where in charlotte nc can i go to a track to race my car or just ride around?

 

Google.
http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/NC/
This should be n a regional forum.

 

The big NASCAR track at Charlotte has an infield for sports cars. You might want to check with your local NASA franchise to see if they have classes and events there, and it's possible the track itself has classes for beginners.

Personally, I don't like driving there. The places where you go out into the big oval and come in from the big oval, if you want to do it most efficiently, you have to sort of aim yourself at a concrete wall and then pass the wall very close to your sideview mirror.

But you can't be afraid of it, because if you hit the oval too head on, it causes quite a jar, even hard enough that people can bend their cars or break a windshield because of how hard the impact is.

It's probably fine for beginners, and probably fine for experts who have been on the track quite a bit.

But it's probably a little dangerous for "intermediates" who think they know more than they really do. These are the people who kind of push things and end up in trouble. :-)

If you don't mind driving, you're not all that far away from the very best and safest road course on the East Coast: Virginia International Raceway near Danville, Virginia. There are several ways of configuring the course, some faster than others, some more complicated than others, but all of them are relatively safe when compared to places like Charlotte.

If I were you I would resolve to pay a little more money while you are learning, in order to hook up with a solid group of instructors in a safe franchise. When I was coming along, I liked NASA quite a bit. I don't go out with them now, because there's no longer any point in paying for what they offer (racing, organisation, instructors).

If you can, drop a PM to the moderator Chad and see if he can provide some helpful insight for your part of the world.

Good luck. It's a blast, but don't get too carried away, and keep your head at all times.

Know that you're not good when you're starting out, and listen to your instructor. Whether he's a good or bad instructor, he's going to know a hell of a lot more than you know when you're starting out.