Can’t-Miss Attractions at 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder

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Charlotte Motor Speedway is less than a week from dropping the green flag on the May 19-28 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder, the sports world’s most exciting 10-day period of wheel-to-wheel racing and spectacular entertainment.

Charlotte’s showcase of speed and sound begins Friday with the biggest all-star weekend in sports, the Monster Energy All-Star Race on May 20, and builds to an exhilarating crescendo with the 58th running of the venerable Coca-Cola 600 – the world’s ultimate test of man and machine – on May 28.

Here’s a look at some things fans can’t afford to miss when taking in the sensory overload that is the 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder:

Spectacular Pre-Race Concerts
Aside from the knock-down, drag-it-out action on the track, fans can enjoy three thrilling pre-race concerts during the 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder, as chart-topping singer Justin Moore kicks off the Monster Energy All-Star Race with a performance including songs from his hit album “Kinda Don’t Care.” Prior to the iconic Coca-Cola 600, Big & Rich take the stage before Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd own the spotlight in a 70-minute concert that will bring fans of all ages to their feet.

Coca-Cola 600 Military Salute
Charlotte Motor Speedway’s unmatched display of Memorial Day Weekend patriotism returns this year on May 28 with a spectacular pre-race presentation of servicemen and women alongside Humvees, Howitzers, a HIMARS rocket launcher system, an M777 and a RAZOR combat vehicle. Four F-15s from Seymour Johnson AFB join an aerobatic performance by Team FasTrax Skydiving Team in an unforgettable salute to America’s Armed Forces.

“Cars 3” Fun in the Fan Zone
Fans can get a head start on their race day with a visit to the Fan Zone, the best place to be when the cars aren’t on the track.

During All-Star Race weekend, the sprawling area in front of the track gives fans of all ages a chance to enjoy an expansive “Cars 3” display featuring life-size characters including Lightning McQueen, as well as interactive games and clips from the upcoming blockbuster film set to release in June. The entire 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder features live music, driver appearances, merchandise for sale and fun and games throughout the 10-acre Fan Zone.

No-Speed-Limit Qualifying
Few things get the adrenaline going like the no-speed-limit qualifying that precedes the $1 million, winner-take-all Monster Energy All-Star Race. The All-Star action heats up on Friday, May 19 with no-speed-limit qualifying, as drivers zoom down pit road at race speed for a four-tire pit stop in the only no-limits qualifying session on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule. New this year is a second round to qualifying that pits the top qualifiers in a race for the pole. The pole winner’s pit crew will also be recognized as Pit Crew Champions.

Be a VIP with Speedway Children’s Charities
Fans cans bid on exclusive experiences when they participate in the popular Speedway Children’s Charities Ride of a Lifetime and VIP auctions. Ride along with the biggest names in NASCAR on a parade lap during driver introductions and bid on rare, valuable memorabilia and experiences.

Place your bids now at https://www.sccauctions.com/ to support children in need around Charlotte.

Dirt Roads are Open
Racing action isn’t limited to the 1.5-mile superspeedway. On May 26 – the Friday before the Coca-Cola 600 – The Dirt Track at Charlotte hosts the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars in a dirt-flying slugfest of high-speed winged sprint cars. NASCAR luminaries including Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson and Kasey Kahne own Outlaw sprint car teams that will compete in the one-night-only event.

Rage in the Cage
The adrenaline flows on and off the track this month. Regional up-and-coming MMA fighters will duel when the Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series spices up the night on Saturday, May 20 in the first MMA fights ever held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. As a special primer to the Saturday-night fight card, UFC champion Tito Ortiz and former PRIDE and STRIKEFORCE titleholder Dan Henderson will sign autographs for fans at the Monster Energy display in the Fan Zone from 3-4 p.m. on Friday, May 19.

Fast Feet
The female “better half” of a driver rarely gets the attention, but Charlotte Motor Speedway will shine the spotlight on drivers’ significant others in the May 25 High Heel Dash, a unique event that will unfold prior to LiftMaster Pole Night. Participants including Performance Racing Network announcer Wendy Venturini will run 50-75 yards down pit road in high heels in a controlled sprint to see who the fastest better half on the track is among the entire field. The exciting event benefits Motor Racing Outreach and its efforts to support the community.

Join the Ultimate Race Day Pit Party
Want to get even closer to the action? Purchase a Monster Energy All-Star Race pit pass and join the Pit Party on Saturday, May 20. The Race Day Pit Party lets fans rub elbows with the stars of the sport before they engage in wheel-to-wheel action on Charlotte’s iconic 1.5-mile superspeedway. Before the Monster Energy All-Star Race rolls into high gear, fans will have the opportunity to take part in Q&A sessions with NASCAR personalities.

16,000 Square Feet of Awesome
Charlotte Motor Speedway has a multitude of ways to entertain fans throughout the 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder, including the giant Speedway TV, a monstrous 16,000-square-foot high-definition TV situated along the backstretch. Speedway TV has revolutionized the at-track experience by providing live leaderboard updates, replays, live in-car cameras and other interactive content for fans throughout the facility. With cameras roaming the pits and the grandstands, fans might even see themselves on the 200-foot-by-80-foot behemoth. And when the action comes to a close on May 28, don’t forget to renew your tickets for the exciting Bank of America 500 on Oct. 8, the final scheduled Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway for native son and 2000 All-Star Race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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