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VisionAire 500 Opens Month of May at Charlotte Motor Speedway

4 October 1998

VisionAire 500 Opens Month of May at Charlotte Motor Speedway

    CONCORD, N.C., Oct. 4 -- Motorsports cultures merged in 1997
when Indy style racing came into the heart of stock car racing -- the
Carolinas -- the inaugural VisionAire 500.  In 1999, those cultures will
become deeply intertwined when the VisionAire 500 kicks off the country's
biggest month of auto racing.
    The cars and stars of the Indianapolis 500 will begin their most important
month at Charlotte Motor Speedway when they race in the third VisionAire 500
Saturday night, May 1.  Twenty-nine days later, when the Indy drivers are
taking the checkered flag in the Indianapolis 500, the field for the Coca-Cola
600 will be lining up for the green flag in Charlotte.
    "The words 'month of May' are synonymous with racing," said Charlotte
Motor Speedway President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler.  "Moving the VisionAire 500 to
May perfectly augments our traditional May activities.
    "Mention the word 'May' in the spring in Indianapolis or Charlotte, and
people think of 'going out to the track,' whether it's for testing, practice,
time trials or for the race.  Having the Indy cars and drivers here just
three weeks before the Indianapolis 500 excites me."
    The 1999 VisionAire 500 weekend will be a two-day event with practice and
qualifying scheduled for Friday, April 30.  The weekend kicks off an entire
month of speed and racing in the Charlotte area leading up to the Coca-Cola
600 on May 30.
    "Everyone in the Indy Racing League is really excited about your 1999 race
date, which we are sure will, as usual, be a spectacular event and a perfect
launching pad for the 1999 Indianapolis 500," said Leo Mehl, executive
director of the Pep Boys Indy Racing League.
    Wheeler added that the addition of the VisionAire 500 to Charlotte's May
calendar will make it the most active motorsports facility in a one-month
period in the world.
    "More than 600,000 people will attend the events at the speedway in the
month of May," said Wheeler.  "The economic impact of that many people will be
in excess of $100 million.  And remember, the May activity comes less than a
month after the Food Lion AutoFair which brings more than 100,000 people to
the speedway over a four-day period."

                          Charlotte Motor Speedway's
                                Month of Speed
                                     1999

    April 30       Pep Boys Pole Night
                   * VisionAire 500 Pole Qualifying
                   * U.S. Formula 2000 Race
                   * IRL Autograph Session

    May 1          VisionAire 500
                   * U.S. Formula 2000 Race
                   * Legends Car Racing
    May 2          600 Festival Air & Speed Show
                   at the Concord Regional Airport
                   * Aerial Acrobatics & Static Airplane Displays

    May 10-13      NASCAR Open Testing

    May 21         The Winston Qualifying Night
                   * Qualifying for The Winston
                   * No Bull 25 Qualifying Races

    May 22         The Winston
                   * The Winston Open
                   * Legends Car & Bandolero Racing
                   * EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 100

    May 25         UAW-GM Teamwork Parade

    May 26         CTC Pole Night
                   * Qualifying for Coca-Cola 600
                   * NASCAR Goody's Dash Series Race

    May 27-29      Food Lion Speed Street in uptown Charlotte

    May 29         CARQUEST Auto Parts 300

    May 30         Coca-Cola 600