The Charlotte region's NASCAR shops: Where fans can catch a glimpse of the sport's inner workings

By ADAM BELL and JOE MARUSAK
The Charlotte Observer

Motorsports mogul Bruton Smith's recent decision to keep Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord showed just how much racing means to our region.

But so does this fact: 90 percent of all NASCAR teams call the Charlotte area home, many of them in Cabarrus County and the Lake Norman area.

Most team headquarters offer areas to watch team members work on cars.

Here are some of the most fan-friendly, where you can glimpse the inner workings of the sport.

CABARRUS SHOPS

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

ADDRESS: 8500 Westmoreland Drive, Concord.

HOURS: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays.

PHONE: 704-662-9642.

WEB SITE: Chip Ganassi Racing.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Some of Ganassi's drivers feature an international flair, including Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombian who also has been on the Formula One circuit. Another driver in 2008 for the team is Dario Franchitti, a Scotsman with Italian ancestry.

Haas CNC Motorsports

ADDRESS: 6001 Haas Way, Kannapolis.

HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

PHONE: 704-652-4227.

WEB SITE: HAAS CNC Racing :: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: The Haas CNC shop has been open for a little more than a year now in the Kannapolis Gateway Business Park. Drivers in 2008 include Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs.

Hendrick Motorsports

ADDRESS: 4400 Papa Joe Hendrick Blvd., Concord.HOURS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

PHONE: 704-455-3400.

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ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Three words: Dale Earnhardt Jr. One of NASCAR's most popular stars, he announced this year he would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team started by his late father, for Hendrick's team. You might have seen a story or two on it here or there. Other drivers include Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.

Robert Yates Racing

ADDRESS: 7065 Zephyr Place, Concord.

HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

PHONE: 704-706-2120.

WEB SITE: Robert Yates Racing.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Yates recently opened this shop in Concord, and is using space in a building near Concord Regional Airport and the Roush complex while it works on building its own facility there. Drivers for 2008 include David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil.

Roush Fenway Racing

ADDRESS: 4600 Roush Place, Concord.

HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

PHONE: 704-720-4600.

WEB SITE: Roush Fenway Racing Homepage.

ADMISSION: Free

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: In addition to the race shop and Roush headquarters, there also is a museum at the complex near Concord Regional Airport with plenty of racing memorabilia. Drivers this year include Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards.

Wood Brothers/JTG Racing

ADDRESS: 7201 Caldwell Road, Harrisburg.

HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

PHONE: 704-456-1221.

WEB SITE: Wood Brothers Racing NASCAR Winston Cup Race Team Web Site.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: The race team has been in Harrisburg for about two years now, and is the only team in the town. Drivers include Jon Wood, Ken Schrader and Marcus Ambrose.

LAKE NORMAN AREA SHOPS

Dale Earnhardt Inc.

ADDRESS: 1675 Dale Earnhardt Highway 3 (N.C. 3), Mooresville.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays (showroom and store).

PHONE: 704-662-8000.

WEB SITE: DaleEarnhardtInc.com.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Dale Earnhardt was synonymous with both Mooresville and Cabarrus County. He spent decades in Mooresville, and his "Garage Mahal" racing headquarters that opened in 1999 draws fans from across the world. A Kannapolis native, Earnhardt had 76 career wins and won the Winston Cup championship seven times. He died in a crash at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001, at age 49. Widow Teresa Earnhardt heads Dale Earnhardt Inc., where visitors can view Earnhardt exhibits that change several times a year and buy merchandise of the man nicknamed "The Intimidator" for his hard-driving style. A statue in Kannapolis honors the racing legend.

Gillett Evernham Motorsports

ADDRESS: 320 Aviation Drive, Statesville.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, closed noon-1 p.m.

PHONE: 704-924-9404.

WEB SITE: www.evernhammotorsports.com.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Lots to take in, including viewing areas in three buildings, a museum and a fan store. History drips in this place. Founder and co-owner Ray Evernham has worked with many of racing's greatest drivers, was crew chief for Jeff Gordon and earned "Greatest Crew Chief of All Time" in a 2006 media poll. Co-owner George Gillett Jr. also owns the Montreal Canadiens National Hockey League team and the Liverpool (England) Football (soccer) Club. Fans can watch crews working on cars of top drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Patrick Carpentier and others in the Gillett Evernham fold.

Joe Gibbs Racing

ADDRESS: 13415 Reese Boulevard West, Huntersville.

HOURS: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays (gift store).

PHONE: 704-944-5000.

WEB SITE:JoeGibbsRacing.com.

ADMISSION:Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Another can't-miss racing empire, this one owned by owner Joe Gibbs, who also coaches the NFL Washington Redskins. One of the best laid-out NASCAR team gift stores around, it features drivers Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley. Admire the Bobby Labonte race car painted in Washington Redskins colors to honor Gibbs' 1996 NFL Hall of Fame induction. Viewing area lets fans watch crew members work on cars.

JR Motorsports and JR Nation

ADDRESS: 349 Cayuga Drive, off N.C. 150 and Talbert Road, Mooresville.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.

PHONE: 704-799-4800.

WEB SITE: JR Motorsports.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR's most popular driver as voted by fans each year. Here you can view various Dale Jr. exhibits, including a display of personal family photos from his childhood. Exhibits change throughout the year. Watch team members work on cars. Check out at least 500 items at the JR Nation retail store.

Kurt Busch Inc.

ADDRESS: 151 Lugnut Lane, off Brawley School and Stutts roads, Mooresville.HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

PHONE: 704-799-2428.

WEB SITE: \\.. The Official Kurt Busch Website ..//.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: This is Busch's PERSONAL race shop. Its public showroom displays such vehicles as the first car he raced in, his Victory Lane flags and die casts of every race car he's driven. Fans can look through a glass window into the bay where Busch parks his race car hauler and practices his baseball swing when the hauler is away. Behind that is Busch's personal -- and private -- shop area where he restores cars and relaxes on a sofa. He keeps several cars most special to him there, including the '64 Volkswagen Bug he drove in high school.

Penske Racing

ADDRESS: 200 Penske Way, off N.C. 801 and Mazeppa Road, Mooresville.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays (gift shop and fan walk).

PHONE: 704-664-2300.

WEB SITE: Penske Racing : Penske Racing : Penske Racing Team Home : NASCAR : Indycar : ALMS.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Owner Roger Penske is one of racing's greatest names, and he's let fans in to watch from a "fan walk" as employees work on his NASCAR team cars. Fans may also someday ride a bus from the shop to a proposed Penske test track that would rival the size of the NASCAR track in Richmond, Va. The company has temporarily withdrawn its application so it can meet with neighbors concerned about noise.

Raceworld USA

ADDRESS: 20310 Chartwell Center Drive, Cornelius.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-5 p.m. Sundays.

PHONE: 704-897-5555.

WEB SITE: // RACEWORLD USA //.

ADMISSION: $15 adults, $8 12 and under, free 2 and under, $10 seniors.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: It's the latest, and arguably best, NASCAR fan experience by a NASCAR team. Fans can watch Michael Waltrip Racing employees work in machine, fabrication, car-building, gears-and-transmission, engineering and shocks-and-suspension shops. They can view the $2 million worth of audiovisual equipment that explains each step of building a race car.

Team Red Bull

ADDRESS: 136 Knob Hill Road, Lakeside Business Park, Mooresville.

HOURS: Gift store to debut by about Feb. 1.

PHONE: 704-662-3566.

WEB SITE: Team Red Bull NASCAR.

ADMISSION: Free.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: While not as elaborate a fan hangout as Raceworld USA, Penske Racing or Dale Earnhardt Inc., Team Red Bull and its viewing area are worth seeing if only because Toyota is the sport's most recent car manufacturer. A gift store is under construction that will feature drivers Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger. The shop also is a quick walk across Knob Hill Road from the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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I had a laugh at Hendrick talking more about JR's move more than the 2 time Nextel Cup Champion Johnson.

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Just when I think you said the stupidest thing ever .....You keep talking
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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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My husband surprised me on our honeymoon with a mapped out adventure, touring several race shops. My favorite was the Evernham. Very fan friendly, at the time. Don't know about now, since he sold out part of his ownership. We also went to DEI, and it was my least favorite. It was more like a museum. I was very disappointed.

The drive was beautiful, and we stopped at the Biltmore House on the way back. If you have a few days to get out and go, its well worth the drive to see these buildings. If you check around, there are bus tours of some of these race shops....saving you the trouble of getting lost....lol...

Hope everyone out there has a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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DEIis on the list it's the first one listed under Lake Norman Shops

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Just when I think you said the stupidest thing ever .....You keep talking
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