December 9, 2024
These exclusive gift options are once-in-a-lifetime experiences you can enjoy side-by-side. Choose your adventure, and then plan a trip to “Where Racing Lives” together.
Ride-Along or Driving Experience at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Put the adrenaline junkies on your list behind the wheel of a real stock car. Nothing will compare to strapping in and speeding off like the stars at Charlotte Motor Speedway. There are a variety of options for ride and drive experiences in Cabarrus County that offer an opportunity to hop in the passenger or driver’s seat of a real NASCAR race car with a professional racing instructor.
Looking for a ride-along or driving experience gift with a little slower pace? Karting experiences such as K1 Speed and The Speedpark at Concord Mills are a present the whole family can enjoy together.
Commemorative Brick at Dale Earnhardt Tribute Plaza
Allow the race fan in your life to become a permanent part of the memorial that immortalizes a legendary NASCAR Hall of Famer. The Dale Earnhardt Tribute Plaza is located in Earnhardt’s hometown of Kannapolis, North Carolina in a serene courtyard in the center of downtown where a nine-foot, 900-pound statue is a must-see for fans of “The Intimidator.”
Customize an engraved brick in any way you choose, then plan a trip to see it in person. Add to your itinerary with stops at other significant locations across Cabarrus County that tell the story of Earnhardt’s life and legendary NASCAR career including Charlotte Motor Speedway and Atrium Health Ballpark, home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
Tickets to Can’t-Miss Motorsports Events
Wrap up race tickets with a diecast of your loved one’s favorite car (check out Lionel in Concord Mills) and surprise them with the experience of a lifetime. Charlotte Motor Speedway’s action-packed event calendar offers plenty of options to choose from. First, the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals return in April with 40,000 horsepower and four lanes of fun. Then, pre-race festivities and racing action during the Coca-Cola 600 are the perfect way to spend Memorial Day.
Along with more NHRA action in the fall, Charlotte Motor Speedway also hosts the road course-oval hybrid Bank of America ROVAL 400, the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, and so many more.
The Latest Gear from Local Museums & Race Shop Team Stores
From hats and t-shirts to keychains, decals, and even tires used in competition, you’ll find the most unique racing-related items and official merchandise across Cabarrus County. Shopping here is an experience, especially when it comes to picking up motorsports souvenirs.
Check out antique vehicles and classic racing memorabilia before perusing the gift shop at Morrison Motor Car Museum. Have a meal inside The Speedway Club, then browse Charlotte Motor Speedway’s gift shop for track-branded swag, apparel featuring your favorite driver, and more. Many NASCAR race shops including Trackhouse Racing and the Hendrick Motorsports Museum & Team Store are based just minutes from the track providing the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes peek at the shop while grabbing the latest gear, and autographed collectibles.
Exclusive Tours Featuring High-Speed History
Another gift option perfect for the motorsports enthusiasts on your list? Motorsports tours! Charlotte Motor Speedway has a thrilling and highly informative tour that puts participants on the banked speedway, in Victory Lane, and even racing down the four-lane drag strip. For a fact-filled visit to the area’s many NASCAR race team shops, providers like Garage Pass Shop Tours and Go Fast Turn Left Tours offer knowledgeable guides for an insider experience.
Tour of Southern Grace Distilleries
Motorsports is rooted in moonshine, and you’ll find another tour for race fans who are 21 years and older in the town of Mount Pleasant. NASCAR began during the Prohibition Era when “moonshine runners” delivered illegal whiskey with supped-up cars and reputations for outsmarting and outdriving the law.
Now the official state sport of North Carolina, the storied history of stock car racing continues to grow within our county lines. For a taste of that history, Southern Grace Distilleries is crafting small-batch bourbon in a setting you won’t soon forget. Housed inside the former Cabarrus Correctional Facility, “Whiskey Prison” offers tours and tastings of their award-winning whiskey and bourbon.
Ready, Set, Plan
Whatever experience the motorsports fan on your list will love most, we’re here to help you plan. Browse the Cabarrus County, NC Destination Guide to start exploring all there is to do and see in between the heart-pounding adventure ahead.
