Heavy Rain Causes Sinkhole Charlotte Motor Speedway
A large sinkhole formed in the infield of the Charlotte Motor Speedway last Friday after heavy rains caused an underground collapse.
A portion of the racetrack was built on a landfill, and a deteriorated drainage pipe gave out during the rain last week causing the ground to give in. The hole is estimated to be more than 35 feet deep and 75 feet long.
The rains that caused the sinkhole occurred from Sept. 25 through the 27, and caused 3 inches of rain at the Charlotte Douglas Airport.
This means the racetack, which is northeast of the city, may have seen as much as 5 inches. According to AccuWeather.com meteorologists, the storm was an upper-level low that had stalled.
The storm funneled, trapping moisture and causing the heavy precipitation. This rain was not from Nicole, but from a storm earlier in the week.
The track itself is not affected, but the area with the sinkhole is used for fans. Crews at the Charlotte Motor Speedway are working to replace the damaged pipe, refill the hole and pave the road in time for the races next weekend.
The Speedway is scheduled to host the Dollar General 300 Nationwide Series on Oct. 15, and the Bank of America Sprint Cup Series Race on Oct. 16. The Bank of America 500 expects to host around 100,000 fans.
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