Charlotte Motor Speedway

I recently took the full tour of Charlotte Motor Speedway, and honestly, it was way better than I expected. We hopped into a tour van and got driven all around the entire facility, and our driver made the whole experience. He didn’t just point at things—we got a full history lesson mixed with stories, fun facts, and little behind-the-scenes nuggets you won’t hear anywhere else. We got to see everything: the garages, the infield, the track surface up close, the pit areas, even spots most fans never get near. Riding around the track in the van was kind of surreal—seeing those turns from the inside really gives you a new respect for what the drivers are dealing with at race speeds. The banked turns look big on TV, but when you’re actually on them, you realize just how wild they really are. The whole place was clean, impressive, and way bigger than it looks during a race broadcast. What made it stand out, though, was how relaxed and enjoyable the tour felt. Our driver clearly loved the place and knew its entire history backwards and forwards. He talked about how the track started, the major races and events over the years, and even threw in some fun personal stories from working around the speedway. It felt more like being shown around by a friend than some stiff, scripted tour. If you’re a NASCAR fan, you’ll absolutely love it. If you’re just a casual visitor or tagging along with someone who is, it’s still a fun and unique experience. You leave with a deeper appreciation for the sport and the people who make it all happen. Overall, the tour was totally worth it—informative, entertaining, and just plain cool to see everything up close. Highly recommend checking it out if you’re anywhere near Charlotte.

Visited the speedway for the Christmas illumination. It was a fun experience. Highly recommend. Purchasing the tickets online rather than at the gate saves you money. If you go on Christmas Eve or a day after Christmas then you don’t need to buy express lane tickets. They didn’t have a huge wait time on the standard line.

We had a great time visiting Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Christmas lights! The kids absolutely loved it. Even with a low volume of cars, it was still a solid 30 minutes of driving the track and enjoying the light displays. My little guy's favorite attraction was the center field display synced up with classic Siberian Orchestra rocking out and lights dancing. We did go after Christmas, so the market and drive-in movies were no longer available, which was a bit of a bummer, but overall it was still a fantastic experience. The icing on the cake was that it was free for Atrium Health teammates. Highly recommend for a fun family outing during the holidays!

We had an awesome time as usual at the Charlotte Motor Speedway! The Roval is a fun event to watch. We were lucky enough to have garage and pit passes too which is an added bonus. If you're new to races here, it's a bit better to sit higher up as you can see further around the track but there's really no bad seats here. $50 for Bojangles for 4 of us but that's really not terrible considering where you are. All in all it was a fun time with family.

What an incredibly clean track, easy to get in and out. I'm not a big NASCAR fan but went with some friends and had a phenomenal time. Also loved the aluminum table available to every seat in the stands! We paid for premium parking and it was worth it, but also don't think any parking was particularly bad.

Very fun, engaging informative experience. Completed a ull tour just before the Coca Cola 500. The speedway was huge. Enjoyed the tour especially the the garage area and the massive track.

We were at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2025 for the Bank of America Roval 400. The iconic track lived up to it's reputation. Had a great time! We'll return in 2026.

I took my son and grandson here for our first racing experience. It was fantastic. Easy parking and entry, staff was helpful. We were able to bring a small cooler with drinks and food. Facilities inside were also very convenient.

I cannot say enough good things about this place. The staff were extremely helpful when my tickets didn't appear on the CMS app, nor my Ticketmaster app. The place is clean and it was perfect for my first NASCAR race ever. Dad & I got to go to all 3 days of the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. Pro-tip: the box seat tickets ARE AN AMAZING DEAL for the Pre-Cup races (ARCA, Truck, & Xfinity), and because there's less people that go to these races, it's simple to navigate and enjoy. The access to food and drinks without going outside was a game changer. This said, the General Admission stands HAD TABLES!!! It made it perfect to set food and scanners on. Bravo Charlotte Motor Speedway staff. I cannot say enough good things about this place. The staff were extremely helpful when my tickets didn't appear on the CMS app, nor my Ticketmaster app. The place is clean and it was perfect for my first NASCAR race ever. Dad & I got to go to all 3 days of the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. Pro-tip: the box seat tickets ARE AN AMAZING DEAL for the Pre-Cup races (ARCA, Truck, & Xfinity), and because there's less people that go to these races, it's simple to navigate and enjoy. The access to food and drinks without going outside was a game changer. This said, the General Admission stands HAD TABLES!!! It made it perfect to set food and scanners on. Bravo Charlotte Motor Speedway staff.

In from CT to visit family. We decided to come out tonight to see the show. Certainly not worth $45.00. We waited 2 hrs to get in to see a 10 minute show and now 2 hrs to get out. I say stay home and watch a two hour Christmas movie at home. Improve the entrance and departure time in getting all these cars out in a timely fashion. My recommendation would be selling tickets in advance according to time slots. Then you wouldn't have everyone show up at the same time and such long lines. What kills the experience is the entry and exit. Would not recommend this at all due to the long wait to get in and out of the show. NEVER AGAIN!!! Merry Christmas All.

Came here for the Christmas speedway lights. In the EXPRESS lane, expect to wait over 2 hours in the express lane for over $84. They should have porta potties for cars in line. The express line was very slow. Not worth it at all. Do not come here on a weekend. It's terribly managed traffic control. We will not return ever. I RECOMMEND YOU TRY SOMETHING ELSE.

Ive been to Charlotte Motor Speedway to actually see race many years ago. Parking is readily available and not free. Facility is used for other events thru out the year. Give yourself plenty of parking time, it gets busy when there is an event. I do remember enjoyin the race, it was a great experience. Bring ear protection it will get really loud. Lots of walking so be prepared. Seating is very hard, so bring something soft for your comfort. This most recent time in Dec 2023, I went to Cirque Du Soleil. Its a yearly tradition for my family. Always a great time in whatever city you choose! The event wasn't on the race track, but they used the field area for parking. Everything was organized, parking attendants are on site. If you have never been to a Cirque show, treat yourself, you wont regret it!

I have been to CMS numerous times over the past 25 yrs sitting in a variety of different areas, from concrete on the backstretch to the suites. This Coke 600 seating in the "Terrace Box" was the worst experience to date. What the show as part of the Terrace Box package for $275 is misleading to say the least. Starting with the "Showcase Buffet" that serves cold hotdogs and hamburgers to the "NO" Scanners to a bar that struggles to take a credit card payment because the wi-fi system is so outdated to the absolutely useless "Concierge" service that could not help with the scanner request. It was very disappointing to say the least. If you can't/won't do better, not a problem, I can to other tracks within the Carolina/TN/GA area or better yet stay home in comfort and save money...as Cole Trickle said, "the TV coverage is excellent".

I went to the speedway today for a tiny house festival, which turned out to be quite a letdown. The event was overhyped as if there would be rows of tiny houses along with various vendors and food trucks, but in reality, there were only about five tiny homes and the lines were so long that I only managed to explore one. Waiting half an hour to enter each house was simply absurd. However, the day wasn't a total loss--it was sunny and pleasant, a DJ played some great music, and I spent quality time with a wonderful friend.

This review is specifically for the Speedway Christmas at the motor speedway! It's a late review but if you want to attend next year you'll be Informed. Number one, get there early! It takes about 20/30 minutes to get in. So have enough gas as well lol. The christmas village was only open thursday through Sunday. The s'mores and hot chocolate station is $6 for two comes with a stick in the fire pit. One of my favorite parts of the village. You can never go wrong with the fair food so of course I had to get something to eat Gyro,butterfly fries, and of course the turkey leg! Loved all of them. They had this inside area which is actually pretty warm. They have different vendors, decoration santa,and drink for the drinkers. The inside Is pretty warm so you can get some food and some drinks and really just chill or you have the option of going to your car and watch their Christmas movie on the big screen dope. When I went monday through Wednesday is $30 per car, thursday through sunday is $40 per car. Also thursday through sunday they have a skip line, which is $70 which means can skip the line and get right to it. I'm a regular civilian. So I was in the normal line, but don't let my pocket stop your pockets! More reviews on Tik Tok @SwaleEats

Pretty space, lots of parking easy accessibility and I am overall impressed by the experience I have had here. Many food stalls and more than plenty bathrooms!

This review is just for the Christmas light show. We waited in an extremely slow line for 2 1/2 hours before we even got in. It was ridiculous to have to wait that long. What the organizers really need to do is have a certain time slot for a group of people so everyone isn't coming at once. I realize they're trying to make as much money as they can and JAM as many of us in there as possible. Money, money, money! But if others feel like I do... then in the long run this is going to backfire and they are going to lose a LOT of customers. The actual light show, once we finally got in was reasonably good... but the line was still incredibly slow. We got there at about 6pm and did not leave until nearly 11pm. And that was without stopping at the concessions in the middle AND it was taking the left "lane" which was for "faster traffic". WHO KNOWS how long we would have been there if we had actually taken the right "lane" which was for "slower" traffic or if we had stopped for concessions. Never again. Ever.

The whole staff was super friendly and informative. Our family stopped in from out of town, but we didn't have time to do a tour. The gentleman from the tour desk, Toriano, was extremely nice and allowed us to view the track. He didn't have to be so accommodating and I don't want those acts of kindness to go unmentioned! Thanks again to the whole CMS staff, but especially, Toriano!

CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW PLEASE do your research before you go. I had a horrible experience because I showed up with my friend expecting a total of an hour-2 hour long experience. Nope. We sat in line for 4/5 hours. Then the show was a complete let down, so disappointing. Your neighborhood lights are probably more impressive. We couldn't get back home till 1 in the morning and we left at 7pm. AND people are so dumb and cant read the sign that clearly states to make TWO LANES and the left is for people looking to leave the speedway. It was so chaotic. DO NOT RECOMMEND.

My husband and I have been going to Charlotte speedway for over 26 years. Andy who looks over several sections of seats is very professional. Margie in the ticket office is very knowledgeable

I visited the Christmas Lights and the Christmas Village for my birthday yesterday, and it was just as great as last year. I go every year for my birthday but this was my first time going to the village. They had funnel cakes, corn dogs, hot chocolate, turkey legs, etc. There were fire pits and smores and plenty of tables to sit. We had such a great time. The drive in movie that was playing was White Christmas. Overall it was a great time. I can't wait to visit again next year!

The Speedway Christmas was SO FUN! The 4 mile drive-through light show was impressive--lots of synchronized lights, huge wireframe lights and big displays. One super fun bonus was driving on the actual speedway track. We paid for the Express Pass, which was very worth it. We went right up to the entrance. The whole experience took us 1.5 hours to go through. Totally recommend this fun Christmas adventure!

Son + I came up & took my mom thru the Christmas Lights... we waited until after the holiday because everywhere I read said lines were long. We arrived at 630pm & there was ZERO line. In fact, initially it looked like we were the only ones there haha, but we were a part of approximately 20 cars, which was PERFECT. At first, we were underwhelmed by the lights, there wasn't an overwhelming display, but then I realized... I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREAKING CHARLOTTE SPEEDWAY... so an overwhelming initial display was unnecessary!! Cuz you're driving on the SPEEDWAY!! How many people would LOVE to do that! Nascar fan or not... ME. I'm the one who isn't a huge Nascar diehard and I was THRILLED, so I can't imagine how fan-girl an actual Ricky Bobby fan would be. As we proceeded thru, the display was way more impressive, I especially liked the display on the stands, (which again, it's the freaking Charlotte Speedway and to see the stands themselves was so cool. (From the time you arrive, you turn your radio to a suggested channel, and the music coordinates with the light show). I especially liked how the display continent THRU the " underbelly" of the stands. If you get a chance, stop at the overlook and get out & look/listen. It is a TRIP. Silent, with the light show and cars slaloming thru the display - but you're high up and can't hear the cars. It was pretty cool. I definitely would do it again. It's $30 for the carload, up to 15 people. I LOVED how empty it was being twds the end of the show, but we missed out on some things like the movies they show and food! (We had looked fwd to funnel cake & turkey legs, but I didn't see where the "Village" was - it appeared completely deserted except for the show, so I may have missed it or they didn't do that portion after Jan 1st. Definitely check it out!

Charlotte Motor Speedway in a different light. I have been to Charlotte Motor Speedway many times over the years since they opened including escorting a County Commission Candidate who was the guest of Bruton Smith the Speedway owner and as a regular race fan. The regular races I went to were with Friends from Ohio who would come down for the Memorial Day Races. For a Birthday Present, my wife also bought me package where they would drive me around the track with a Professional Driver. For a number of years they have had drive through Christmas Lights which I have never been to although my wife has. The now have an ice skating rink which will be open till the end of February and a car swap meet twice a year. Starting yesterday and going though tomorrow, the Speedway in conjunction with Atrium Health has turned the Speedway into a Mass Covid -19 Vaccination Event. My wife falls under 1b priority list for Covid-19 Vaccinations since she just turned 75 and has underlying preexisting conditions although not severe. Through Novant Health, she was able to get a vaccination scheduled for Matthews for Feb 2. About the same time, the CDC lowered the minimum age to 65 and older which is my age group. Went onto Novant also and the earliest I could get was April 25th. Last Saturday, we had lunch at Midtown Sundries here is Denver and I picked up the local weekly because I saw it had an article about Covid and where to get vaccinated. The local place was the Hospital in Lincolnton which is part of the Atrium Health System formerly Carolina (Charlotte) Hospital System. Clicked on the link for Atrium Health and they listed all of the Atrium Health locations including those in other States. On the right hand side of the page with little explanation was a link for "events" which I clicked on. Turns out, Atrium Health had partnered with Charlotte Motor Speedway for a Mass Inoculation Event with a target of 16,000 shots over a three day period starting January 22. Clicked on it and after a quick survey and registration process, I had an appointment for my first shot on Jan 22 at 3:10am. and the second shot three weeks later on Feb 12. This is the Pfizer Vaccine Told my wife and she had me go on line and set up an appointment for her. Due to call volume, her' appointment was at 4:10pm Had a bit of trepidation going in because we've witness other Mass Inoculation Events in Florida and California that devolved into pure mayhem. Not the case here. Through out the week, we kept getting text message regarding our upcoming appointment with a request not to show up earlier that 15 minutes before our scheduled time. After a quick to go lunch from Famous Toastery in Denver, we drove over and arrived about 20 minutes before our time. Drove into the Charlotte Motor Speedway main entrance and processed to take the perimeter roads to the back of the property in the middle of the back stretch. Between traffic cones and flagmen, it went very quickly with speeds at times of up 30 mph. Pulled up to a series of check stations and were split into multiple lines by a conductor. First stop, they gave a packet with a medical questionnaire, post care instructions, a pen for the paperwork and a Atrium Face Mask. She also wrote the number two on the windshield to indicate that there were two individuals in the vehicles receiving vaccinations. Next stop was a young lady with a laptop verifying our reservation, name and date of birth. Standard medical check in. Third stop was someone verifying that the paperwork was complete and at that time, put a green piece of paper on the dash board to indicate low risk. From there, you enter the track in the middle of the back stretch going in the opposite direction traffic would be going in a race. Initially you could get up onto the banked track but with cones, they quickly relegated you to the apron. You could drive here to the middle of the first turn at which time your were directed into the infield and the Road Course. After a short time, you were pack on the main track long enough to exit to the Pits. Each Garage Area was set up as a mini-vaccination area. Ours was Garage #14. As we pulled in, we were instructed to roll down both windows since we were both getting shots. The car was approached by two Medical Professionals. The Doctor came up to my window and introduced himself, reviewed our data, picked up our vaccination cards to sign and the green piece of paper. A Nurse Supervisor did the same on my wife's side. We both got our shots one after the other and the Dr. placed the Green Piece of Paper back on the dashboard with the number 1304 written on it. From there we exited the garages and went into the area where the Car Haulers and normally parked. Signs indicated we would be there for 15 minutes and after that we were free to go. Have never been to as well organized and professional event in my life. Hats off to Charlotte Motor Speedway and Atrium.

After Thanksgiving Dinner my family line up in several vehicles and head out to see the Christmas Light Show at Charlotte Motor Speedway! We always have a warm holiday fun spirited time! Everyone has their own favorite thing to do like, just staring at the Christmas Beautiful Lights, Watching The Christmas Movie on the Large Projection Screen, Shopping, Eating Funnel Cakes, Large Plate of fresh fried Potato Chips, Drinking Apple Cider/ Hot Cocoa, etc. My new exciting thing to do is to sit around the campfire, roast marshmallows and share Christmas experiences!! I'm going again at least two more times before Christmas!!

Charlotte Motor Speedway, especially the Coca-Cola 600, is a bucket list racetrack for NASCAR fans. The racing here is fun to watch, even when you stop by for other racing events than NASCAR. The facility is easy to navigate, concessions and bathrooms are easily accessible, and the bathrooms are usually clean. The gift shop is nice as well.

I bought tickets for the VIP seating and Disabled parking area. The golf cart accessibility at the parking area was our only issue. We Arrived at the track early, it took about 30 minutes to get a ride to the ticket office. The cart driver did not know that I needed to go under the normal ticket office for VIP tickets and neither did the initial security screeners. A email with ADA parking/ golf cart, VIP ticket office location, and restaurant buffet menu would be so helpful.

Such a great time ! My Husband has been fortunate enough to have the the Gt 350 track attack in Utah 2 c and now here in Charlotte for the Gt 500 track attack. Dinner reception was great, food was delicious. We have the steak. Met some really nice people that are here for track day . I was a guest and they let you be a part of this special day. We got to ride in the car for a quick review of the track which was cool, we were in the classroom , we got to do fast lap on the track with an instructor, Mine was Alison, such an awesome driver! So much fun . We also got to see what it was like on the John Force zmax dragstrip/speedway .We got to take a "fast " ride with an instructor on the dragstrip which was so much fun , in the Gt 500. It is an 8 hour day but totally worth it. Thank you to all the instructors for such a fun time , explains everything about what these cars are meant to do and how they handle the tracks so well .

I wish I could give 0 stars for the Christmas Lights show I attended Saturday evening. We arrived around 7 and waited about 45 minutes just to buy the $50 tickets. Once in, we zig-zagged around a huge field in a traffic jam for THREE HOURS with no way out, no food or drink, and people dashing in and out of their cars to use portapotties. This isn't safe and somebody's kid is going to get run over if they haven't already. Apparently people who bought the $75 express ticket still had to wait two hours. There was no warning or indication whatsoever that the wait would be that long or that there was NO WAY OUT. Once you're in, you're committed. If someone has a medical emergency while there, they will probably just die. Nobody can get to you. People were stuck all over the place having run out of gas just waiting to get into the show. There are no event staff anywhere. Once in, the show was just weird. It was summer-themed with stuff like crabs wearing Santa hats and penguins jumping off diving boards. The fact you get to drive on the speedway would be cool if you didn't have to go painfully slow. Oh and you have to tune the radio station to hear the music and the music is weird too--when there wasn't too much static to even hear it. After about 45 minutes of show you get to the Christmas Village, but by the time we got there it was about to close and we were too tired and anxious to even do anything more at the point. Just wanted to leave and never go back. It felt like paying $50 to be tortured. We didn't get home until 2am. Do not attempt to do this show if you have any sort of medical issues, road rage, anxiety or claustrophobia. Or even if you don't. It sucks.

We enjoy Christmas lights at the speedway. This is our second time. The first time we went on a weekday at the beginning of the season when the village was closed. At that time there was no wait and you could go at your own pace. When the village is open with food Santa and the Christmas shop be prepared to wait. It took us about 2 hours from start to finish. It was $40 for the weekend price. The kids enjoyed it after the wait to see the lights were over and wished it never ended they said. Pack snacks tube into the station to see what the lights are dancing to and enjoy the ride.

We came here on New Year's Eve around 5:30 expecting a long wait but there was none at all! Perhaps it was because of the light rain or it just being after Christmas Day there were only a few cars there and they actually opened the show earlier than the 6 PM opening that is advertised. Absolutely loved the light show! We last went nearly a decade ago and they have definitely upgraded everything. I've heard various "horror" stories of 3 hour waits and I'm glad we didn't go through that! Definitely come after Christmas and on a weekday!

Please do not waste your time! You'll be so disappointed! It takes about 3.5-4 hours waiting before you even see the first light! They promote open 6pm-10pm and by the time you get even close to the "village" it's all done and over! We entered the park at 6:30and did not come out until11pm!

Left the house at 6 and around 11pm we're just now exiting these lights. This might have been the most EXCRUCIATING experience that I have ever been through. I see no positives of doing this unless you want to sit in a car WITH NO WAY OUT with someone. This would be a great excuse to trap someone in a car and get to know who them, but no this was not enjoyable AT ALL. I spent an entire work day going through this in a car. Why would I pay money to sit in a car when I'm trying AVOID traffic every day of my life. I am highly traumatized by the length of the experience. I am not awed or amazed at the lights at all. The lights would be cool if this lasted one hour max. The lights are below average, there is nothing out of this world and anyone is much better off snuggling at home in pijamas or doing something worthwhile for a good 8 hours that this ridiculous experience lasts. Traumatizing.

Went to see the coca cola 600 2022. Honestly, I don't get all the negative reviews. There was 100k people there to watch the nascar event. Parking lots for dayyyyys. Yes you will have to walk a bit but with an event this massive, that's expected. There were dozens of merchandise tents across the street from the venue. Inside, the way the seats are set up with little bench tables in front of you is AWESOME. Food trucks inside with all the other carnival type food vendors. People had ice chests, food, blankets, seat cushions, ect. All brought in themselves with no hassle. This would NEVER fly in CA. I couldn't believe how much they allow you to bring in. They legit allow you to bring in ice chests full of beer. How is anyone complaining lol? So, overall, this is a great venue. If people complain about parking it's their own fault. Pick up the pace walking out to your vehicle or yes you're likely going to be waiting in traffic to leave. We had no issues whatsoever with parking/exiting although it was a bit confusing on where to park at first.

A total rip-off. $75 per car. I took my two grandchildren. We arrived about 6:30 PM and inched toward the entrance, which took well over an hour. We inched around the track for another hour. They were thoroughly bored. This was too much hype. Will never do it again. Not worth the TIME and money.

I'm sitting in the comfort of our RV in Fresno, CA and watching the 600 on Fix. The best part was the honor and distinction that was given to all of our men and women who are and who have served in the United States military. I am so proud to be an American. Thank you for keeping the wolf off our dirt and keeping us safe. M saying thank you for all of the people who don't have a YELP account. Thank you y'all and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Beautiful place! Typical banquets style so you might be hungry later. We had a good time. View to the track was outstanding! Keep the place in mind for group events

Cool Christmas light show. Drive through two lanes with a winter village in the center. Signs to exit to visit the winter village are small so keep your eyes open or you'll miss the entrance in. Once you pass the entrance in you cannot reverse due to miles of cars behind.

Go to the speedway to experience the Christmas lights! It's worth the $25 per car. My family and I had a really good time riding through looking at the intricate lights that were perfectly timed with the music you tune your station to. Once we parked for the village we enjoyed some food inside and talked with fellow patrons out by the fire pits which was really great as it was a cold evening. We got s'more kits for only $5 and four of us were able to have one, pretty good deal. The only thing we didn't love was that the Ferris wheel was an additional fee of $5 a person (you buy tickets at $1/ticket and the ride is 5 tickets/person). Overall we all enjoyed the Christmas tradition of lights and the speedway put on a good show.

I don't know anything about NACAR racing, but I stopped here on a whim and had a good time. Just to quickly backtrack, I was visiting Charlotte for the weekend earlier this year in April. After touring Bank of America Stadium, catching a Charlotte Hornets basketball game, taking in a Charlotte Knights minor league baseball game and even driving into South Carolina for the day and strolling around Congaree National Park,....I did have some extra time on my hands before leaving town and heading back home. I found that tours of Charlotte Motor Speedway was a popular activity and sight to see. So here I was, upon Charlotte Motor Speedway (a 20 mile drive from downtown Charlotte), ready to walk the grounds and explore this massive professional race track. Unfortunately during the weekend that I came on by, there were no tours or races being offered. Instead, they were having a giant car show. No problem.... For $12, I bought myself a ticket and went straight inside the raceway! Here was the best part of all this....Once inside, I entered through the stands, and had all the unimpeded views I could ever ask for. Honestly, it felt like I had Charlotte Motor Speedway all to myself! Granted, the weather was cloudy and dreary on a Sunday that probably deterred lots of folks from coming. Still, after taking up the views of the racetrack from the stands, I stepped down onto the track and walked around. It was great! Yeah, there were tons and tons of authentic cars, people standing next to their cars, showing off their cars.....makes and models of all ages and sizes. This was a pretty gigantic car show! But for me....it was a great opportunity to walk on the racetrack, take my time and see what racing and NASCAR life is all about. I ultimately walked around the entire track, soaking up the unique aspects and views of the raceway, all the while passing by people's cars that they were proudly showcasing. It was a truly simple, easy day and I genuinely enjoyed putting myself in the world that so many other Americans have and love as their favorite pastime. For me, and not knowing anything about car racing, it gave a perspective on how other people view their favorite sport and what gets them so excited for race day. And...lol, I did this by walking and surveying the track all the while there zero races going on. It's nice to see the other side of sports other than your typical baseball, football, basketball, etc.... Finally, I was able to capture some pretty special photos from my time traversing around. I was certainly the only person who wasn't there for the actual car show, hehehe. Yet, I've visited Daytona Motor Speedway and the track in Indianapolis and when I did tours from those places, you're limited in your time and what you can see, and you're at the mercy of a set tour schedule. But taking in this car show was done on my terms. I spent about 2.5 hours immersing myself in the racing track world. It was a worthwhile way to spend an extra free moment I had while visiting Charlotte. I'm glad I checked this place out.

I came to the speedway to see the Christmas lights. We enjoyed the lights, christmas village and drive in movie. Our family enjoyed the experiences the speedway had to offer. My favorite was the lights coordinated to the music and the tunnel of lights at the end of the display. I have gone to other light displays and this one tops them all!!! I would recommend this event to everyone.

We really enjoyed the Christmas show. I don't have any complaints. There are two lanes if you have to get out. People should not be getting out of their cars. We didn't see any of that. Best to go early. The Christmas village was fun. Well worth the money.

After going here since I was a boy with my dad, uncles, and cousins; where we would camp out in the infield and make a weekend of it, I'm leaving my season tickets, RV park, and Speedway Club membership. Just prior to COVID, we bought a new RV and parked it at the CMS. Have had it there ever since for work and travel changed. Paid a storage fee, unless there was an event, where I would pay the event parking price whether we attended or not, 5 figures a year. The event manager would call me to see my intentions and I'd pay the fee and yes, I'd miss a call but certainly call back and pay well before the event. Management change happens and I get a call stating I'm too much trouble and they've sold my space to some one else and I'll need to move out my RV, 3 day notice while I happened to be in South Florida helping with hurricane relief. So I left Florida and drove all day, hooked up and brought my RV to Florida. Very poor form!!

Christmas speedway lights were definitely worth the 25 dollars compared to Bristol motor speedway. The only complaint was the kids were excited to watch the movie elf and they were playing home alone. Either fix the website or make it more user friendly. However, the lights are awesome. Make sure and go early to miss traffic.

Waited in line for over two hours and still didn't get in the track to see the lights. They do not tell you the wait is over 3 hours. The line streams through the parking lot like your almost inside. Set up very poorly organized. They should take notes from Chick-fil-A. Also, the price says $45 for a van, but then they charge over $7 more in fees when you purchase the ticket online. Very disappointed kids and 89 year old mother.

Looking for a little speed in your life? Venture over to Charlotte Motor Speedway, a destination where NASCAR drivers and fans can get their ultimate rush. It's been said to me many times before: " Charlotte got a lot", and personally, I think that's far from the reality. But, one thing should be on your Charlotte's bucket list, not to just attend a NASCAR race, but even better, to get your heart racing, your palms sweaty and be so freakin' excited by getting behind the wheel of a real NASCAR race car. I bought my NASCAR"Practice Driving Experience"ticket, and I was thrilled. After meeting the crew chief, with other drivers, at the 20 minutes instruction class, and being familiar with the course's corners, I took a step back for a bit. I realized the most powerful cars, the drag race cars, are manual transmission!!!!! Seriously Sari. How didn't I think of that. I disappointed myself. But I didn't give up! I opted for the NASCAR"Ride Along Experience" instead. I was strapped into the passenger seat of one these 800-horsepower beasts, next to a talented professional driver. We drove around Charlotte Motor Speedway, and reached the speed of 173 mph. The 6 lap NASCAR ride along did fulfilled my need for speed. As a thrill-seeker who's often addicted to the rush of excitement, I was high. The wild ride, was another jaw-dropping, curse-inducing (sorry!) experience. Upon completion, and for additional fee, I received a car video that captured my experience, plus a photo plaque "for bragging", and Logo hat & T-shirt of my choice! It was 5 crazy minutes of pure adrenaline rush. Highly recommended. I'll try to learn how to drive a stick shift, and I'll be on the driver seat next time. FIVE Yelps!

My first NASCAR race, so here we are at Charlotte Motor Speedway. My friend won some tickets in a giveaway and I was the first one to raise my hand, so here we are at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was a Saturday night on a race weekend, so here we are at Charlotte Motor Speedway. And after bringing a case of Coors Light (its the official beer of NASCAR, donchaknow?) and some fried chicken and some hot dogs, here we are at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After wandering around looking for parking, we ended up paying $20 which was WAY too much. There's some "free" parking that's even closer and so I'd recommend that you try that out next time. Instead, here we are tailgating with beer and hot dogs and chicken at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A long walk to get to one corner of the place, we managed to hook a trolley ride to get us from where we were (near turn one) all the way around to turn four. That's a lot of walking that we ended up doing, here at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Inside (keep the beer, leave the umbrellas), we found our way to the seats. Fortunately, an "evening" race so we didn't have to deal with the bright sun. And the race only started about 20 minutes late, which was plenty of time to drink a few more beers, make friends with the people nearby, and think about a run to the concession stands here at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The race was amazing. Really really exciting, really really loud, and for most of it, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. But hey, I'm still a newbie at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tip: EAR PLUGS!

Review of Christmas Lights at the Speedway... Went on a Saturday. Entry fee was 30$ (it's 25 on non weekend nights, 50$ for express lanes).. Opens at "6pm" but I'm sure you can get there at 5 and they will let you through. Arrived at the turn in entrance to the speedway at 540pm knowing it'd be really crowded. At 6:30, got to the cashier booth to pay, and to continue into a really long car line. Weaved through the traffic lines, and got to the entrance of the speedway lights at 740. Yes. Took two hours to get through to the entrance. Drove through the lights for about 1 hour - speed obvious limited by the amount of cars. And left the speedway at 9pm, did not stop at the village because we had already spent the entire evening at the speedway and wanted to get out!! The lights were cool, but slightly underwhelming. Coolest part of the entire trip was driving the speedway, seeing the grade of the turns, driving through the oval, through the tunnel and underneath the stands to exit. The first section of the lights are a "safari" themed, so think tacky animals. The second half of the lights were neat coordinated lights with snowflakes and trees, which is more my style. I've never been to a race track, so I am bias to my two stars and driving on the track experience, though others said it was not worth the 25$, 3.5 hour experience. If you wanna go, go on a day where it's not the weekend. Or get in line at 5pm. They do play a movie on the big jumbotron and you tune in on the radio to listen. Luckily it was national lampoon Christmas which I love, so we listed to that instead of the awful repeating Christmas track radio they advertise. Go at your own will? Also. Once you turn in - there is NO WAY to bail out. So be committed to a line, pack snacks and booze.

Wow, I never thought in a million years that I'd be clicking on 4 stars for the CMS and saying, "Yay! I'm a fan." But it is true. And I'm not even into racing! (I am too ADHD to sit around for hours watching people driving around in circles on the tube and I am not excited about going out to the racetrack to sit in the chicken-bone throwing section of the stands with the 'real fans'!) However, on my one and only visit to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, I experienced the holy grail of racing-dom... I was a guest in the President's Suite, got a "backstage VIP tour" including meeting all the execs and Bruton himself (dude is really short!). We even got to go up on the roof and see where some of their cameramen get those shots of the whole track. After our VIP tour of the corporate offices, we also got Pit Passes. One of the marketing interns drove us out to Pit row. There was so much excitement and energy down on pit row. The garages of course are state of the art and looked as clean as an operating room. The pit stops were unblieveably cool as well - I had no idea how large those tires were!! I was totally amazed with the whole tour! I do believe that I would become a major race fan if I always scored an invite to the President's suite & pit passes! Now, back to the President's Suite. One of Bruton's sons is the President & GM (Marcus). He arrived at the suite a little late, shook hands with everyone and settled in to watch the race alone. (Side note, he's a short dude too- just like his dear old dad.) He was very quiet & kept to himself and everyone in the suite left him to watch the race on his own. So what about the food? It was definitely what you would expect for this sort of venue. I think it is catered by the Levy Resturant Group which operates some upscale and semi-upscale restaurants. They also provide food for many sports complexes, arenas, convention centers, etc. On the night we were there, they offered a wide variety of food... everything from hotdogs to roasted chicken. The chicken was seasoned well and roasted just right. They have a variety of assorted sides that were good as well. It was not the best meal I've ever had by any stretch, but for food served at a racetrack, it was damn good. The only odd thing was that there was absolutely no alchol in the suite. They had plenty of sodas and bottled water... but no adult bevvies. I would have liked to have gone for a beer or glass of wine but I didn't feel that it was appropriate to bring one into the suite given that none was offered (not even for purchase) inside the suite. Oh well, it was a super-fun night even sans alcohol (which previously I thought was mandatory for having a good time at a race!) I must admit (even though its pretty morbid) I really got excited when there was a crash (thankfully, no drivers were injured that night!). The suite was really unbelievable! As you would expect, it was right in front of the checkered flag, so we had a great view of the start and finish of the race. I loved the big windows that gave you a great view of the track. The stadium style seating in the suite ensured that everyone had a great view! Also, of the coolest things about the President's Suite is that it is stocked with plenty of those really cool scanner devices which have headsets & a little built-in screen so that you can listen in on communications between the driver and their crew. And, if the driver you're tuned in to has the camera in their car operating you can get a "birds-eye" view of the track from inside the car. I like it because you can hear them talking about pit strategies, how the cars are handling and what other drivers are doing on the track. You can listen to just one team or switch channels to see what each team is talking about. It was definitely the way to go if you are watching a race at the speedway (especially great for A.D.D. people like me!). http://storefront.nascar.com/raceview They also had these nice glossy NASCAR magazines for everyone in the suite so you could read about the drivers and the tracks. Again, nice for someone with a short attention span. So I hate to admit it - but that night I became a "fair weather" race fan. What does this mean? For me, it means that I won't be buying tickets to sit in the stands and I won't be buying club membership either, but if I happen to score Speedway Club tickets, I'll definitely be there! And while I still don't sit down and watch a race on TV for any length of time, from time to time I'll tune in to a race for a short bit to see what's happening.

Well. We decided to take this covid pod, on the road and see the lights....that was a 4 hr mistake. If we hadn't had enough time together in small spaces, we decided to up the anti. The lights were fantastic the music sucked the hard one. Totally offensive and even pulled up the lyrics to make sure I had understood them (see YouTube link below).... won't be back. https://youtu.be/8I2LZSmuhco

On this 2018 trip to the area, I got to experience two events. The big change for the speedway is the creation of a combination oval and road course race in October named the "roval". The Speedway opened up the track for the Cup drivers to practice on the new course, and allowed the public to attend the test sessions for free. One section of the speedway seating was opened up for the public to watch the practice. You could sit wherever you liked - up high to get the best view of the track or down front for a closer view of the cars navigating the road course curves. The other event I experienced was the tour bus ride around the track. The Speedway has multiple vans and schedule race track van rides when the track does not have other events scheduled. The ride around includes all three racing venues - the dragstrip, the dirt track, and the main speedway. You don't actually drive on the dirt track or dragstrip, but the van takes you for 2-3 laps on the Charlotte Motor Speedway. And this isn't some slow trek around the speedway - the driver gives that van the gas (obviously not racing speeds but enough to get a little feel of the racing experience) Our driver - guide was a wealth of information about the tracks and history of the speedway. It was a reasonably priced experience that I really enjoyed.

12/16/2020 this review is for the Christmas light show. Fantastic ! Went on a Wednesday not a really long wait as opposed to going on Friday or the weekends. Lots and lots of lights and it's cool to see the track as you drive on the apron. Beat views are on the right side of the car... really cool lights and solid and flashing varieties.. what a wonderful way to enjoy the holiday!

Visited Christmas in the Park at the Speedway on 1/2/20, and I was absolutely blown away. As a Kansas City native, we have a Christmas in the Park here that is seriously underwhelming compared to this. Although I am well into my adulthood, I've always loved light shows and this one knocked the ball completely out the park. It's two tiers of amazing lights that sync with the radio station that is suggested for you to listen to as you ride through the park. The lights literally flash to the beat of the Christmas music and I got the most delightful kick out of it. This was well worth the visit and I can't wait to go again.

I came here for the Christmas light tour-so this review is based off of that alone. I was impressed on how many lights and scenes there were. It must've took a long time and a lot of effort for the people who set it up. They really did a nice job. You set your car radio station to 101.3 and as you drive through, the lights play with the music! Such a cool idea. It takes about 15 minutes to drive completely through. The employees taking money were friendly and helpful. A fun holiday experience.

Charlotte is of course the capital of the NASCAR world. Of you're passionate about Cup racing, this is a place you should visit. There are excellent sight lines, even from our 10th row seats in turn 4, we had a nice view of almost the whole track. The free parking we got near the ajoining dirt track was convenient and not too terrible a walk. Be careful though, there is another parking lot that disguises itself as track parking, with an entrance about 40 feet before the turn for track parking. They tried to charge $20, and the parking location (I saw while leaving after refusing to pay), was a longer walk than the free parking. They really should be forced to post a sign with the price by the turn-in. Back to the track itself. The concession stands were overwhelmingly packed most of the night, with long lines. So long, that it made navigating the concourse difficult. The prices were also very high. The food options were also very conventional, with nothing that looked too tempting. That combination made skipping the lines an easy call. I know sporting events are going to gouge a bit, but charging $5 for a bottle of plain water on 90 degree day seemed criminal. You can bring your own cooler as an alternative, assuming you want to carry it around. As for the racing itself, NASCAR is of course not what it used to be. Over-engineering has made the cars almost impossible to pass on the track, so the action was limited during the all-star race we attended. If you're in Charlotte during a race weekend, its worth a visit for the sure spectacle of a big time race. The sight and sound of cars at 180mph is exciting. However, as a competitive sporting event, you'll see more action at your local short track.

As a NASCAR fan I had to stop by even though there wasn't a race I had to at least see the track from the outside standing outside this track you could feel the energy and excitement race day brings can't wait to come watch a race here

If there was anything less than a 1 I would give them that. Went to a NASCAR race today and the handicap parking is on the other side of the road about a 20 minute walk unless you can find a shuttle to bring. You over to the track but they where not running yet. Instead of having parking at the track!!!? That is SO STUPID...