Crews have been working for nearly
two weeks to transform Charlotte Motor Speedway into the ultimate holiday
wonderland, and they will see their efforts pay off next Monday with the
opening of Speedway Christmas, which kicks off the busiest Thanksgiving week
ever at the speedway.
One of the nation’s largest holiday
light shows, Speedway Christmas will hold its grand opening at Charlotte Motor
Speedway on Monday, Nov. 19, with a welcome ceremony at 5:30 p.m. The show runs
nightly from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Dec. 30, excluding Christmas Day.
In addition to hanging more than three
million lights on 800 holiday LED light displays along the 3.5-mile
drive-through course, speedway staff have been hard at work constructing a
Bethlehem-themed village that serves as a centerpiece of the infield Christmas
Village.
On Thursday through Sunday nights,
Speedway Christmas visitors will be transported back in time when they walk
through the gates of Bethlehem village to find actors from area churches
recreating the Nativity. Once visitors make their way through the main
entrance, they can talk with villagers, see live donkeys, sheep and goats, and
visit the stable in an environment full of ambience fit for a king.
The Speedway Christmas grand opening
is just the beginning of a busy Thanksgiving week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Visitors looking for a unique Thanksgiving Day outing can stop by zMAX Dragway
from 2-5 p.m. on Nov. 22 to view the Capitol Christmas tree, which is making a
stop in Concord on its way to Washington D.C.
Friday, shoppers looking for the
best bargains on NASCAR gear need look no further than the Souvenir and Race
Ticket Blowout. Fans can find gear from Charlotte Motor Speedway and more than
a dozen teams for as little as $1. Anyone who spends more than $50 on tickets
or merchandise or donates $25 to Speedway Children’s Charities will have the
opportunity to drive their personal vehicle for three laps around the 1.5-mile
superspeedway.
New for 2012, visitors can take to
the ice on the Coca-Cola Family Ice Rink, a 5,100-square-foot rink constructed
with real ice, near the tower of zMAX Dragway. In addition to public skate
times, the rink will offer group lessons, private rentals and feature theme
nights for added entertainment. The Coca-Cola Family Ice Rink will be open
daily from Nov. 16-Jan. 21. Admission is $12, which includes skate rentals.
Admission to Speedway Christmas is
$15 per car on nights the village is closed and $20 per car on nights the
village is open. Group rates for tour buses and corporate sponsorship
opportunities are also available. For more information, visit
www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS (3267).
Photo: CMS/Jonathan Coleman
I was at Z Max this weekend for the B.R.A.K.E.S teen driving school and they were busy getting all of this set up. The skating rink will be to the left, or west of the Z Max Dragway tower.
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