Fasten Your Seatbelts!

The NASCAR Hall of Fame concept is now reality – and construction is actively underway in Charlotte, North Carolina, the city chosen by NASCAR to be the site of this once-in-a-lifetime facility.

"Our goal has been - and continues to be - to create the "crown jewel" of Charlotte and the very best Hall of Fame-themed entertainment experience in the world," said Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. "This Hall of Fame will expand the dynamic and growing sport of NASCAR racing in a dynamic and growing city. It's a victory not only for the Charlotte region, but for NASCAR fans across the country and internationally. We look forward to welcoming all fans for a unique and entertaining experience.”

With an estimated completion date of second quarter 2010, this state-of-the-art facility will honor NASCAR icons and create an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have impacted the sport in the past, present and future.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in January 2007 and construction began in May 2007. Building design concepts have been completed and exhibit themes and interior layouts are nearing completion. Among the elements being considered for the NASCAR Hall of Fame are:

• Approximately 40,000 square feet of exhibit space showcasing the history and heritage of the sport.
• Ceremonial Plaza: Exterior site for induction ceremonies.
• Full Throttle Theater: A 270-seat state-of-the-art theatre featuring informational film about the history of NASCAR. Available for after hours group rentals.
• The Great Hall: Large, open, greeting area just inside the facility which will include rotating displays and lively video scenes and graphics.
• Glory Road: Banked ramp leading to the second floor of the facility featuring 15-18 historic cars and highlighting 40 current and historic tracks.
• Hall of Honor: Space where NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees will be honored.
• NASCAR Vault: Glass-enclosed section of the facility housing historic artifacts from NASCAR's past.
• A Week in the Life: A behind-the-scenes look of what a NASCAR team and the NASCAR industry goes through to prepare a car for raceday.
• Transporter Simulator: A full-size transporter, giving visitors a first-hand look at the team's nerve-center at the track.
• Racing Simulator: A state-of-the-art attraction giving visitors a driver's experience and perspective on raceday.
• Heritage Speedway: Individual galleries telling the story of NASCAR's exciting 60+ year history.
• Tribute Space: A memorial area where visitors can honor and reflect on heroes no longer with us.
• Restaurant and Retail Outlets.
• TV & Radio Studios and NASCAR Newsroom

Additional details of these proposed components can be found in the FAQS page of the website.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame is one component of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Complex, located in uptown Charlotte, adjacent to the Charlotte Convention Center. The Complex will include:

• The NASCAR Hall of Fame: A 130,000 square foot state-of-the-art hall of fame, entertainment attraction, and museum.
• Convention Center Expansion/New Ballroom: 102,000 square foot expansion to the Convention Center including a new 44,000 square foot ballroom with seating capacity of 2,500 banquet style and over 5,000 theater style.
• NASCAR Plaza Office Tower: A 390,000 square foot, 19 story Class A office building being developed by Lauth Properties and NASCAR. NASCAR and NASCAR Images will be primary tenants and include full scale studios to be operated by NASCAR Images.
• Parking garage for over 1,000 vehicles.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

A World Class Team

Award winning expertise from two of the world's leading design firms has been secured to develop plans for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Pei, Cobb & Freed Partners, responsible for more than 100 high profile projects around the world, has been secured to develop the external design plan. Some of their best known works include the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, the John Hancock Tower in Boston, MA, modernization and expansion of The Louvre in Paris, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, NY, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. This firm has received more than 150 major design awards, including 23 National Honor Awards from the American Institute of Architects.

Ralph Appelbaum and Associates is serving as the exhibit design firm. RAA is currently the largest interpretive museum design firm in the world and have won over 100 major design awards since being founded in 1978. Among the Appelbaum team’s most notable works include the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN, the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, FL, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA.

The Construction Team
The construction of the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a joint venture between BE&K, Turner Construction and the Walter B. Davis Company. The three firms will be responsible for all of the construction aspects of the project including: cost estimating services, developing the construction schedule, assisting in the packaging for permits, overseeing the bid phase, awarding sub-contractors and managing all sub-contractors during construction.

The City of Charlotte
The City of Charlotte provides services to enhance the livability and quality of life for more than 650,000 residents each year with a focus on Housing & Neighborhood Development, Community Safety, Transportation, Economic Development and the Environment. In addition to encouraging people and businesses to live, work and locate within Charlotte, the City also engages in partnerships that contribute to the local economy and bolster tourism by creating unique experiences that support our Economic Development focus area, such as the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The NHOF project team includes many City departments, including Engineering & Property Management, Charlotte Department of Transportation, Economic Development, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities, Planning, Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department , City Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Office.

North Carolina & NASCAR:
Racing Was Built Here

Charlotte 's connection with fast cars goes back to the early 20th century. As early as 1924, the Charlotte Speedway, a plank-surfaced half-mile oval track, was drawing an estimated 50,000 people to watch open wheel cars.

On June 19, 1949 Charlotte played host to NASCAR’s first race in the Strictly Stock division, predecessor to today's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. On that day, a group of 33 scrappy drivers with names like Baker, Flock and Petty gathered with an array of full-sized "stock" family sedans for a 200-lap, 150-mile race on a dusty, three-quarter-mile red clay oval on Wilkinson Boulevard. Gastonia, North Carolina’s Glenn Dunaway was flagged the winner. Later disqualified for having enhanced the suspension of his Ford, Kansas’ Jim Roper was declared the winner.

Stemming from this rich heritage, the Charlotte region literally has emerged as stock car racing's home. Currently, over 80 percent of NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, over 70 percent of NASCAR Nationwide teams and over 50 percent of Craftsman Truck teams are based in the region. Motorsports is now a $6 billion a year industry and employs over 27,000 people in North Carolina with over $4.5 billion of that annual economic impact being in the Charlotte region.

The synergy of the teams and competitors, both current and past is among the key reasons NASCAR chose to partner with the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority to develop this incredible facility to honor the history and heritage of NASCAR. This was evident with the participation of 40 NASCAR competitors, heroes and pioneers participating in the groundbreaking ceremony in January of 2007.

The breadth and depth of motorsports-related attractions also make Charlotte especially fitting for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Many NASCAR fans already travel to Charlotte for its unique combination and concentration of race teams, racing exhibits, high-octane live events and hands-on opportunities like the Lowes Motor Speedway, North Carolina Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Richard Petty Driving Experience, Andretti/Gordon Driving School, Fast Track High Performance Driving School; museums of Richard Childress Racing, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Petty, and Roush Racing to name a few. Simply put, racing is in the air 365 days a year in the Charlotte region. That's why this area is the ideal location for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

In Charlotte, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will not simply be just another tourist attraction. It will be the centerpiece - well maintained, well operated and truly appreciated. Perhaps most importantly, the people of Charlotte understand the business of NASCAR and fully embrace it. For some it represents their family history. For many it's their livelihood. For nearly all, it's their passion.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will be owned by the City of Charlotte and operated by The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA). The CRVA combines Visit Charlotte (the Convention & Visitors Bureau) with facilities management of Charlotte’s publicly owned meeting facilities which include the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Charlotte Convention Center, Ovens Auditorium, Bojangles’ Coliseum and specific operational components of the Time Warner Cable Arena.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Advisory Board

Tim Newman, Chairman – Chief Executive Officer, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Cathy Bessant – President, Global Treasury Services, Bank of America
Paul Brooks – Senior Vice President, NASCAR
Blake Davidson – Managing Director of Licensed Products, NASCAR
Ron Kimble – Deputy City Manager, City of Charlotte
Ted Lewis – General Manager, Charlotte Convention Center
Jim Schumacher – Assistant City Manager, City of Charlotte
John Tate – Senior Vice President Commercial Banking, Wachovia Corporation

NASCAR Hall of Fame Staff

Executive Director
Winston Kelley

Winston Kelley is the executive director of the highly anticipated National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Hall of Fame. Formerly vice president of economic and business development and vice president of government and business relations for Duke Energy Carolinas, Kelley brings with him a wealth of public sector experience, a lifelong background in NASCAR and an immense enthusiasm for the sport.

Born into a racing family, Kelley’s passion for NASCAR began over 40 years ago when he attended his first race -- the 1964 Daytona 500. His father, Earl Kelley, served as a public relations director for the Charlotte Motor Speedway and was also a pioneer public address announcer and member of the Universal Racing Network broadcast team. Kelley attained one of his lifelong dreams when he became a member of the Motor Racing Network (MRN) radio broadcasting team in 1988. To this day, he still reports and serves as MRN Radio's lead pit reporter. His background also includes working as a race statistician for the Universal Racing Network and a public address announcer for several NASCAR facilities including the North Wilkesboro Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Darlington Raceway and Daytona International Speedway. Kelley also worked as a field reporter for “NASCAR This Morning” on Fox Sports Net from 2001 to 2004.

Kelley is especially grateful for the open access the NASCAR owners, drivers and team members have provided him and cherishes the strong relationships he has developed and maintained within the NASCAR community and fan base over the years. He was a member of the Charlotte NASCAR Hall of Fame team that helped secure what he and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority will strive to make Charlotte’s signature tourist attraction.

Kelley graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina State University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in business management and economics. A native of Concord, North Carolina, Kelley currently resides in Charlotte.

Project Operations Manager
George Hite

George Hite is the Project Operations Manager, directing the CRVA’s responsibilities for construction activities for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Hite is also responsible for developing many of the operational initiatives for the Hall of Fame. Hite manages all CRVA capital improvement programs, CRVA ticketing operations, creation and management of multi-facility vendor relationships, serves as the CRVA liaison to the American Red Cross and other emergency preparedness organizations and compliance of CRVA facilities with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Hite has spent over 18 years with the CRVA serving as Charlotte Coliseum staffing coordinator and box office manager, Bojangles’ Coliseum building manager, Charlotte Coliseum Director of Support Services and Assistant Building Manager and Director of Support Services for the Time Warner Cable Arena.

Sales & Marketing Manager
Leslie Horne

Leslie Horne is responsible for the development and implementation of sales, sponsorship and marketing strategies for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Horne has over 12 years experience in global sports marketing, including engagements with franchise members of the NFL, MLB, NBA and various motorsports entities, as well as international assignments in the United Kingdom and Australia. Horne’s resume includes serving as Senior Project Manager with IMG/Muhleman Marketing, Inc, where she had key roles in research, development and activation of marketing studies in over 25 professional sports markets. She also participated in the design and execution of 10 PSL programs, including management of new facility projects for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Bears as well as the renovation and expansion of Churchill Downs. Horne also worked with the Carolina Panthers from 1995 - 1997 and was a leading producer for the department responsible for designing and developing personal sales strategies for Permanent Seat Licenses, Luxury Suites and Sponsorships to new and current customers, as well as, existing and relocating businesses.

Historian
Albert “Buz” McKim

Buz McKim concentrates on the interior development of the Hall of Fame and telling the rich and storied history of NASCAR. He works closely with exhibit designers, Ralph Appelbaum and Associates, in the development of exhibits, artifacts, video and audio documentation to provide a thorough, accurate and authentic representation of NASCAR’s history. McKim, like Kelley, was born into a racing family. His father changed roles from car owner to race announcer. McKim attempted a brief driving career but found his niche in designing paint schemes and painting the numbers on the cars which fit his artistic and creative talents. His commercial art career included designing many paint schemes for cars in NASCAR’s premier series during the 1970’s including the 1975 and 1976 Daytona 500-winning cars of Benny Parsons and David Pearson. McKim was named Director of Archives for the International Speedway Corporation in January 1999 and accepted the position of Coordinator of Statistical Services with the NASCAR Public Relations Department in 2003. In 2004, McKim collaborated with writer and fellow NASCAR employee Herb Branham to create the book, NASCAR Vault. The book chronicled many unique aspects of the history of NASCAR.

Executive Assistant
Carol Weeks

Carol Weeks is responsible for serving as Executive Assistant to Winston Kelley and the NASCAR Hall of Fame staff. She has over 18 years of combined experience in Executive Support and Office Management. Her most recent position was with Duke Energy Carolinas supporting executives in the Economic Development department. Weeks also worked with the non-profit agency Community Health Services where she was instrumental in helping the agency achieve their financial and community outreach goals. Her key roles at the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be providing high-level administrative support to facility executives, assisting in event planning and implementation, representing the organization to customers, the public and government, as well as assisting with facility related financial reports and statements. Weeks is a native Charlottean.

Exhibits Manager
Kevin Schlesier

Kevin Schlesier is the Exhibits Manager and will lead the exhibit department working with the Historian, Registrar and Collections Manager, exhibit design team, artifact experts, and others to ensure the successful implementation of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s exhibits and interactive experiences. Schlesier is responsible for developing policies and procedures to guide the creation and long term planning of exhibits. His duties also include collaborating with the Historian on creating sustainable collections plans to make certain that items will be available for future generations. A lifelong car enthusiast, Schlesier assisted in the development of the Route 66 portion of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History exhibition America on the Move.

Registrar and Collections Manager
Michele Leopold

Michele Leopold is the Registrar and Collections Manager and is responsible for managing all registration operations for the NASCAR Hall of Fame collection. Leopold works alongside the NASCAR Hall of Fame Historian, Exhibits Manager and exhibit design team to ensure all of the artifacts are properly cataloged, tracked, stored and shipped, as well as administering the preparation and conservation of these artifacts. Leopold has over 20 years of hands-on experience serving as the founding Chief Registrar for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, and registration and collections roles at the Atlanta History Museum and the Ringling Museum of Art in Florida.

Operations Manager
Steve Burrell

Steve Burrell is the Operations Manager responsible for the day to day functions of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Burrell oversees the operations of the NASCAR Hall of Fame to including customer service standards, staffing and training, event management, ticketing as well as risk management planning. Burrell has over 14 years experience in the entertainment/tourism industry working with Carowinds Theme Park. During his tenure, Burrell served as the Loss Prevention Manager, Paladium and Campground Manager in addition to his duties as Operations Manager. He served on the North Carolina Amusement Advisory Committee as well as the Education Committee for the American Industry for Maintenance and Safety. Burrell has served as the Corporate Safety and Chief Ethics Officer for a government contractor with multi-sites throughout the United States. Burrell graduated from the University of South Carolina and currently resides in Clover, SC with his wife and two children.