Track Details:
Turns: 24°
Straights:
Distance: 1.500 miles, Shape: Quad-Oval
Last updated: 7/26/11
BY THE NUMBERS SCHEDULE PAST RESULTS
Magnum Cup Series Race Record
Ruger 175.966 mph
05/28/2006
Mieser 2:16:54 (185 laps)
05/23/2011

Magnum Cup Series Qual Record
Andrew Mendes 192.933 mph
05/31/2010
Cougar RC-12 29.5223s
05/23/2011

Sportsman Cup Series Race Record
Gael Brooks 157.493 mph (51:25:858s)
05/25/2011

Sportsman Cup Series Qual Record
Bone-Driver 187.221 mph
10/11/2006

Diamond Series Race Record
Gael Brooks 139.858 mph
04/07/2011

Diamond Series Qual Record
Gael Brooks 173.818 mph (31.067s)
04/07/2011
2011 Race Schedule

Magnum Cup Series
Coca-Cola 600
05/23/2011 Mieser

Magnum Cup Series
Bank of America 500
10/17/2011

Sportsman Cup Series
TECH-NET Auto Service 300
05/25/2011 Gael Brooks

Sportsman Cup Series
Unique Illustrations 300
10/19/2011

Diamond Series
NC Education Lottery 450
04/07/2011 Gael Brooks
2011 - Magnum 5/23
2011 - Magnum 10/17
2011 - Sportsman 5/25
2011 - Sportsman 10/19
2011 - Diamond 4/7

2010 - Magnum 5/31
2010 - Magnum 10/18
2010 - Sportsman 5/26
2010 - Sportsman 10/13
2010 - Diamond 4/1

2009 - Magnum 10/19
2009 - Sportsman 10/14
2009 - Diamond 6/11

2008 - Magnum 5/25
2008 - Magnum 10/20
2008 - Sportsman 5/28
2008 - Sportsman 10/15
     
TRACK HISTORY

Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a speedway in Concord, North Carolina, north of Charlotte. It features a 1.5 mile long quad-oval track that seats 167,000 people, with room for 50,000 more spectators in the infield. Constructed in 1959, it was the first speedway to host nighttime superspeedway racing (in 1992) in the "modern era," the first being the now defunct Raleigh, N.C. Speedway in 1958, and to offer year-round residences (in 1984) with 52 condominiums available over turn one. It is owned by Speedway Motorsports, which has its corporate headquarters on the same property. The speedway is considered the home base of NASCAR, with 90% of NASCAR teams being based within 50 miles. In February 1999, Lowe's bought the naming rights to the speedway, making it the first race track in the country with a corporate sponsor.

Along with the main oval, the speedway also has a 2.25 mile road course in the infield, a 0.6 mile kart course in the infield, a quarter-mile oval using part of the front stretch and pit road, and an 0.2 mile oval outside turn three. Also, across U.S. Highway 29 from the speedway, is a 0.4 mile dirt track that opened in May 2000.

In 2005, the surface of the circuit had started to wear from its last paving in mid-1994, resulting in the track's treatment in a diamond-grinding process to smooth out bumps. This process, known as levigation, caused major tire problems during both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events there, with a record 22 cautions at the showcase Coca-Cola 600, which is considered one of the top five annual NASCAR races. It was the first NEXTEL Cup Series event to go more than five hours (excluding red flags) in 25 years. Speed increases were also a result of the levigation. After the problem with the tires, the speedway was repaved in 2006.