Concord Speedway facts for kids

Concord Speedway was a famous place for motorsports (car racing) in Midland, North Carolina. It was located southeast of Concord, North Carolina. The complex had two main tracks: a half-mile asphalt tri-oval and a quarter-mile asphalt oval.

Henry Furr built the complex in 1982. The big track started as a dirt four-tenths-mile oval. It was later paved and changed in 1991 to a half-mile tri-oval. This main track hosted races for Super Late Models and Late Model Stock Cars.

The smaller track was first built for go-kart racing in the 1980s. It was a one-fifth-mile layout. In the mid-1990s, it was changed to a quarter-mile asphalt oval. This track often hosted INEX Legends and INEX Bandoleros races every week.

The half-mile track was especially known for its "Big 10 Series" for Super Late Models. It also hosted the "North-South Shootout" event, which featured many different types of race cars.

Concord Speedway closed in July 2019. It was then sold to a company called Copart.

History of Concord Speedway

Older Tracks with the Same Name

The Concord Speedway we're talking about was actually the third track to use that name.

The very first track called Concord Speedway was built in the 1950s. It hosted seven NASCAR Grand National (now called the NASCAR Cup Series) races between 1956 and 1959. This track was later left unused.

A second track, also built in the 1950s, was a half-mile dirt oval. It was also known by names like Harris Speedway and New Concord Speedway. NASCAR held five Grand National races there from 1962 to 1964. This track closed after a race in 1979.

Today, homes are built where these first two tracks used to be.

Other early race tracks in the area included the Concord Fairgrounds, which hosted races as early as 1925. The famous Charlotte Motor Speedway is also in the same county.

A New Beginning for Racing

Race promoter Henry Furr built the third Concord Speedway in 1982. He wanted a new track after the previous dirt track he managed was sold. The track first opened as a four-tenths-mile dirt oval. It hosted some dirt late model races in 1983. Walls were added to the outside corners by 1985 for safety.

The Paved Era

Henry Furr paved the track in August 1986. In 1991, the track was changed again to a half-mile tri-oval. This new design had three unique turns, each with different banking, similar to Pocono Raceway. The grandstands could hold over 12,000 fans.

The track started the "Big 10 Series" for Super Late Models in 1987. This series became very popular because the races were exciting and competitive.

David Laton bought the track after the 1996 season. He made many improvements, like repaving the track in 1999. He also updated barriers, fencing, and lighting. The Super Late Models returned for the Big 10 Series from 2003 to 2005. Freddie Query won the most races at the track and was a Big 10 champion.

The "North South Shootout" was another very popular event that started in 2003. It featured a 125-lap race for Tour-type Modifieds and other special divisions. This event was held at Concord until 2010.

Changes and Closure

The half-mile track stopped hosting weekly races in 2012. After that, only the quarter-mile oval had weekly races. These races included INEX Legends, INEX Bandoleros, Davis Mini Cups, go-karts, and quarter midgets.

In 2015, racing returned to the half-mile tri-oval for special events. The "North-South Shootout" also came back that year. The CARS Tour, with Super Late Models and Late Model Stock Cars, raced there for three seasons until 2017.

On May 5, 2018, the track hosted the Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series, which featured big truck races.

However, the future of Concord Speedway became uncertain. In January 2019, the "North-South Shootout" announced it would move to another track.

On July 2, 2019, it was announced that Concord Speedway would be sold. The track awarded championship trophies to the leaders of its weekly series for that year. The buyer was later identified as Copart, and the track officially closed.

Notable Competitors

Many talented drivers raced at Concord Speedway. Some famous names include Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ernie Irvan, Bobby Labonte, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and Richard Petty. Other winners and competitors included Greg Pope, Freddie Query, Jack Sprague, and Daniel Hemric.

Track Details

Concord Speedway had two main tracks. The larger one was a half-mile tri-oval, and the smaller one was a quarter-mile oval. The quarter-mile track was originally a one-fifth-mile oval for go-karts. The one-fifth-mile layout is still there but is only used for Davis Mini Cups and quarter midgets.

The tri-oval could seat 8,500 fans. The quarter-mile track had seating for 2,050 people. The facility also had air-conditioned suites for guests.

Besides racing, the track was also used for filming TV commercials, TV shows, movies, and music videos.

Events and Races

Over the years, Concord Speedway hosted many different types of races and series on both its half-mile and quarter-mile tracks.

Half-Mile Track Events

The half-mile track was home to many touring series and special events. These included:

• The Big 10 Super Late Model Series, a very popular championship.
• The North South Shootout, which featured Tour-type Modifieds and other divisions.
• Races from NASCAR series, like the Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
• Events from the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) for Super Late Models.
• Races from the CARS Tour for both Super Late Models and Late Model Stock Cars.
• Other series like the ASA National Tour, USAC Racing events, and various regional modified and stock car races.

Quarter-Mile Track Events

The quarter-mile track also hosted special events and weekly races.

• It featured USAC Racing events, including USAC Speed2 Eastern Midgets.
• The North South Shootout also included races on the quarter-mile track for divisions like Mini Stocks and INEX Legends.

Weekly Racing Divisions

Both tracks had regular weekly races for different types of cars.

• On the half-mile track, popular weekly divisions included Late Model Stock Cars, Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, and Street Stock cars.
• The quarter-mile track regularly hosted INEX Legends Cars and INEX Bandoleros, which are popular for younger drivers. It also had races for Davis Mini Cups, Go-karts, and Quarter Midgets.

Track Champions

Concord Speedway crowned many champions in its various racing series. Drivers competed hard to win titles in divisions like the Big 10 Series for Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, and Late Model Stock Cars. Some drivers, like Freddie Query and Jack Sprague, won multiple championships in different categories. Other champions included Kevin Love, Greg Pope, and Jeff Melton.