Have a question about NASCAR races in NC held during the CRF

[Rhiannon]

One year DH and I went to the CRF on race day. Silly me forgot that there is at least one NASCAR race in Charlotte and I didn't think to look at the race schedule online. Last night I looked at the schedule on the NASCAR website and it said that there would be a race in Charlotte on October 17th. Are there any other races in the area that I should be aware of that will cause hordes or traffic on the freeway? Or is this the one race that I should be aware of? We've been incredibly lucky (from pure blind luck, since we didn't check schedules!) to miss the races all the other years. But getting stuck in that traffic while attempting to leave the CRF taught us to never attend the faire on the same day as a race (kind of like remembering to check the USC football schedule so that we don't attend the state fair on the same day the Gamecocks are playing, since the fairgrounds and the stadium are next to each other).

[mehan]

Off the top of my head, that big race is the worst (second or third week in oct) - and you can normally figure out which weekend it is because A) the hotels are sold out or B) hideously expensive and require a 3-night stay. 

HIbernian - your comments?

[Lady Mikayla of Phoenicia]

http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/

Not Hibernian but think I can help...

October 17th is the next big race day in "Charlotte" with the Speedway located in Concord, NC which on a good traffic day is 15 mins from Faire! 

[Rhiannon]

*nods* Yeah, I have it marked on our calendar that that is NOT a day for DH and I to attend the faire! I just wanted to make sure that there were not going to be anymore races any of the weekends in October that I had to worry about.

[GemArtist]

I always preferred Race Days at CRF. Just approach the Faire site from the west instead of from the east. Take I-77N out of Charlotte to NC Hwy 73 (Sam Furr or Davidson-Concord Hwy) head west to Poplar Tent Rd. The site is just south of the intersection of NC 73 and Poplar Tent.

I loved Race Days. Small but appreciative audiences. More like a private playground!

[celtaban]

Check this out for all the races scheduled during the run of the show:  http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/schedule/major/

It looks to me as if the dreaded weekend will be the 16th/17th of October.
 

[Hibernian]

I believe Rhiannon is thinking about our May race schedule; when they do two whole weeks of racing, and is hoping the same is not true of October. Thankfully not, October is one weekend and goodbye.

GemArtist does have a point, if you don't have to mess with the cost of hotels, if you use the proper approach driving to faire is not really a problem. At least we have never encountered any problems.

Now getting to work in Mooresville during race weeks, esp in May, is an entirely nother matter. 

[Lady Mikayla of Phoenicia]

Yes, it was entirely fun getting to work in Harrisburg, the other side of Lowe's whilest living near Mooresville, geesh!   

[ladyharrogate]

The big race on the weekend of the 17th is the only one that causes huge probs.  Like one member said, if you leave through Huntersville and take 77 it's not so bad.  The festival works hard to make the traffic situation as good as they can but unfortunately Poplar Tent is only two lanes and there is going to be traffic no matter what.  Still, race weekend is fun as a performer, we get a lot of people who come for something to do when the race isn't happening so a lot of people who have never been to a ren fest.

[mehan]

And I will report that although the hotels closer to faire are running 149-249 a night even for the normally lower priced hotels; rooms in Statesville, which really isn't too far (30 miles) - are still at the normal rates when I checked last night.