NASCAR Hall of Fame

[Skyline49er]

Since Race Week is two weeks away, I thought I would post a link to the artists performing here. Check back in a week or so as I am sure more local artists and smaller groups will be added to the "headliners". Who wants to go see Loverboy with me!?

LOL, I will. You should have seen my sister's face when I told her Loverboy was coming. Definitely gonna be there and catch some 80's tunes.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

LOL, I will. You should have seen my sister's face when I told her Loverboy was coming. Definitely gonna be there and catch some 80's tunes.

You'd think they could get some better people than that. How about Lynyrd Skynyrd and Charlie Daniels they are touring soon in Greenville, they would appeal to the Nascar crowd.

[Raintree21]

You'd think they could get some better people than that. How about Lynyrd Skynyrd and Charlie Daniels they are touring soon in Greenville, they would appeal to the Nascar crowd.

They are trying to present a broad spectrum of music to appeal to other people than they "typical" NASCAR fan that you mention. NASCAR is one of the fastest growing and most popular events in the country and it is quite evident of their leadership's effots to reach out to new audiences.

2007 Speed Week Entertainment Schedule

Miller Lite Stage - The Wreckers followed by Sara Evans

Coca-Cola Stage - After 7 followed by Tony!Toni!Tone!

Budweiser Stage - Bill Pinkney of the Original Drifters, Maurice Williams of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, The Tams, Billy Scott, The voice of the Catalinas and Fantastic Shakers - Bo Shronce, The voice of the Embers - Jackie Gore

FRIDAY, MAY 25

Miller Lite Stage - Loverboy

Coca-Cola Stage - Chevrolet presents Joe Nichols

Budweiser Stage - Better than Ezra

SATURDAY, MAY 26

Miller Lite Stage - Puddle of Mudd

Coca-Cola Stage - Cheap Trick

Budweiser Stage - Danielle Peck followed by Diamond Rio

[TONYCLT]

I drove by the site this morning and they started to rip up the parking lot by stonewall.

[28202]

I biked by yesterday and there is a 15' hole at the stonewall & brevard(I think, outgoing) corner. Down to rock.

[CharlotteGamecock]

Blythe development started work on the site this week. My company started delivering fuel to Blythe on Monday.

[Raintree21]

The CBJ says the NASCAR HOF is going to unveil their logo next week just before the start of the NASCAR Pit-Crew Challenge at the arena.

[Charlotteman]

I've been thinking a lot about the NASCAR HofF Museum. I am wondering if most of us here don't realize the potential of this project......

Lots of famous cities have their icons to show to the world. Usually something indigenous. A perfect example is the Baltimore Aquarium. Long lines to get in that place are ubiquitous. When people think about Baltimore, one of the first things they think of is the aquarium.

NASCAR is 100% indigenous to Charlotte. All the efforts the city can muster should go into making this museum something world class! Something so fantastic that even NASCAR detractors would go see it.

This shouldn't just be another museum. It should be THE museum. On the top of the list when giving visitors a Charlotte "to see list". If the museum is done well, I would hope to see lines of folks waiting to get in everyday---just like Baltimore's Aquarium.

[redjeep77]

I've been thinking a lot about the NASCAR HofF Museum. I am wondering if most of us here don't realize the potential of this project......

Lots of famous cities have their icons to show to the world. Usually something indigenous. A perfect example is the Baltimore Aquarium. Long lines to get in that place are ubiquitous. When people think about Baltimore, one of the first things they think of is the aquarium.

NASCAR is 100% indigenous to Charlotte. All the efforts the city can muster should go into making this museum something world class! Something so fantastic that even NASCAR detractors would go see it.

This shouldn't just be another museum. It should be THE museum. On the top of the list when giving visitors a Charlotte "to see list". If the museum is done well, I would hope to see lines of folks waiting to get in everyday---just like Baltimore's Aquarium.

Oh, don't worry....this will be huge. It will the only one of its kind in the world. Successful? Do you know how loyal NASCAR fans are? I guarantee you the week before this place opens....people will have driven from Idaho and camped out all during that week

[Justadude]

They are trying to present a broad spectrum of music to appeal to other people than they "typical" NASCAR fan that you mention. NASCAR is one of the fastest growing and most popular events in the country and it is quite evident of their leadership's effots to reach out to new audiences.

Point taken, but that lineup still seems weaker than past years. Usually they have at least one formerly-super-huge act that people will go out of their way to see. Last year's MC Hammer show filled several blocks elbow-to-elbow, to the point that it was hard to find a place to even see the stage. I don't see people making that kind of effort for Puddle of Mudd.

[queensguy06]

And as I recall MC Hammer left the stage mid-show because he split his pants. I think it will be just as packed with even these artists...you forget the power of FREE entertainment.

[Justadude]

And as I recall MC Hammer left the stage mid-show because he split his pants. I think it will be just as packed with even these artists...you forget the power of FREE entertainment.

Let's hope so. I have a feeling that most of the attendees would be there regardless of who plays. I was just a little disappointed that there weren't any current or former A-list acts.

[Raintree21]

Well, I'd say that the country music side of the entertainment is pretty decent. I don't know a lot about the other acts but I think Loverboy and Better than Ezra are (or were) pretty big.

[Charlotteman]

I think the correct spelling is Loverboi, btw.

Those of you not familiar with Loverboi might be pleasantly surprised when you see/hear them. A straight forward rock your socks off kinda band! They are certainly not an unknown group. Anyone over the age of 40 remembers them for sure....."Workin' for the Weekend" was an early 80s anthem!

[redjeep77]

I think the correct spelling is Loverboi, btw.

Those of you not familiar with Loverboi might be pleasantly surprised when you see/hear them. A straight forward rock your socks off kinda band! They are certainly not an unknown group. Anyone over the age of 40 remembers them for sure....."Workin' for the Weekend" was an early 80s anthem!

Yeah, or if you have seen Chris Farley's SNL Chippendale skit. Either way....should be an interesting show.

[eastsider]

The CBJ says the NASCAR HOF is going to unveil their logo next week just before the start of the NASCAR Pit-Crew Challenge at the arena.

The new hof logo can be seen here: http://www.scenedaily.com/stories/2007/05/...e_daily538.html

My first impression is that it is kinda bland, maybe it will grow on me later.

[Raintree21]

Seems ok to me. There's only so much you can do with a logo. Don't want to distract too much away from the attraction itself. It does incorporate the curves of the building into the logo I noticed.

[Nostyle]

The font of the words "hall of fame" seems too bland.

[Raintree21]

Did you notice that it says Charlotte, not Charlotte, NC?

[nowensone]

^ Yeah I noticed, was wondering if that was due to the web site being associated with CLT or something... which of course made me do a quick search on the history of NASCAR. I won't bore anyone, but it doesn't seem to have originated in CLT, just to have wound up there (the bootlegging theme seems to have come after the roots in Daytona as best I can tell).

V - Not quite what I meant, was referring to the bootlegging theme in the mountains of Northern GA, TN and NC, and the fact that the racing you refer to started mainly in those places, yet Daytona saw the first race tracks and whatnot (being pretty far removed from those mountain areas).

[redjeep77]

^ Yeah I noticed, was wondering if that was due to the web site being associated with CLT or something... which of course made me do a quick search on the history of NASCAR. I won't bore anyone, but it doesn't seem to have originated in CLT, just to have wound up there (the bootlegging theme seems to have come after the roots in Daytona as best I can tell).

the races in daytona were a result of the bootlegging....not the other way around.

Long story short....

Shiners ran moonshine aka "white lightning" down from the stills in the mountains (lots of woods....good hiding places). That journey was called "thunder road". thus running "white lightning down thunder road". that explains "thunder road" the roller coaster at carowinds, days of thunder in daytona etc etc.

To run shine down the mountains, cars had to have stiffer leaf springs. Not only for the added weight of the shine, but for better cornering around the mountain roads. Along with the suspension came other upgrades....engines....exhaust etc. Why you ask? Because running shine was/is illegal. They had to outrun the law.

It got to a point where guys not only loved to run shine, but they enjoyed racing their friends down thunder road.

Many events were help well before the races at daytona pitting "stock cars" against other stock cars. Tracks like North Wilksboro, the old charlotte speedway (a wooden planked track on wilkinson blvd), were running before daytona.

Then the first sanctioned event by NASCAR.....a newly formed association..... was held at daytona beach (half on the beach, half on the road).

Later the first paved track in Darlington SC (aka the "lady in black", or "the track too tough to tame") really set off modern nascar with high speeds.

Thats' the short story.....amazing sport and an even cooler history. we truly are lucky to be the center of it all!

Enjoy the week

[AuLukey]

Well, at the least the logo will blend in with our interstate signs pretty well! I'm not a huge fan, but then again, having it too flashy would be too much. I'm interested to see what they incorporate this with anyway.

[Neo]

It looks cheap IMO, I'm not liking the logo at all. It looks like a patch on clothing. A logo should be something you can remember and identify easily and this just doesn't do it for me. I don't see the design being lasting either which is a necessity IMO.

[Charlotteman]

the logo looks like a design a high school computer arts class would come up with.....

[uptownliving]

I am not very happy with this logo either but the one thing I do like is that they included the signature "swoop" of the building in the logo. One of my fears has been that as part of value engineering on this building they would get rid of that swoop. Now that it is part of their logo that would indicate to me that the swoop will remain.