CONCORD, N.C. -- Get ready!
Race weekend is about to begin here in the Queen City. The Coca-Cola 600 rolls into Charlotte Motor Speedway this Sunday for a much anticipated night race, but before the drivers put the pedal to the metal, fans will get the NASCAR experience in the fan zone.
The fan zone officially opens Thursday at 3 p.m., but the best part is the price: free!
“This 10-acre area will be filled with fans enjoying concerts by Big and Rich, checking out the souvenir rigs, the interactive displays,” said Charlotte Motor Speedway spokesperson Scott Cooper. “A lot of our corporate partners have opportunities for fans to pay tribute to the U.S. military as part of Memorial Day weekend.”
Waking up at @CLTMotorSpdwy 🏁 So excited for a big race weekend! #CocaCola600 pic.twitter.com/0xitdWpXzn
— Hannah Welker (@hannahwelker) May 25, 2017
All eyes will obviously be on the track and its biggest stars, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. in his final Coca-Cola 600, but the drivers will also be focused on our fallen heroes. Each driver is honoring a military member by putting their name on their race car.
“Memorial Day is really about remembering those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” says Ellyn Brotherton, the USO of North Carolina Piedmont area director. “But all year long, we do want to remember that one percent of our nation that is protecting the freedoms of the other 99 percent.”
Fan zone festivities begin at 10 a.m. Sunday. Drivers start their engines at 6 p.m.