STEAM: Daily Program
Recognized by the North Carolina Motorsports Association, our daily STEAM program at Charlotte Motor Speedway offers student groups a fun and educational experience like no other. Students will relate motorsports to core principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. Force, motion, energy and engineering are some of the topics that come alive as kids navigate through hands-on stations. Critical thinking skills will be put to the test as students form a hypothesis and understand racing design concepts. We have several STEAM options to choose from in our FAQ section to help make the most of your visit to Charlotte Motor Speedway!
Upon completion of the stations, students are welcome to experience the 24-degree banking of Charlotte Motor Speedway by riding around the 1.5-mile NASCAR track in a tour van!
To better accommodate school groups, we offer morning and afternoon sessions. Please refer to the FAQ below for sample itineraries for each session.
Follow STEAM!
Through its newly established partnership with BASF Corporation, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s STEAM program will include BASF Kids’ Lab, offering hands-on science experiments and support from BASF volunteers to help connect the experiments to real-world applications during its year-round programming.
In addition to STEAM’s daily programs at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which focus on unique hands-on education experiences, students are able to engage through mobile visits to schools, and other special events, including the STEAM Expos. Held during both the spring and fall NASCAR weekends at America’s Home for Racing, STEAM Expos welcome nearly 4,000 children annually with a variety of educational booths highlighting a range of speedway partners such as the local colleges and branches of the United States Armed Forces.
Have questions? We have answers! Below are some of the more common questions that we are asked regarding our STEAM program. If you can't find the answer you are looking for you can email us at [email protected].
The program runs throughout the year Monday – Friday between the hours of 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
STEAM visits require a minimum of 30 students and we can accommodate up to 200 students per day. Groups under the minimum may look at our Special Event Days, Homeschool Days or email us at [email protected] for further information.
Parent chaperones may attend. Parents are $12 each.
Our curriculum is suited for 1st grade through high school. The STEAM program meets Common Core Standards.
All on-track activities require a signed minor waiver. Download Waiver.
The STEAM program lasts approximately 3-3.5 hours.
This includes STEAM activities, lunch and track experience.
This is a sample itinerary only. Please note that we pad in time for late arrivals, loading/unloading, and bathroom breaks.
MORNING SESSION SCHEDULE:
- 9:30am - Students arrive
- 9:30am–11:00am - STEAM activities
- 11:00am–12:00pm - Lunch
- 12:00pm–1:00pm - NASCAR track experience
- 1:00pm - Departure
AFTERNOON SESSION SCHEDULE:
- 11:00am – Students arrive
- 11:00am – 11:30am – Lunch
- 11:30am – 12:30pm – NASCAR track experience
- 12:30pm – 2:00pm – STEAM activities
- 2:00pm - Departure
Yes! Our program aligns with NC & SC common core standards. Copies of our program curriculum standards are available upon request.
Please park at at zMAX Dragway, 6570 Bruton Smith Blvd. Concord, NC. Ample parking is provided for cars and busses. There is no charge for parking!
No, STEAM is held indoors. If your school is staying for lunch, we do have an outside pavilion equipped with picnic tables. If weather does not permit, we will make arrangements for lunch indoors
Yes! All students, with a signed waiver, will participate in either the van ride or a track walk. All adults attending will be able to participate as well.
zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway Bruton Smith Boulevard Concord, North Carolina 28027
Students are $23 each, parent admission is $12 each, and teachers are free.
Have lunch with us! A covered outdoor pavilion, equipped with picnic tables, is available for groups who choose to bring lunch or choose our pizza lunch option provided by our partners at Hungry Howie's Pizza!
To register your group for a visit, email a STEAM coordinator at [email protected]. Invoices will be issued at the time of registration and payment is due at the time of visit. We accept cash, checks, or charge. Checks should be made payable to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Cancellation notice of 30 days is required. If canceling within 30 days of your scheduled visit, a $50 fee may be assessed. There are no fees for rescheduling as long as the visit is rescheduled within one week of the cancellation date and the visit is completed within 12 months of the originally scheduled date.
- The Daily STEAM program runs M-F year round and is open for school groups of 30 or more.
- It lasts approximately 3.5 hours, beginning at 9:30 and ending at 1:00. We can be flexible with start & end times based on the school’s needs.
- We can accommodate up to 200 students per day.
- The STEAM Program is $23/student, $12/parent and teachers are free.
- Students will have 90 minutes of STEAM activities, break for lunch and take a ride in our tour vans on the NASCAR track.
- Groups may bring a bag lunch or choose from our pizza lunch option for an additional charge.
- Schools may choose from Option A, B or C. Refer to “What activities will students participate in” in the FAQ for a list of choices.
The van ride on track is included with the STEAM program. This unique experience allows students to experience the 24-degree banking (tilt) of the turns. The engineering design of the track is relevant to topics discussed during the STEAM activities, like speed, acceleration, traction, and friction. Participants will ride in a 14-passenger tour van for a lap on the 1.5-mile oval. The vans go approximately 70 mph and are driven by team members who must be pace car certified to drive them. All passengers are required to wear a seat belt. At least one adult passenger is required to ride with groups. Tour vans do not go on the track if there is anything else on the track, i.e., race cars, driving experiences, etc. Signed track waivers are required for the van ride. If someone chooses not to participate, that is perfectly fine. They will sit out that portion but will still be able to go to the infield and visit Victory Lane.
