Latest news with #CharlotteObserver
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Rockingham Speedway listed for sale
Less than six weeks after hosting the return of the NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series, Rockingham Speedway is for sale. It is listed by CBRE, a real estate and investment company. The Charlotte Observer first reported the sale. 'We've basically taken it in first gear as far as we can go, building it out, getting it ready for bigger and better hands,' Dan Lovenheim, who purchased the track in August 2018, told The Charlotte Observer. 'And the time is right to pass the baton to someone who can take it farther than we can.' No price is listed for the facility. Rockingham Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series from 1965-2004 and the Xfinity Series from 1982-2004 before those race dates went away. The track, located about 90 minutes east of Charlotte, North Carolina, hosted the Truck Series in 2012 and 2013 before going away. Lovenheim made several upgrades to the track after purchasing it and the Xfinity and Truck Series returned this year to much fanfare. In the offering memorandum by CBRE, it states a three-year 'existing agreement' with NASCAR for Rockingham Speedway to host the Xfinity and Truck Series in 2025, '26 and '27. NASCAR has not announced any 2026 or 2027 dates. The Charlotte Observer reported that a NASCAR spokesperson stated that no agreement had been signed with Rockingham for 2026 and beyond.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas-based Whataburger opens first NC location in Gastonia
Big news for burger fans -- the Texas-based fast food chain Whataburger is opening Thursday in North Carolina. Whataburger's first location in Gastonia is just off of E. Franklin Boulevard, and they told our partners at the Charlotte Observer that they're expecting a big crowd for their 9 a.m. opening. The restaurant will be open 24 hours a day. The chain plans to open a total of 10 locations in North Carolina by the end of the year. While it's the first Whataburger in North Carolina, it's not to be confused with What-A-Burger No. 13 -- that's a local restaurant with locations in Locust and Mount Pleasant. Whataburger is suing the local chain over alleged trademark infringement, but What-A-Burger says its name and branding are different from the national restaurant. Whataburger first opened in 1950 in Texas and has since expanded to 16 states, including North Carolina and South Carolina. (VIDEO: Texas-based Whataburger sues NC What-A-Burgers for trademark infringement)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rockingham Speedway up for sale after NASCAR return
A month after hosting a NASCAR Trucks and Xfinity race for the first time in over a decade, Rockingham Speedway is up for sale, according to Channel 9's partners at the Charlotte Observer. The speedway is listed by CBRE Group, which is a commercial real estate services and investment firm. Racetrack owner Dan Lovenheim confirmed to the Observer he is selling the track. Advertisement The track held a Truck Series race, an Xfinity Series race, and an ARCA race on Easter weekend. The NASCAR Cup Series left the track in 2004, and while Rockingham held several races in other series, Rockingham stayed vacant throughout the 2010s after its final race in 2013. ALSO READ: Prime Video's first NASCAR race averages 2.72 million viewers, younger audience 'We've basically taken it in first gear as far as we can go, building it out, getting it ready for bigger and better hands,' Lovenheim told The Charlotte Observer. 'And the time is right to pass the baton to someone who can take it farther than we can.' A new buyer will be selected by the 1st of July and there is now an open offer period. (WATCH BELOW: Former Mallard Creek star takes break from NFL for first youth football camp in Charlotte)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lake Norman teen to compete in MotoSurf Championship in China
A junior at Lake Norman High School is on track to represent Team USA in the MotoSurf World Championship in Chengdu, China. 17-year-old Anna Burk is America's fastest female professional MotoSurf racer, the Charlotte Observer reports. Advertisement She competed on the Gulf of Oman in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates to qualify for the world championships. She and a competitor from Panama City, Florida will represent the women's Team USA. READ: Lake patrol urges boater safety ahead of Memorial Day weekend Motosurfing pros use a 45-pound carbon-fiber motorized board to weave through buoys at about 40 miles per hour. The sport is recognized by the Union Internationale Motonautique, the governing body of powerboating, based in Monaco. The UIM has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee since 2010, the Charlotte Observer reports. That means, motosurfing could one day be an Olympic sport. WATCH: Lake patrol urges boater safety ahead of Memorial Day weekend
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mecklenburg transit bill's chances remain '50-50,' Republican senators say
Senator Vickie Sawyer, who filed Mecklenburg County's tax bill to revamp the area's transit system, said the bill has '50-50′ chances of passing. Sawyer represents northern Mecklenburg County and Iredell County. She is also the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. She filed Senate Bill 145 in January. But the bill has yet to move forward, the Charlotte Observer reported. The bill filed would allow Mecklenburg County to add a sales tax referendum on the ballot. It would propose a one-cent sales tax to pay for roads and public transit. It would require 40% of the tax revenue to go toward road projects and 60% to go to fund public transit, according to the Charlotte Observer. Transportation needs are the 'No. 1 issue' for lawmakers, Sawyer told the Charlotte Observer. And she said this is true for lawmakers across the state, not just in Mecklenburg County. 'I've said this from the very beginning, we have to look at a statewide approach to transportation funding,' Sawyer said. 'And if Mecklenburg County should get this, then every county should have the same opportunity, right?' She said representatives across the state need to provide more tools for their counties. 'I see a statewide approach as an ability to do that, and it doesn't mean the one-size-fits-all,' Sawyer said. Sawyer told the Charlotte Observer that Charlotte has a need for public transit, but Iredell needs to address orphan roads that were never transferred to the state or municipality for maintenance. READ: Transit momentum: Newly filed bill would allow sales tax increase for transit Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters that he believes the bill will move forward during this legislative session. 'I think it's still something that folks are interested in getting across the finish line,' Berger told reporters. 'We've just continued to have conversations, and I'm still of the opinion that it's something that we will see pass.' She said the Republican party is making efforts not to be 'picking winners and losers.' And she said it is hard to find support for a tax increase from Senate Republicans. Union County Republican Senator Todd Johnson told the Charlotte Observer that he doesn't think the bill has a chance. He said that Union and Iredell Counties would be the 'losers' if this bill passed. 'The only way to appropriately address the issue would either be one of two things: do nothing, or a statewide approach, because when you're cherry-picking one particular county, municipality, any subdivision of government, then there's obviously going to be winners and losers from that,' Johnson said. The southern edge of Mooresville in Iredell had been included in the plans for the Red Line, which is first on Charlotte's project list. But some Iredell County officials have expressed concerns over allowing the Red Line to extend into their county. Johnson said the bill needs too much work to be placed on this year's ballot. But Sawyer said the timing depends on how the rest of the session goes. WATCH: Transit momentum: Newly filed bill would allow sales tax increase for transit
