General Motors is bringing a new facility to Concord, North Carolina as a way to further develop the Chevrolet NASCAR program, and ground was broken this past week in anticipation of the opening of the 130,000 square foot facility in 2022.
Named the Charlotte Technical Center, this space is a $45 million investment for GM to provide a collaborative space between GM’s motorsport programs and its production vehicles. The site’s development was delayed when it was repurposed by GM Defense for production of the new Infantry Squad Vehicle for the United States Army.
But what’s inside this massive facility? It’s going to become a state-of-the-art development center for just about all things racing, Motorsport.com reports. There will be three driver simulators for local drivers to get track experience without actually needing to be on track. It’ll contain its own aerodynamic development center, along with a suite of advanced virtual tools and modeling technology that will improve data analysis and, as a result, deliver an even more impressive on-track product.
Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, noted that, “I’ve never seen [GM] more committed to our sport and to the performance of their partner teams than they are today.
“The investment General Motors is making right here in the Charlotte area sends a clear message about the importance of auto racing to their brand and their passion for competing and winning at the highest levels.”
Richard Childress added, “Having a central hub for vehicle simulation, aero development, and engineering support in the heart of NASCAR is going to make us even stronger.”
The Charlotte Technical Center doesn’t yet have an official address, but it’s slated to be fully functional sometime in early 2022 to coincide with the introduction of NASCAR’s Next-Gen racers. With such a high-end facility, it’ll be interesting to see if the Chevrolet teams see a significant jump in performance during the upcoming NASCAR season.
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