Week Nine
Mooresville, NC (Race City USA) –
There are at
least a dozen NASCAR garages within a 30-mile radius along with a couple
related museums. Some have view windows
to the garage area and gift shops.
Make the Visitor’s Center your first stop. The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame is in the same
building and is well worth your time.
Two museums
that are a must see:
North
Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. This museum contains a great representation of racing history,
culture, nostalgia and memorabilia.
There is a charge. (www.ncarhof.com)
Photo Op with a Blond!
Lots
on Display
Memory
Lane. This
place was huge. If it’s related to
racing, it’s in this museum – cars (wrecked and in tact), toys, clothes, and
memorabilia. There is also a great gift
shop that carries interesting and unique “junk” for the racing nut. Check out this H-D gas pump that houses a
TV.
Center Isle
Toy Bulldozer
Harley Pump/TV
If you are a
race fan and plan to tour any of the garages, our recommendation would be to
visit these three and then work through the rest as time permits:
·
Hendrick
Motorsports (Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle
Busch) – phenomenal museum; view window to shop as well as access to paint and
chassis shops; 67 acre racing complex; historic race cars; 1.5 miles from
Lowe’s Motor Speedway—Charlotte; Team Store (www.hendrickmotorsports.com) (NOTE:
This is about a 35 minute drive south east of Mooresville but well worth
the trip.)
The deck behind this display is a series of view windows into the
“live” workshop.
Hendrick Race Shop
·
Gibbs
Racing– great view window to shop; gift shop
Gibb’s Race Shop
·
Earnhardt –
great museum; view window to car displays and shop; gift shop (NOTE: 10 minute drive just South of Mooresville.)
Earnhardt Museum
All of these cars (and quite a few more) are displayed throughout
the museum (check out the Corvette!)
FYI. . .None of
the garages in Statesville or Mooresville charge admission.
As a side note,
we stopped to look at new homes to get an idea of styles and prices. What culture shock. . .the average homes in
this central NC area are priced in the $175-200K range for a three bedroom,
2-1/2 bath open floor plan, single story.
Statesville,
NC
Want or need
furniture – visit Hickory, NC to pick it out.
The furniture mart has four floors and acres of furniture for every
décor imaginable. We compared prices
and found local stores in New England to be comparable – especially considering
the shipping costs.
The countryside
is beautiful in the fall -- lots of color.
Temperatures in the 70s and 80s are convincing us that we are headed in
the right direction.
NOTE: Many businesses close at 5:00 pm during the
week and are closed on Sunday in this “heartland” of North Carolina. Even the Visitor’s Center was closed on
Saturday. The Harley Dealer in
Statesville was one of the biggest and best-stocked that we’ve been in – and
you know we’re stopping at just about everyone we see!
NEXT STOP: CHARLESTON, SC