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CharlotteThe Dale TrailBy Robert Painter
The Speedway is a 1.5 mile track with a capacity of 167,000 cheering fans ready for action. The Petty program will suit you up in full racing gear, including nomex suits, gloves & helmets and strap you into a 600 horsepower NASCAR - style racer, seated alongside a professional instructor who will get you up to 165 mph if you up for it! It’s not a scary ride, but you’ll wonder why the car sticks to the track like glue when you hit those curves at full throttle. I never did see my driver even come close to using the brakes and I could feel the compression into the bottom of the seat on those steeply banked turns. But you don’t have to go along strictly as a passenger. If you have the time and the money you can sign up for race driving instruction with programs including as much as 80 laps of high speed driving. Check the website for prices and other locations as well. There may not be 167,000 cheering fans when you climb out through the window of your car, but it will feel like it. And, you can even get a photo of you in your driving suit inside your NASCAR racer.
With any interest in racing in your blood at all, you’ll
have a good time visiting some of the racing shops, where these magnificent
machines are built, rebuilt and serviced. I was really impressed with the shop
at Roush Racing. If I ever have to go to a hospital I hope it is as neat and
clean as this automotive shop.
You could say Charlotte is about racing and you’d be
right. But, there’s a lot more to this area that is worth seeing and, not
surprisingly, Concord Mills
There’s even a NASCAR Speed Park (a great place for the kids) in the mall, but don’t worry, there is also plenty of upscale clothing shopping to be accomplished here as well. Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Anne Klein Outlet, Ann Taylor Loft, Jones New York, Liz Claiborne Outlet, and many, many more stores will be happy to serve you. If 165 mph on the track and racing through the mall have really got you wound up, then at the end of the day you may need a place to unwind, relax and prepare for the rest of your trip. The Ballantyne Resort and Spa worked for me. If you get there early enough you can settle in for Afternoon Tea and enjoy a treat from the selection of mini muffins, scones and tea sandwiches fresh from the bakery. But you probably overstayed your visit to the mall and will just have to settle for Tapas in the Veranda Bar. Think Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp in garlic olive oil), Jamon and Manchego (proscuitto with Manchego cheese) or other treats. If you give yourself the day off tomorrow you can play golf at the beautiful course, select a spa treatment or two (or more!) at the Spa and then check into the active Charlotte nightlife. You might even want to take in a Kannapolis Intimidators baseball game As you can see the Dale Earnhardt connection is everywhere. Named after “The Intimidator,” the nickname given to Mr. Earnhardt, the club is a class “A” affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Before I leave the Ballantyne Resort I should probably mention that PGA Magazine named it one of the Top 40 Golf Resorts in the World and Conde Nast Johansens named The Spa one of the Top 3 Spas in North America.
Happy Dale Trails to You! When You Go: The Dale Trail: www.daletrail.com Charlotte Info: www.visitcharlotte.com The Ballantyne Resort: www.luxurycollection.com/Ballantyne The U.S. National Whitewater Center: http://www.usnwc.org Story and Photos by Robert Painter - rpainter2006@comcast.net |
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The next time you’re stuck in traffic on the freeway going
about 55 miles an hour, try to imagine what it would be like in heavy traffic at
3 or 4 times that speed. Well, I can’t imagine it either. And, I’m not
interested in trying it. But, if you’d like just a hint and don’t mind getting
your adrenaline button pushed a bit, then do what I did. Head for Lowe’s Motor
Speedway, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina and sign up for a Richard
Petty Driving Experience.
You might not want to begin this visit in the seat of a
NASCAR racer. You may prefer to build up to it by following the Dale Trail in
Kannapolis, Dale Earnhardt’s hometown. It would be hard to miss the 9-foot, 900
pound bronze statue of Dale at the Dale Earnhardt Plaza. The nearby Curb
Motorsports Museum is worth a stop. Admission is free and you can view some of
Earnhardt’s early winning autos.
When I say shop I’m not talking about those
little garages you’ve seen in the movies where two guys work all night in dim
lighting to piece together a racer for tomorrow’s race. This is a stunning
facility with state of the art equipment to build many of the finest race cars
in the world. It houses a museum with vintage race cars, historic photos,
memorabilia, a 100 seat theater and much more.
is North Carolina’s #1 visitor attraction with about
200 shops, not the least is the gigantic Bass Pro Shop. The mall itself has
almost one and a half million square feet and the Bass Pro Shop takes up the
space of about four football fields. That space includes an archery range,
putting green, and about every kind of outdoor gear you could hope for.
If you happen to be in Charlotte on a hot summer day there
is one more stop that could really cool you down. In late summer I visited the
newly opened U.S. National Whitewater Center. This is a facility with lots of
potential for summer fun. It is a multi-channel, re-circulating whitewater
river set up for kayaking, canoeing and rafting. The design is of great interest
and you’ll be fascinated by the way they change the water flow by moving river
obstacles in the water. It’s hard to explain - you’ll just have to go see it
for yourself. Just be prepared for a day of fun. And lots of water. There are
also ropes courses, mountain biking and running trails and even places to camp.
Don’t miss it.