Travel Tips: The Dale Trail

The Dale Earnhardt statue in Dale Earnhardt Plaza
credit: Paula Thompson
If you’re planning a trip to the Charlotte/Concord area of North Carolina for the upcoming NASCAR Hall of Fame inductions, either NASCAR race weekend or just for a vacation, make sure you take a trip down the “Dale Trail.”

A nearly all-inclusive history lesson on the life of “The Intimidator,” the Dale Trail is a self-guided tour of 20 sites in the Cabarrus County area of North Carolina – a collectible brochure and map of the Trail are available at the Cabarrus County Visitor Center (10099 Weddington Rd. Ext., Suite 102 in Concord). Among the sites:
  • Dale Earnhardt Blvd., which begins at I-85 exit 60 and weaves through Kannapolis.
  • The grave of Dale’s father Ralph Earnhardt at Centergrove Lutheran Cemetery.
  • “Idiot Circle,” one of Earnhardt’s hang-outs as a teen.
  • Dale Earnhardt Plaza, featuring  a nine-foot bronze statue of Earnhardt and many other features drawing on Earnhardt’s number, “3.”
  • Curb Museum for Music and Motorsports (600 Dale Earnhardt Blvd. in Kannapolis), featuring the car Earnhardt drove to his first Cup Series championship in 1980.
  • Intimidators Stadium (2888 Moose Rd. in Kannapolis), home of the Kannapolis Intimidators, a minor-league baseball team Earnhardt was part owner of.
  • Richard Childress Racing (425 Industrial Dr. in Welcome), the home of the No. 3 for many years.
  • Dale Earnhardt Inc. (1675 Coddle Creek Highway in Mooresville), once the home of Earnhardt’s race team, now a showroom and store open to the public.
  • The Sam Bass Gallery (4030 Concord Parkway S. in Concord), with many works of art featuring Earnhardt.
Find out more about the Dale Trail at the Cabarrus County website, www.visitcabarrus.com.  

Travel Tips: The Dale Trail Travel Tips: The Dale Trail Reviewed by Paula on Tuesday, January 03, 2017 Rating: 5