Race Tracks in North Carolina
North Carolina is NASCAR's home state, and its track map reads like the sport's family tree. Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord anchors the modern era with Cup, Xfinity, and Truck racing plus a companion drag strip (zMAX Dragway) and dirt oval on the same campus. Two once-shuttered ovals have come back to life in the last few years: North Wilkesboro Speedway reopened in 2022 after a 25-year gap, and Rockingham Speedway returned to national racing in 2025 under new International Hot Rod Association ownership. Below that sit the short tracks that built NASCAR's reputation for grassroots racing - Bowman Gray Stadium's quarter-mile flat track in Winston-Salem, Hickory Motor Speedway, Caraway Speedway, Ace Speedway, Orange County Speedway, and Southern National Motorsports Park - most running weekly Late Model and Modified programs plus the regional CARS Tour and SMART Modified Tour. Several historic dirt tracks from NASCAR's earliest seasons, including Occoneechee and Charlotte Speedway, still exist as preserved sites.
58 venues listed across 6 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Ovals and speedways in North Carolina
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Motor Speedway | Concord | 1.5 mi | NASCAR's Charlotte hub: a 1.5-mile quad-oval that also runs as the 2.32-mile Roval road course, plus a 0.4-mile Dirt Track and the adjoining zMAX Dragway on the same campus. |
| North Wilkesboro Speedway | North Wilkesboro | 0.625 mi | Historic NASCAR track that closed in 1997 and reopened in 2022 with state funding; now hosts the NASCAR All-Star Race and Xfinity/Truck events after a 2024 repave. |
| Rockingham Speedway | Rockingham | 0.947 mi | "The Rock," a D-shaped former Cup track that lost its NASCAR date in 2004; revived by new ownership from 2018 and acquired by the International Hot Rod Association in December 2025, hosting Xfinity, Truck, and ARCA East racing again since 2025. |
| Bowman Gray Stadium | Winston-Salem | 0.25 mi | Flat quarter-mile stadium oval and America's longest-running weekly NASCAR-sanctioned track, hosting the Cup Series' Cook Out Clash exhibition since 2025. |
| Hickory Motor Speedway | Newton | 0.363 mi | "The Birthplace of NASCAR Stars," a paved short track that ran NASCAR Cup and Busch races through the 1990s and now hosts weekly racing plus the CARS Tour and SMART Modified Tour. |
| Ace Speedway | Altamahaw | 0.4 mi | Asphalt short track in the Burlington area running Late Model and Modified classes weekly plus CARS Tour dates. |
| Orange County Speedway | Rougemont | 0.375 mi | "The fastest 3/8-mile in America," a steeply banked asphalt oval near Roxboro/Hillsborough that closed in 2003 and reopened in 2006; runs weekly divisions plus CARS Tour and SMART Modified Tour races. |
| Southern National Motorsports Park | Lucama | 0.4 mi | Asphalt short track east of Raleigh near Kenly that opens the CARS Tour season most years. |
| Caraway Speedway | Sophia | 0.455 mi | Asphalt oval near Asheboro running since 1966, hosting the CARS Late Model Stock Tour and SMART Modified Tour. |
| Wake County Speedway | Raleigh | 0.25 mi | NASCAR-sanctioned quarter-mile asphalt oval in Raleigh running weekly short-track racing on select Friday nights, April through October. |
| Carteret County Speedway | Swansboro | — | Coastal asphalt short track near Swansboro running weekly stock car divisions. |
| Coastal Plains Raceway | Jacksonville | — | Asphalt oval at the Coastal Plains motorsports complex near Jacksonville, sharing the site with Coastal Plains Dragway. |
| Tri-County Speedway | Granite Falls | 0.4 mi | Four-tenths-mile asphalt short track in the foothills near Hudson running weekly Late Model racing. |
Drag strips in North Carolina
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| zMAX Dragway | Concord | 0.25 mi | NHRA four-lane national event drag strip on the Charlotte Motor Speedway campus, opened 2008, host of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. |
| Darana Motorsports Park (formerly GALOT Motorsports Park) | Benson/Dunn | 0.125 mi | Eighth-mile IHRA-affiliated dragstrip purchased by IHRA ownership and rebranded from GALOT in 2026, with a temperature-controlled all-concrete surface and 9,000-seat stadium stands. |
| Rockingham Dragway | Rockingham | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile strip at 'The Rock' complex set to host its first full NHRA national event, the NHRA Nationals at The Rock, in September 2026. |
| Farmington Dragway | Mocksville | 0.125 mi | Eighth-mile bracket and grudge racing strip near Mocksville running a spring-through-fall season. |
| Piedmont Dragway | Julian | 0.125 mi | Eighth-mile 'Door Slammer Capital of the World' near Greensboro, IHRA-sanctioned since 2021 and IHRA-owned since 2026, hosting roughly 90 events a year. |
| Roxboro Motorsports Park | Timberlake | 0.125 mi | Eighth-mile drag strip near Roxboro running IHRA points races and bracket racing since 1959. |
| Mooresville Dragway | Mooresville | 0.125 mi | Eighth-mile strip in 'Race City USA' running a shortened 2026 season ahead of a planned new facility in 2027. |
| Shadyside Dragway | Shelby | 0.125 mi | Unsanctioned eighth-mile outlaw strip run by the Buff family since 1958, known for grudge and no-prep racing. |
| Wilkesboro Dragway | Wilkesboro | 0.125 mi | North Carolina's longest-running dragstrip, built in 1955 and now aligned with the World Drag Racing Alliance. |
| 710 Dragway | Rowland | — | Drag strip in Robeson County near the South Carolina border running bracket and grudge events. |
| Coastal Plains Dragway | Jacksonville | — | Drag strip sharing the Coastal Plains motorsports complex near Jacksonville with its companion oval. |
| Kinston Drag Strip | Kinston | — | Eastern North Carolina drag strip running weekly bracket and test-and-tune events. |
| NorthEast Dragway | Hertford | — | Drag strip in the northeastern corner of the state near the Outer Banks running grudge and bracket racing. |
| Outer Banks Speedway | Creswell | — | Drag strip serving the Outer Banks region of northeastern North Carolina. |
| Thunder Valley Raceway Park | Red Springs | — | Drag strip in Robeson County running grudge and bracket racing. |
Dirt tracks in North Carolina
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Dirt Track at Charlotte | Concord | 0.4 mi | Lighted 0.4-mile clay oval on the Charlotte Motor Speedway grounds, host of the World of Outlaws World Finals every November. |
| Friendship Motor Speedway | Elkin | 0.4 mi | Four-tenths-mile clay oval in Surry County that returned to dirt racing in 2023 under new ownership, running Late Models and Modifieds from March through October. |
| The New 311 Speedway | Pine Hall | 0.5 mi | Half-mile clay oval near Madison/Pine Hall that has changed hands and reopened multiple times, most recently running weekly stock car divisions. |
| Fayetteville Motor Speedway | Fayetteville | 0.375 mi | Three-eighths-mile dirt oval running 602 Late Models, Sport Mods, Street Stocks and Legends most Saturday nights, March through October. |
| Carolina Speedway | Gastonia | 0.4 mi | Four-tenths-mile red-clay 'Action Track' on the South Carolina border, one of the South's oldest dirt ovals and host of the annual Shrine 100. |
| County Line Raceway | Elm City | 0.375 mi | Three-eighths-mile clay oval in eastern North Carolina running Ultimate Super Late Models and UMP Modifieds. |
| Dixieland Speedway | Elizabeth City | 0.375 mi | Three-eighths-mile clay oval north of Elizabeth City running five divisions most Friday nights since 1983. |
| Millbridge Speedway | Salisbury | 0.167 mi | Sixth-mile dirt oval between Mooresville and Salisbury specializing in winged outlaw karts, Micro Sprints and Legends, and a favorite proving ground for NASCAR drivers' kids. |
| Bear Creek Raceway Park | Dobson | — | Dirt oval in Surry County running weekly local stock car divisions. |
| Coleridge Speedway | Ramseur | — | Dirt oval in Randolph County running weekly local racing. |
| East Lincoln Speedway | Stanley | — | Dirt oval in Lincoln/Gaston County running weekly local stock car racing. |
| Halifax County Motor Speedway | Littleton | — | Dirt oval in northeastern North Carolina running weekly local racing. |
| Harris Speedway | Rutherfordton | — | Dirt oval in the western North Carolina foothills running weekly local racing. |
| HorsePower Park | Morganton | — | Dirt oval near Morganton running weekly local stock car and truck racing. |
| Liberty Raceway Park | Staley | — | Dirt oval nicknamed the 'Daytona of Dirt' running weekly local racing in Randolph County. |
| Margarettsville Speedway | Margarettsville | — | Small dirt oval in far northeastern North Carolina near the Virginia border. |
| Rockfish Speedway | Raeford | — | Dirt oval near Fayetteville running weekly local stock car racing. |
| The "Old" State Line Speedway | Lawsonville | — | Dirt oval on the Virginia border in Stokes County running local racing. |
| Tri County Race Track | Brasstown | — | Dirt oval in far western North Carolina's mountains near the Georgia and Tennessee borders. |
Karting in North Carolina
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trackhouse Motorplex (formerly GoPro Motorplex) | Mooresville | 0.7 mi | 0.7-mile, 11-turn outdoor kart track modeled on Italy's Kartdromo Parma, now branded to NASCAR's Trackhouse Racing. |
| Albemarle Speedway (Albemarle Kart Club) | Elizabeth City | — | Dirt-oval kart track run by the Albemarle Kart Club Association, hosting weekly club kart racing in northeastern North Carolina. |
Closed and historic in North Carolina
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occoneechee SpeedwayClosed | Hillsborough | 1 mi | Closed 1968. One of NASCAR's original 1949 tracks and the last surviving dirt track from that inaugural season; now a walking trail inside Eno River State Park and on the National Register of Historic Places. |
| Charlotte SpeedwayClosed | Charlotte | 0.75 mi | Closed 1956. Dirt oval that hosted NASCAR's first-ever Strictly Stock (Cup) race on June 19, 1949; the site is now an industrial park. |
| Wilson SpeedwayClosed | Wilson | 0.5 mi | Closed 1989. Half-mile dirt oval that hosted 12 NASCAR Cup races in the 1950s; grandstands remain but the surface is largely reclaimed by grass. |
| Asheville-Weaverville SpeedwayClosed | Weaverville | 0.5 mi | Closed 1969. Paved half-mile oval that hosted 34 NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races; the site is now North Buncombe High School. |
| Metrolina SpeedwayClosed | Charlotte | — | Closed 1998. Northeast Charlotte short track that has sat abandoned despite repeated redevelopment proposals. |
| Concord SpeedwayClosed | Midland | 0.5 mi | Closed 2019. Half-mile asphalt oval that hosted the Big 10 Series and North-South Shootout for Super Late Models from 1982. |
| Greensboro Fairgrounds SpeedwayClosed | Greensboro | 0.333 mi | Closed 1958. Third-mile dirt oval that hosted NASCAR Cup racing in 1957-58 before being bulldozed for the Greensboro Coliseum complex. |
| Raleigh Speedway (Southland Speedway)Closed | Raleigh | 1 mi | Closed 1958. One-mile paperclip-shaped oval that was the second superspeedway ever built and the first lighted NASCAR track, hosting Cup races from 1953-58 before demolition in 1967. |
Motocross and off-road in North Carolina
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Motorsports Park | Henderson | 1.75 mi | 230-acre motocross complex with four tracks scaled from peewee to advanced plus eight miles of trails, hosting AMA-sanctioned regional and amateur national qualifying events. |
Race tracks near the big cities in North Carolina
Near Charlotte
- Charlotte Motor Speedway · about 25 min
- zMAX Dragway · about 25 min
- The Dirt Track at Charlotte · about 25 min
- Trackhouse Motorplex (formerly GoPro Motorplex) · about 30 min
- Caraway Speedway · about 55 min
Near Winston-Salem/Greensboro
- Bowman Gray Stadium · about 10 min
- Hickory Motor Speedway · about 45 min
- Ace Speedway · about 30 min
- North Wilkesboro Speedway · about 60 min
Near Raleigh-Durham
- Orange County Speedway · about 40 min
- Southern National Motorsports Park · about 50 min
Major race weekends in North Carolina
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola 600 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | May | NASCAR Cup |
| Bank of America ROVAL 400 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | October | NASCAR Cup |
| NASCAR All-Star Race | North Wilkesboro Speedway | May | NASCAR Cup (exhibition) |
| NHRA Four-Wide Nationals | zMAX Dragway | April | NHRA |
| World of Outlaws World Finals | The Dirt Track at Charlotte | November | World of Outlaws |
| Cook Out Clash | Bowman Gray Stadium | March | NASCAR Cup (exhibition) |
Track days and driving experiences in North Carolina
North Carolina's road-racing scene runs light compared with its ovals - most club track days for street cars happen at Virginia International Raceway just over the state line. Inside North Carolina, karters get regular club racing at Trackhouse Motorplex (formerly GoPro Motorplex) in Mooresville, and short-track racers can rent time or run rookie/open-practice sessions at Hickory Motor Speedway, Caraway Speedway, and Ace Speedway ahead of weekly race nights - contact each track directly since practice policies vary week to week. Drag racers can test-and-tune at zMAX Dragway on selected non-event days.
Frequently asked questions
Does this page cover horse racing venues?+
No. This guide is motor racing only. North Carolina has no major Thoroughbred tracks, but any harness or horse racing facilities are outside this page's scope.
Is Virginia International Raceway in North Carolina?+
No, despite sitting right on the border and drawing plenty of North Carolina drivers, VIR is across the state line in Alton, Virginia. See our Virginia race tracks page.
What's the difference between Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Dragway?+
They're both on the same Concord property under Speedway Motorsports, but they're separate facilities - the 1.5-mile oval/Roval hosts NASCAR, while zMAX Dragway next door is a dedicated NHRA drag strip.
Is North Wilkesboro Speedway back for good?+
Yes. After a 25-year closure, the track reopened for grassroots racing in 2022 and now hosts the NASCAR All-Star Race, an Xfinity Series race, and a Truck Series race each year following a 2024 repave.
Where can I watch weekly short-track racing in North Carolina?+
Bowman Gray Stadium, Hickory Motor Speedway, Caraway Speedway, Ace Speedway, Orange County Speedway, and Southern National Motorsports Park all run weekly Late Model, Modified, or stock car programs through the racing season.
Are any of North Carolina's closed historic tracks worth visiting?+
Yes - Occoneechee Speedway near Hillsborough is preserved as a walking trail inside Eno River State Park, and you can still trace the old oval on foot.
Venue list checked against 54 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.
