North Carolina's Sport Museum In Charlotte Is Perfect For Car Enthusiasts

If you're looking for a place that perfectly captures the pulse of American motorsports, visiting the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte will feel like visiting the Vatican for the first time. From the moment you lay eyes on the sweeping exterior of the museum in Uptown Charlotte, one thing will instantly pop out: this is a cathedral built for speed. Lacking a dedicated space to showcase its history, NASCAR set out to build a Hall of Fame museum to celebrate the history of this high-octane sport.

In 2006, the city of Charlotte was chosen to be the official host of the museum. It was a natural choice, as, although the sport was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, the Charlotte region had become the heartland of the sport, with many racing teams setting up shop in the region. Ground for the museum was broken in 2007, and on May 11, 2010, the doors opened to the public, unveiling a sweeping, sleek museum that was packed with dynamic experiences. The museum further cemented Charlotte as the epicenter of NASCAR, and it's one of the city's top tourist attractions, with a major upgrade to the museum being planned to breathe new life into the 16-year-old building.

The centerpiece of the museum is Glory Road, a 33-degree banked ramp that resembles the banked turn at the Talladega Superspeedway that showcases race cars from the sport's past, from the 1937 Ford Modified driven by Wendell Scott, to the iconic 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by the late Dale Earnhardt. The museum just opened the sixth edition of Glory Road, which features 18 cars from various team owners, with the goal of celebrating car owners across the sport's storied history.

After checking out the fastest cars on the planet at Glory Road, make a pilgrimage to the Earnhardt Exhibit at Victory Lane, which pays tribute to five generations of one of NASCAR's most famous families. The Earnhardt exhibit features artifacts of the family's racing history, from the iconic firesuits to the crew shirt and uniform that highlight the Earnhardts' giant presence in the sport over the past decades.

Perhaps even more famous than the Earnhardts is Wood Brothers Racing, which, over the span of 75 years, has a success story that modern team owners can only dream of, with over 100 NASCAR Cup Series wins under its belt. The exhibit celebrates this racing team's fascinating history, from the trophies it's won to the iconic racing cars, including the 1971 Mercury Montego, which took home 18 wins in 32 starts with David Pearson and A.J. Foyt behind the wheel.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame isn't just a place to look at cool cars and soak in the history of the sport. The museum is also very hands-on, with a number of interactive experiences that will immerse you in the culture of NASCAR. Want to experience what it's like to broadcast a race? The museum has a dedicated exhibit where you can call an actual race as a play-by-play announcer. Maybe announcing isn't your thing, and you want to experience what it's like being on the pit crew during a race? You can do just that at the Pit Crew Challenge, where you'll and your crew will be able to jack up a car, change a tire with an actual airgun, and fill up the fuel tank. Time yourself to see how fast you and your crew can get the car back on the track, or you can challenge your friends to a challenge to see who's the fastest. 

Of course, no visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be complete without feeling the rush of being in an actual race, and this is where the star attraction of the museum makes its presence known. With racing simulators outfitted as stock car replicas, you'll be behind the wheel, feeling the awesome speed of a NASCAR track, complete with a digital leaderboard that shows the top time of the day. For something more passive, head to the High Octane Theater, where you'll feel the roar of engines and in-car video feeds that will vibrate the seats and give you an experience you won't soon forget.

When the museum was first proposed, the central mission was for the Hall of Fame to be a glowing, vibrant tribute to one of America's greatest pastimes. With its blend of exhilarating interactive experiences and profound tributes, it can confidently be said that the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte accomplished its mission. For even more left turns, venture south to Alabama's NASCAR city with unexpectedly serene wilderness. Or, stay in the state and check out a once-abandoned NASCAR track that's now a walkable green space.