What Charlotte Motor Speedway is doing to draw new fans to the Coca-Cola 600

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ambitions to enhance the fan experience and broaden its audience ahead of the 2019 Coca-Cola 600 are paying off.

Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, told the Charlotte Business Journal the race is pacing about 10% ahead on ticket sales, despite declining admissions revenue and television ratings for NASCAR events in recent years. Walter and his team have made adjustments to the fan experience in order to draw more people to the event.

In an attempt to encourage more fan interaction, the speedway replaced the grass down by the track with synthetic turf. The turf will allow a more walkable surface for fans participating in the pre-race festivities taking place by the track, where there will be a stage and large Memorial Day celebration with over 600 troops from all five branches of the military. There will also be games and other activities for fans on the turf, which has already had to be repaired due to a celebratory burnout by Kyle Larson after winning last week’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race.

[Speed Street kicks off in uptown Charlotte]

“Fans can get right up to the competitors,” Walter said. “Imagine if the Panthers allowed half the stadium to go walk on the field prior to the game. That’s kind of what we do here.”

Attracting new fans, however, is something that Walter stressed.

Check out the full story here, along with photos of new features at the track and a ride-along video with the Mario Andretti Racing Experience:

Cox Media Group