[Lefty Noob]

An official announcement isn't due until sometime in March, but if a recent report in the Charlotte Observer is to be believed, then it looks like that city has beaten out both Atlanta and Daytona and will become the home of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame.

"Logistics and common sense have always made Charlotte the obvious choice to host the Hall of Fame," claims AP motorsports writer Jenna Fryer in a Feb. 27 report. "Although NASCAR's official headquarters are in Daytona Beach, almost everything else is run out of Charlotte, and [chairman Brian] France himself recently purchased a house here."

Perhaps that is the case, but it certainly would seem fitting to place the Hall in Daytona, the home of your biggest annual event. What do all of you think?

[CRMartin]

I would have to go with Daytona. Just the size of the event, as well as the pageantry of it, should insure success of the Hall of Fame if placed there. Not only that, but it is a place you can go year around simply because of the climate. Whatever they decide, its just nice to finally have a HOF for NASCAR.

[sehja]

hat tip - local Atlanta TV news is saying the announcement will be Monday (3/6)

All 3 cities have pros and cons.

Charlotte - a flat out racing town and they definately deserve it. But will they get enough out of towners through the whole year - year after year to keep it profitable enough? More than just race week.

Daytona - a hall of fame town if there ever was one - can they buck the trend in beach goers who seem to shunning indoor venues and opting for condohotels, shopping and a beach. Will Space Center or Disney visitors make the trip to Daytona for the Hall of Fame? (they might)

Atlanta - on the decline as a racing town due to demographic changes - but kicks it on yearly business visitors looking for something indoors to do. The indoor venues in Atlanta are nearly making money hand over fist.

[CRMartin]

And that's why I think Daytona is the KEY choice. Vacationers ALL year around, not to mention its in the vacation hotbed. Should generate lots of monies for NASCAR.

[car99fan]

I like Charlotte because I feel like there is more old fashioned racing sentiment there, while Daytona is all about spectacle these days. I'm certainly not disparaging Daytona's racing history - it's there and it's very valid. But beach racing isn't the history of Nascar. Dirt roads and dirt tracks are. Daytona is more about the marketing and business of stock car racing then the history and tradition of it.

Dale Jr came out and said he wants Charlotte because he knows he's going to have make appearances there and it's close to home. I bet that's a popular opinion among the race teams and I bet their vote counts a lot.

And the revenue factor? Yeah, Daytona is attracting a lot more people overall than Charlotte but there are already a heck of a lot of places to spend your money in Daytona. They might want to be careful about trying to spread the fans' dollar too thin....

[rave20]

but there are already a heck of a lot of places to spend your money in Daytona.
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Yeah like Daytona USA! Do they really need the hall of fame too?

Put it in Charlotte and let Humpy Wheeler do the marketing. With him behind it the place might take over Charlotte!

[rmjvol]

I'm gonna say Charlotte is the best choice but I bet NASCAR will go with Daytona. NC is really home to most of the NASCAR family and history, drivers living there makes sense to have it in Charlotte.

But Daytona is known for vacation and for NASCAR. Having the NASCAR hall of fame in Daytona will mean they own the town even more than they do now. It'll probably mean more money in their pockets as well.

[candlejack]

I think NC is the best place for the NASCAR HOF. they would benefit more from the tourist dollars than Daytona or Atlanta.

[Lefty Noob]

So pretty much everyone's agree that Atlanta doesn't have much of a shot, and that its likely to be Charlotte with Daytona a close second? No one out there want to give a good pitch as for why Georgia should get the Hall?

[car99fan]

Done deal. Charlotte it is. Built by 2009 at a cost of 154 million. Yee buddy!

[Tin Can]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The slogan used in Charlotte's platform to lure the NASCAR Hall of Fame to the Queen City is now official creed:
Racing was built here. Racing belongs here.
As expected, NASCAR on Monday announced its Hall of Fame will reside in Charlotte, N.C., a conclusion one key decision maker on the project called "the tipping point for Charlotte being the Hollywood of NASCAR."

[pete_b]

It really wasn't much of a surprise. NASCAR is definitely a southern sport. Although alot of people would call Atlanta a southern town, others might think it a little to ritzy for the grit of NASCAR. The good ole boys in Charlotte keeps the flavor of NASCAR. Good choice.

[Team Yates]

[quote=sehja]

Charlotte - a flat out racing town and they definately deserve it. But will they get enough out of towners through the whole year - year after year to keep it profitable enough? More than just race week.

Good call! It should be in Charlotte - that's where it was born and bred. Please let's try to keep some of our roots! I believe Charlotte has alot of tourists all yearlong, not just "race weekend", all yearlong you can tour the track and most race shops. Not to mention other sports events held throughout the year, or anything else they may have going on in their city.

[CRMartin]

Looks like Charlotte is the place. Sounds like NASCAR decided to go with history and racings roots and as well they should. Daytona would have been a great choice as well, being a tourist haven. I can't wait to see who the first inductees are and just how big the first class will be.