Last weekend, my wife and I attended my first races at Bowman Gray Stadium with a group of friends…read more This was our first auto race and first time at Bowman Gray. We all had a GREAT time! Having never been to a race, we didn't know what to expect. The engine noise is much louder than I expected and gets louder as the class of races progress. Interestingly, we live about three miles "straight line distance" from Bowman Gray and can hear the engine noise on Saturday evenings. The track is a quarter mile, and the race is won or lost in the curved ends. The crowd was enthusiastic, not rowdy and ranged from teenagers on dates to eighty year olds on dates. The food was typical of a sports facility although much less expensive. I had a Carolina hot dog that was fantastic. Parking is easy and convenient and the police were accommodating when we asked to drop the group off and pick them up in front of the gate. That having been said, I'd recommend Uber or Lyft. There were four classes of races. The classes progress in speed and modifications. Stadium stock was first at 15 laps followed by Street stock and Sportsman at 20 laps each and finally Modified at 100 laps. All were exciting and from the stands it is possible to see the strategy of the drivers evolve. We will definitely go back. Tickets were $12 each and my hot dog was $5, while my wife's cheeseburger was $6. 1250 S. Martin Luther King Drive. Bowmangrayracing.com Now for a little history about Bowman Gray. The stadium was opened in 1937 as part of a public works program during the Great Depression. The inaugural football game was held in 1939 between Wake Forest College and Duke University. The dirt track was used for Trotter horse racing. The track was paved in 1949 and racing began in earnest in 1949. Richard Petty, Richard Childress and other NASCAR drivers have raced there. The stadium holds 17,000 people Winston Salem State University plays its home football games there. Wake Forest played there for a years until its stadium opened.

We were fortunate enough to participate in a race event at Bowman Gray which my company sponsored…read more As part of the sponsorship we were provided parking passes and entry tickets. Some of us also had access to a suite just below the announcers booth. This was a cool experience because we got to watch the race while enjoying the comforts of air conditioning, theater style seats and a small balcony. All employees and their families were provided complimentary tickets to the event. Sponsoring the race also included opportunities to present winners trophies, tour the pit prior to the race and even ride in the pace car. I was given the opportunity to ride in the pace car for a 20 lap race. I know that most do not get the same experience that I had but if ever given the chance you should take it. This was an amazing experience at a racetrack that is a NASCAR legend. We had never been to anything like this and weren't sure what to expect. There are plenty of opportunities to purchase food at one of the concession stands. Typical event food such as pizza, chicken tenders and fries, hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, nachos, etc. are available at reasonable prices. There are also specialty vendors which we assume change depending on the race. Tonight, there were opportunities to have apple cider mini doughnuts, ice cream, boiled peanuts, cookies, deep fried Oreos and frozen drinks. They also have merch for purchase. It appears that at one end of the stadium is the beer garden area but we did not check that out. We did not see alcohol served anywhere else but the suites and beer garden area. It does appear that coolers are allowed. There were signs when exiting the suites that said, "No alcohol beyond this point". Overall, this was a great experience.

You cannot beat the Friday night dirt track racing at Carolina Speedway! My son and I have been…read morecoming to Carolina Speedway for the past few years and I'd highly recommend this track to any racing fan! This dirt track has similar racing to the dirt tracks you might have seen other areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. You will find this track very well managed and operated. Things that stand out for me include: - There is plenty of free parking and it's easy to get in and out. - Tickets are not that expensive (~$20) and kids 11 and under get in free! - There is plenty of seating and you are not tightly packed in. Bring your blanket, cooler, and spread out! - The Concession Stand and "Sugar Shack" both have great food at good prices. I've found the food at this track to be the best of many of the other tracks in the area! - The prayer and invocation at the start of the race is authentic and caring. - The announcing is on point, informative, and loud enough to hear. - You feel safe as there are many friendly fans. You also see friendly police officers stationed nearby in case there is ever an issue. Paramedics are also staffed to handle any issues on the track. - About an hour into racing they have an event called "Kids Meeting Time" where the kids in attendance are asked to gather near the concession stand. They then get free candy thrown out from the track mascots: Mudwagon the Dragon or Captain Carolina. My son loves this!!! - The track is well maintained, safe for drivers and fans, and seems great to race on. - And, most importantly, the racing is excellent, fast paced, and exciting! We enjoy all the divisions and there always seem to be a lot of cars in each division. I've referred to Carolina Speedway as a "gem" in Gaston County and every time I come out with my family we have a blast!!!

This track is awesome! Great racing , people and awesome concession stand. You can get real close…read moreto the cars../ great stands and fans ... parking free. It's a place you wanna go to over and over if you like dirt track racing..

YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEE HHHHAAAWWWWWWWWWW…read more Motor mile track racing, nestled in the heart of mountains, this track boasts not just stock car racing, but also a drag strip. I'm not sure if the drag strip is a 1/4 or 1/8 mile, but you can see (and hear) it from the motor mile. Students get in free, everyone else is 10$. College students are included in the free. Food and beer is cheap, everyone is pretty friendly here. One note, there are not chairs or bleachers, so you'll be sitting on scaffolded concrete unless you bring in a folding chair, which many people do. Smoking is allowed since it's outside. Great place to be, just make sure when you're parking, that you can get out if need be. General (free) parking is on a huge hill.

When I was a teenager (ancient history) my best friend and I used to go watch the dirt track races…read moreevery Saturday night! We didn't miss a single one. His cousin was a race car driver and relatives and family friends made up the pit crew. That gave us unlimited access to the pit area. Dirt track racing has become a little bit more civilized since the old days. I've seen literally hundreds of fights in the pits! The competition between race car teams was personal and rough and for real! I saw the local great racing stars up close such as Mike Duvall, Freddie Smith, and Bill Blanton and Stick Elliot. These local racing stars are long gone but the memories of them linger. Cherokee Speedway still packs the fans in! Dirt Track racing is becoming a thing of the past and many tracks have permanently closed down.

We went from Colorado to Cherokee to watch a race took us three days to get there and it was…read morebeautiful. The racing was amazing. They are absolutely wonderful there. We will definitely be back.

This is the best dirt track in the south east. People of all…read moreages go there and lots of children always playing and having fun. Also videos of the race from BSIGMOND videos on you tube, but nothing like being there in person. Best food and cleanest bathrooms I ever saw at a race track.

Is the BEST dirt track in the Gaston county/Lincoln county areas. They always put on a great show…read morefor the kids and the adults as well. I love the fact that they have sections marked for families, so basically the people who drink beer etc.. Have a section of their own and normally you won't see a lot of people drinking in the family section.. A few people do get a little rowdy when it comes to one of their favorite drivers wrecking or getting knocked out place but its actually funny to watch sometimes.