State Sport of North Carolina: Stock Car Racing

by Michelle Czaikowski
NC Government & Heritage Library, 2011

See also: North Carolina State Symbols and Official Adoptions main page

For more information about stock car racing in NC, see: NASCAR's (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) North Carolina roots

On June 21, 2011 stock car racing became the Official State Sport in North Carolina (Session Laws 2011-187).

Selection as State Sport

The effort to designate stock car racing as the Official State Sport was led by team of students at Lake Norman Elementary and Mount Mourne IB School in Iredell County who referred to themselves as "the Pit Crew." Students presented the idea at a meeting of the Mooresville Board of Commissioners on February 21, 2011. Board members voted unanimously to support the efforts to propose the new symbol to the North Carolina General Assembly.

A survey on the Iredell-Statesville Schools Web site and a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NCStateSport) helped others show support for the students' efforts.

The bill passed the North Carolina General Assembly on June 16, 2011 and was signed by Governor Bev Perdue on June 21, 2011 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Special guests included fourth and fifth grade students and NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees.