11th Speedway Christmas Opens Nov 21at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Speedway Christmas presented by Count On Me NC opens this weekend for its 11th season. 

All-New Ice Rink Added to Family Fun at Speedway Christmas Presented by Count On Me NC
Drive-In Holiday Movies Return as Speedway Christmas Presented By Count On Me NC Opens

Weekly holiday classics to light up the 16,000-square-foot Speedway TV every Thursday-Sunday at the Southeast's largest drive-thru Christmas light show

CONCORD, N.C.  – Mark your calendars, grab your popcorn and get ready for a night at the movies at America's Home for the Holidays. Open Nov. 21 through Jan. 17, Speedway Christmas presented by Count On Me NC will liven up the Southeast's largest drive-thru holiday light show with a bevy of Christmas classics on the big screen every Thursday through Sunday.

"What better way to get into the spirit of Christmas than to take in a holiday classic with your family, drive-in-movie style on one of the biggest HDTVs in the world," said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "And if that isn't enough to leave you feeling festive, we've got about 4 million more twinkling treats that are sure to leave you feeling jolly."

Below is the schedule for the upcoming movie nights:
Nov. 21-22: "Elf"
Nov. 26-29: "Home Alone" presented by AutoBell
Dec. 3-6: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000 film), presented by Food Lion
Dec. 10-13: "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" presented by Lidl
Dec. 17-24: "Frozen 2" presented by Cook Out
Dec. 26-27: "A Christmas Story"

Designated parking in front of the 16,000-square-foot HDVT will ensure every guest has a perfect view. Guests can tune their car radio to a dedicated low-frequency FM station to dial in the audio from the comfort of their vehicle. Limited refreshments will be available for purchase in accordance with current social distancing best practices as outlined by state and local health officials.

In an effort to promote proper social distancing, Speedway Christmas will not include the infield Christmas Village this year. Guests will remain in their vehicles for the duration of the show.

More than 4 million sparkling LED lights line a new, four-mile course that takes guest around the legendary track, through the infield and under the concourse. Many of the lights will be synchronized to lively Christmas music that guests can listen to on their car radio as they wind through the show.

New for 2020, Speedway Christmas presented by Count On Me NC will feature a 5,400-square-foot ice skating rink as part of the can't-miss holiday light show spectacular. (CMS photo)

The 5,400-square-foot real ice rink opens daily Nov. 21-Jan. 17 as part of the Southeast's largest drive-thru Christmas light show

The fun is heating up as temperatures cool down and officials prepare for opening weekend of Speedway Christmas presented by Count On Me NC. Open nightly from Nov. 21 through Jan. 17, the Southeast's largest drive-thru Christmas light show will feature an all-new 5,400-square-foot ice rink to add to the holiday cheer of an event that has become a can't-miss tradition for families across the country.

The 120-foot-by-45-foot rink will transform America's Home for Racing into a Winter Wonderland and provide a unique addition to the 11th season of Speedway Christmas. The rink will feature real ice and be open daily (Monday-Thursday 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.; Friday 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.; Saturday noon to 11:00 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 10:00 p.m.)

"Each year our team challenges itself to make every event bigger and better than the last," said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "With the restrictions around social distancing, we've had to be creative this year, but the new ice rink promises to be a popular addition that will bring plenty of cheer to an already fun-filled Speedway Christmas."

Skating costs $15 per hour, which includes skate rentals. Tickets and concessions at the ice rink will all be cashless to limit contact points for guests. In accordance with health guidelines around social distancing, there will be a cap on the number of skaters allowed on the ice at any given time. Masks will be required for all visitors. Parking for those visiting the rink, which is located near the Gate 6 entrance across from the Fan Zone, is free.

Speedway Christmas, presented by Count on Me NC, opens Saturday, Nov. 21, featuring more than 4 million sparkling LED lights along an new, four-mile course that takes guest around the legendary track, through the infield and under the concourse. Many of the lights will be synchronized to lively Christmas music that guests can listen to on their car radio as they wind through the show.

TICKETS: Skate rental fees are separate from the Speedway Christmas tickets. Skating costs $15 per hour and includes skate rentals.

When Charlotte Motor Speedway opens the gate for the 11th edition of Speedway Christmas presented by Count On Me NC this weekend, fans will be treated to the biggest and brightest holiday lights spectacle yet at the iconic speedway. Ushering in the return of one of the Southeast's largest and most-anticipated holiday traditions, the show kicks off Saturday as visitors from across the country descend on the twinkling track for the drive-thru show, which runs nightly through Jan. 17, 2021, but is closed Christmas Day.

Speedway Christmas By the Numbers:
Millions of Lights, Thousands of Cars, Countless Memories

Here are this year's facts, by the numbers, for what has become a can't-miss tradition for families gearing up for the Christmas season:

4 million: Creating a spectacular showcase of sparkle, the speedway has added lights this year, bringing the grand total to a mind-boggling 4 million. The theme of this year's display – Santa's North Pole – will see popular scenes from the jolly elf's Winter Wonderland come to life in illuminated fashion alongside millions of LEDs synchronized to popular Christmas tunes.

4 miles: Strung throughout the infield, along portions of the iconic speedway and innovative ROVAL™, in the grandstands and under the concourse, Speedway Christmas guests wind through nearly four miles of lights as they take in hundreds of creative displays and lights synchronized to Christmas-themed music.

5,200 hours: A light show of this magnitude takes a sizable effort to construct. The speedway's operation crews have been hard at work since mid-October stringing lights, running power and testing the displays. In total, crews will rack up more than 5,200 work hours getting ready for opening night.

14,000 feet: Hundreds of light displays require plenty of extension cords. This year crews will use approximately 14,000 feet of cords to provide the power needed to bring the lively displays to life.

38 states: Now in its 11th year, Speedway Christmas has become a national attraction. Last year, guests from 38 different states purchased advanced tickets through the speedway's website to visit the show.

5,400 square feet: New for 2020, Speedway Christmas will debut a 5,400-square-foot outdoor ice skating rink for guests to enjoy throughout the holiday season. Open daily, skates can be rented along with an hour on the ice for just $15. Located outside of the speedway near the main entrance, guests do not need a Speedway Christmas ticket to enjoy the new addition.

16,000 square feet: Back by popular demand, Charlotte Motor Speedway's 16,000-square-foot HDTV will transform into a drive-in movie screen throughout the light show, playing holiday hit movies like "Elf," "Home Alone" and "A Christmas Story" every Thursday through Sunday night.

57 nights: Open nightly from Nov. 21 through Jan. 17, 2021 (closed Christmas day), Speedway Christmas will come to life for 57 nights throughout the season, providing families plenty of opportunities to take in the magic of the show.

14 songs: Much of what makes Speedway Christmas so unique are the synchronized lights-to-music that fill much of the infield and concourse. Fourteen popular scores played in rotation bring the show to life as displays – some towering as high as 40 feet in the air – dance and glisten to the tunes.

Only 1: With millions of lights, a slew of popular Christmas movies playing on the speedway's 16,000-square-foot HDTV and an all-new ice skating rink, there's only one place families need to be this year to get into the holiday spirit – Speedway Christmas presented by Count On Me NC.

CAR PASSES: Speedway Christmas presented by Count on Me NC will be open nightly from Nov. 21 through Jan. 17, with the exception of limited private bookings and Christmas Day. Tickets are sold per vehicle, online or at the gate starting at $20.

Tickets, schedules and more information are available online at www.speedwaychristmas.com or at the gate.

John Davison

Long-time RIS staffer, beginning in the mid-80s. Charlotte, NC area local contact.

Read More on General News & Notes
Volume 2020, Issue 11, Posted 11:04 PM, 11.20.2020