2020, was moved to the Texas Motor Speedway in an attempt to reverse sagging attendance at Texas. CMS has seen numerous renovations and additions since

12065-575: The race was part of the Winston Million . The Busch Clash was run on February 10 at Daytona International Speedway . Ricky Rudd drew for the pole. Top Ten Results The 7-Eleven Twin 125's were run on February 14 at Daytona . Bill Elliott won the pole for race 1 with a lap average speed of 205.114 mph (330.099 km/h). Cale Yarborough won the pole for race 2 with a lap average speed of 203.814 mph (328.007 km/h). Race One Top Ten Results Race Two Top Ten Results For

12192-420: The race. The 1994 race was the only running won by a tire brand ( Hoosier ) other than Goodyear , as Geoff Bodine held off Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader . The event's second segment saw numerous crashes, notably when Ernie Irvan wrecked coming to the yellow to end the second segment. The 1995 race featured Dale Earnhardt 's trend-setting Special paint scheme car. In 1997 , Jeff Gordon won with

12319-489: The second edition of The Winston , with only twenty-three cars racing in the two races combined. The race returned to Charlotte with a new 135-lap (202.5 mile), three-segment format which reflected on NASCAR's short-track roots. A new date was introduced, the weekend before the Coca-Cola 600 , which gave teams a popular two weeks of festivities, known locally and by both die-hard fans and teams as "The Two Weeks of Speed" at what

12446-407: The second segment, and 10 cars (in 2002) or 14 cars (in 2003 planned, but was 12 after crashes) advanced to the third segment. A green flag pit stop for four tires was mandatory in the first segment, but after Frank Stoddard beat the system in 2002 by changing four tires on the car driven by Jeff Burton just feet from the finish line on the last lap, the rule was changed to mandating tire stops at

12573-562: The second turn. And practically the entire surface on the third and fourth turns resembled an old lady's wrinkled face". However, some hoped that the surface would cure at faster speeds, including driver Glenn "Fireball" Roberts . Track leaders ordered a hasty repave of the track, and by the next day, most of the track's surface held up. On June 18, more financial problems ensued; track officials were sued by Roy E. Thomas, who sold advertising space in souvenir programs, for $ 10,000 (adjusted for inflation, $ 102,992) for breach of contract because he

12700-400: The speedway's front stretch, resulting in heavy debris. Wattles' right rear wheel and tire assembly flew into the grandstands at high speeds, killing three people and injuring eight more, resulting in the cancellation of the race. After the 2000 The Winston , a pedestrian bridge collapsed, injuring 107 people, which was later blamed on the bridge's manufacturer using an improper additive. In

12827-417: The sponsorship, officially becoming The Nextel All-Star Challenge. The format was changed slightly while the race stayed at 90 laps. The elimination was eliminated, 1998–2001 inversion and second segment to third segment break rules were restored, meaning a random inversion and an open pit road for the final break instead of a ten-minute break. The four tire stop is now between Laps 13 and 16. Starting with

12954-486: The sprint race would also advance to The Winston. In 2001, television coverage moved to FX as part of the new NASCAR television contract, and qualifying was changed so the pit stop took place at the start of the qualifying, and the stop was a four-tire change instead of two. Starting in 2001, crew members were introduced together with drivers during the driver introduction ceremonies, with Fox broadcasters Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond interviewing selected persons during

13081-466: The stadium if either the local government or investors gave him $ 10 million. Competition for this bid came from fellow Charlotte businessman George Shinn , who wanted either a team for the National Football League (NFL) or the fledgling United States Football League (USFL); Smith, conversely, only wanted an NFL team. The city refused to assist with construction costs, and all plans died by

13208-470: The track and stopped construction, with Flowe threatening to sue CMS officials. Disputing accounts exist of what happened to suppress this action; according to Flowe, numerous people, including Smith and Turner, threatened to shoot him and his workers if they did not continue working. According to Smith, only Turner showed up with a shotgun and proceeded to "[act] like he was somebody" before a guard took away his gun. Eventually, construction resumed, though it

13335-473: The track being planned to be sold at auction on October 30. In attempts to stop this, numerous solutions were brought up, including plans to seek a "miracle" loan and another separate plan that involved Smith partnering with investors to raise $ 600,000 to save the facility. After the auction was delayed, on November 3, James Braxton Craven Jr. , a judge for the United States District Court for

13462-402: The track continue as is, stating, "We're here forever". Tensions between Smith and Wheeler had been documented since 1991, with the two being in "constant disagreement" over topics. By 2008, Wheeler grew angry at several new developments directed by Smith, including the controversial drag strip. On May 21, 2008, Wheeler announced his retirement, effective after the 2008 Coca-Cola 600 , ending

13589-421: The track in a public sale or accumulating enough stock. In August, even though CMS experienced an "unusually successful" 1961 World 600 , they warned stockholders that the facility was in "serious trouble and can only gain financial stability through the arrangement of long-term financing immediately". In the beginning of October, with the facility still having $ 500,000 in debt, foreclosure proceedings began, with

13716-426: The track's infield. Further modifications to two of the road course's chicanes were announced in 2024. CMS is located in Concord, North Carolina , directly next to U.S. Route 29 . At the time of CMS's initial construction, the complex covered 551 acres (223 ha) and had a capacity of around 30,000. Over the span of several decades, CMS and its complex have been expanded and improved numerous times. Throughout

13843-622: The track's infield. In 1970, track officials announced plans for an infield road course that was connected to the speedway's backstretch. According to then-general manager Richard Howard, original plans for the speedway included a road course, but this was cut due to budget issues. The original road course's length has varied in reports, from as short as 1.75 miles (2.82 km) according to the Salisbury Post to as long 1.9 miles (3.1 km) long according to The Charlotte Observer . The road course held its first races on May 22, 1971, as part of

13970-516: The track's publicity director insisted that its construction was "still ahead of schedule". By the end of March, developers considered scrapping plans for grandstands to save time. The issues caused the track's first major race, the NASCAR -sanctioned 1960 World 600 , to be delayed from its original date on May 29 to June 19. Longtime NASCAR mechanic Smokey Yunick called the construction location "a giant mistake. If they'd have searched North Carolina for

14097-436: The track. Numerous loan offers to pull the facility out of its financial woes, including separate offers from businessmen Roger D. Edwards and Dwight Cross, were made. On December 9, Craven ruled to let the track's management find loans without the pressure of creditors demanding money, with Robinson being ordered to come up with a plan to ensure the $ 900,000 (adjusted for inflation, $ 9,176,392) payment to various creditors. By

14224-450: The unique moniker "The Winston " was adopted by sponsor R. J. Reynolds . Rather than referring to the event as a traditional "All star" race, no generic reference was included in the title. Due to limitations on television tobacco advertising , other races which involved tobacco title sponsorship utilized generic names on network television . For example, on ABC , the Winston 500 was called

14351-415: The worst possible place to build a racetrack, that's where they built it." Smith blames Turner for the delays; according to Smith, Turner would commonly hire people while under the influence of alcohol, with Smith having to turn them away. Despite these issues, the project saw additional funding and a $ 300,000 (adjusted for inflation, $ 3,089,764) loan from Washington D.C. businessman James L. McIlvaine, who

14478-596: Was 20 laps in which only Green Flag laps counted, that winner advanced. The winners joined the Fan Vote winner, Danica Patrick . Charlotte Motor Speedway Future: IMSA Ford Mustang Challenge (2025) Charlotte Motor Speedway (known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009 due to sponsorship reasons) is a 1.500-mile (2.414 km) quad-oval intermediate speedway in Concord, North Carolina . It has hosted various major races since its inaugural season of racing in 1960, including NASCAR , IndyCar , and IMSA SportsCar Championship races. The facility

14605-440: Was barely completed by the first days of activities for the 1960 World 600. In later interviews, Smith called it a "miracle" CMS was built, having admitted to losing $ 150,000 building it. CMS cost around two million dollars (adjusted for inflation, $ 20,598,425) according to McIlvaine, with $ 74,000 (adjusted for inflation, $ 762,142) in debts owed to Flowe by the end of its initial construction. CMS officially opened to cars for

14732-460: Was changed to provide additional incentive to win one of the first four segments, as the four segment winners will line up 1–4 to start the mandatory pit stop with the rest of the field lined up according to how they finished segment 4. Otherwise, the format, including eligibility criteria, remained unchanged. After winning the First Segment in 2012 Jimmie Johnson intentionally rode in the back for

14859-486: Was crowned champion (for the third time in his career) at the end of the season. Bill Elliott , driving for Harry Melling , had won 11 races in 1985 (as well as the Winston Million ), but lost the title by 101 points to three-time race winner Waltrip. This was the first season where all races were televised in some form. This would be the last season without Dale Jarrett until 2009 and Mark Martin until 2014 . There were 23 full-time teams in 1985. Bold indicates

14986-451: Was elected as chairman, effectively placing him back in charge. Howard was elected as the facility's president. Later that year, Howard announced a $ 2.5 million (adjusted for inflation, $ 15,445,344) renovation of the track, aimed at improving the physical appearance of the track and adding seating. Throughout 1975, Howard and Smith had heated exchanges in the media, entering a fierce battle for control. In January, Howard regained control of

15113-473: Was fired. On race day, Smith began to pray that the race would go over halfway so he would not have to give out refunds. During the race itself, track surface issues resurfaced; numerous mechanical problems, including blown tires, broken axles, suspensions giving out, and other problems were reported by drivers such as Tom Pistone , Doug Yates , and Ned Jarrett due to the track's rough surface. Another driver, Emanuel Zervakis , stated, "It's rough as hell! All

15240-525: Was made to conduct dirt legends car races. On August 10, 1999, then-general manager Humpy Wheeler announced a new 3 ⁄ 8 mile (0.60 km) dirt track that was to be constructed across the main speedway. By January 2000, the planned track had been extended to 2 ⁄ 5 mile (0.64 km). The first races on this track, which featured a lighting system and a capacity of 15,000, were held on May 28, 2000. In August 2007, owner of Speedway Motorsports , Bruton Smith , announced plans to build

15367-456: Was reduced to 50 laps, with the winner automatically advancing to the Winston. To guarantee 20 cars in the Winston field, it would be filled out by the top finishers (e.g., 2nd, 3rd, etc.) in the Winston Open advancing to the main event until the field reached 20 cars. ABC carried the race in 1990, with the Winston Open finish, and CBS carried both the Open and The Winston in 1991. In 1991, to add to

15494-477: Was reported to have amassed around $ 1 million (adjusted for inflation, $ 10,299,213) in debts. Two more lawsuits were filed in January 1961 by excavating companies. On March 1, 1961, Flowe filed a civil action lawsuit against the track, claiming breach of contract and seeking $ 138,155.28 (adjusted for inflation, $ 1,408,630) in reparations for construction costs. Three months later, as of result of McIlvaine threatening

15621-423: Was shortened to eighty laps with four twenty-lap segments (or "quarters" like in football or basketball; only green flag laps will count in the final quarter). After the first segment, a five-lap caution period starts and there is an opportunity for drivers to take an optional pit stop. After the second segment, there is a ten-minute "halftime" break so pit crews can make adjustments. Unlike past events though, there

15748-521: Was so confident that the project would succeed that he stated in The Charlotte Observer , "This is going to be one of the best investments I've ever made, and I've made some good ones." Nearing the end of the facility's construction, a contract dispute formed between Flowe and his workers, citing unpaid fees and bounced checks. On June 9, days before the World 600, Flowe parked several earthmovers on

15875-419: Was to last for at least one year, completing the reorganization process. That same year, Bruton Smith left his job after being found guilty of failing to properly file tax returns in 1955 and 1956. In December 1963, Goines declared while announcing a 10% stock dividend, "We've taken some bitter medicine, but the patient has been saved". In February 1964, CMS saw a profit for the first time. He resigned after

16002-454: Was treated more of a sprint race; the 2008 race with 25-lap segments means a car will use nearly one-half tank of fuel and cycle the tires through one half of a tire run. It also changed the final pit stop as all cars must pit for fuel and tires since a stop and go during the mandatory pit stop will virtually be impossible because it would be very close to the limit (about 55–60 laps) for fuel, and tire wear became an issue as cars are set up for

16129-485: Was viewed as a major feat, as no oval track as large as the Charlotte Motor Speedway had ever implemented such a system. The lights were completed in April 1992. In 1994, the track renovated its garage area at a cost of around $ 1 million, drawing praise from driver Dale Jarrett . In 1999, the track partnered with hardware retail chain Lowe's , which bought naming rights, the first time a corporate sponsor ever had such rights for

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