Charlotte Campaigns For NASCAR Hall Of Fame

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and Charlotte Chamber of Commerce President Cathy Bessant, along with officials from Concord, Kannapolis, and Mooresville, announced their latest campaign to bring the NASCAR Hall of Fame to the Queen City. WSOC-TV NASCAR Hall of Fame Campaign

They used a NASCAR-style stock car as their petition for the public to sign. It was located in the middle of Uptown Charlotte, on Trade Street and Tryon.

They also handed out buttons with the slogan, "Racing was built here. Racing belongs here."

City officials said to make this campaign a success, they had to take a regional approach. They said Charlotte cannot win the bidding war on its own. It needs the help of the surrounding areas, like Concord, Kannapolis, and Mooresville.

City officials need to get the state legislature on board and approve a motel-hotel tax to pay for most of the $100-million project.

The key is to get the state legislature and NASCAR to believe that Charlotte is the obvious choice.

"What better place to recognize those incredible athletes that drives the cars, that builds the engines, that do the pit stops? What better place to recognize them than right here," said McCrory.

"We know racing in this region. Some cities might be able to put together a regular, normal, boring petition. We're doing a whole lot better than that," said Bessant.

Bessant means that by signing a NASCAR-style stock car. Officials are collecting signatures on the vehicle until the end of May. By then, campaign officials will have to have the financing ready for NASCAR.

Charlotte is in competition with Detroit, Mich., Atlanta, Ga., Richmond Va., and Daytona, Fla. for the hall of fame.