Security Plans in Place at Charlotte Motor Speedway

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Las Vegas mass shooting is renewing the focus on security at major events.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is preparing to host thousand of fans this weekend for racing and a Brad Paisley concert.

We talked to the track about the plans in place to keep those fans safe, “It almost makes you feel like not going to an event at all,” says NASCAR fan Karen Thorne.

The deadly mass shooting at a country concert in Las Vegas is on the minds of many NASCAR fans. “You always have that in the back of your mind,” says Steve Bueltel. “You know, anything can happen.”

“You always have that in the back of your mind,” says Steve Bueltel. “You know, anything can happen.” Bueltel traveled to Charlotte Motor Speedway from his home in Las Vegas. He’ll be at all the events this weekend, trusting the security plan the track has in place.

“Be ready to expect the unexpected,” says CMS Public Relations Director Jonathan Coleman. Coleman says the track put a plan in place years ago, and makes constant modifications.

There will be more a dozen local, state and federal agencies on hand this weekend, operating out of an off site operations center. Fans will see more than 300 uniformed officers.

“Everybody will get together and have a good time,” says NASCAR fan Walt Lewis. “Everybody else will take the precautions necessary.” Lewis is up from Charleston for a boys weekend with his dad and his brother.

Karen Thorne and her husband came all the way from Ontario, Canada. They were at Bristol last week, and are thankful for NASCAR’s metal-detecting wands and bag checks.

“We appreciate that,” says Thorne. “Especially after seeing what happened Vegas. We appreciate the fact that they’re trying to keep everybody safe.”

Charlotte Motor Speedway expects more than 100,000 fans to attend events around Bank of America 500 weekend, including the Brad Paisley concert Saturday night at the zMax Dragway.