Circle K Four-Wide Nationals roar into Concord this weekend

CONCORD, N.C. (WBTV) - The ground shaking excitement of NHRA drag racing returns to Concord this weekend with the Circle K Four-Wide Nationals.

The action begins on Thursday night at zMAX Dragway and continues through Sunday afternoon.

According to the NHRA, a special NASCAR Night at the Dragway will take place on Thursday, featuring NASCAR vs. NHRA celebrity grudge match races and followed by a test-n-tune session. The special event is open and free to the public with an on-site donation to Speedway Children’s Charities.

“When the NHRA’s best drivers come to NASCAR’s backyard, it’s only fitting that we line them up for a little friendly competition to kick off an action-packed Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals weekend at zMAX Dragway,” Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Dragway told the NHRA. “While I’m sure every driver will be looking to turn on those win lights, the real winners will be the fans and the organizations supported by Speedway Children’s Charities.”

The full schedule of events and ticket information can be found here.

The NHRA weekend is the latest in a series of horsepower spectacles at the Charlotte Motor Speedway complex in Concord. The AutoFair took place two weeks ago, and the NASCAR events that culminate with the running of the Coke 600 on Sunday, May 28, round out the “Spring Season of Speed” in Concord.

Events in and around Charlotte Motor Speedway contribute greatly to the local economy, according to a study released last year.

Domestic and international visitors to and within Cabarrus County spent $480.8 million in 2021, an increase of 67.2 percent from 2020. The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

Cabarrus County had the sixth highest visitor spending growth rate in the state last year and was among the top counties for percentage increases in tourism employment growing 21 percent from 2020.