Charlotte NC - Race Week

Greetings race fans! This weekend is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Coca Cola 600 at beautiful Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. Hotels within a 50 mile radius are full. RV parks are in full on gouging mode for the weekend. These people came in last night, they are tent central.


This is down town Charlotte. Despite the economy and the downturn in the bank industry, they are still building like crazy.


The downtown core of Charlotte is closed for what they call Speed Street. It's a street fair dedicated to NASCAR. This is the giant sound stage where they have bands at night. They were playing recorded music and this guy was just rocking out.


Here he is, getting down with the beat.


One of the entrances to Speed Street.



We were somewhat surprised to see Hamburger Helper vans.


This is a Car of Tomorrow. NASCAR has moved away from the old stock car racing to essentially one-design racing. Everybody gets the same car. Look at the headlights, they aren't real. The car has been draped in a huge decal like the ones you see on city buses. That's how you tell the cars apart. They're small cars.


Inside of the car.


One of the many bars.


It's a mohawk bug!


There were many scantily clad young women handing out stuff.


The weiner mobile.


There was a huge food court, where there was nothing good for you to eat.


These are hand dipped corn dogs.


This is a true delicacy.


So, we're in Charlotte for awhile, spending some time with my sibling.