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NASCAR CEO Hopes Fall Race Stays Here

NASCAR officials are concerned about the possibility that Charlotte Motor Speedway might lose one of its two big annual Sprint Cup races. NASCAR CEO Brian France said Saturday he would prefer that the speedway’s fall race remain in Charlotte. Speedway Motor Sports CEO Bruton Smith said last week in an interview with WBTVthere was a 70 percent chance he'd move Charlotte's fall race to another track he owns, in Las Vegas. That couldn't happen without NASCAR's approval. In a conversation with reporters Saturday, France said Smith hasn’t contacted NASCAR about a possible move yet.

BIG RACE SUNDAY

France and the rest of the NASCAR world are in Charlotte this week for the annual spring Race Week, which wraps up tonight. Denny Hamlin will be on the pole when the Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600begins at 6 p.m. Sunday. More than 100,000 fans are expected at the track in Concord for the race. 

At the speedway Saturday, Kyle Busch raced to his sixth Nationwide Series victory of the season and record seventh career win at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway.  He also was Truck Series winner at the track last week, his fifth victory in that circuit at Charlotte.  He’ll be in the field for the 600, hoping to make a clean sweep of this week’s races.

WATCH FOR TRAFFIC

If you’re in the area of the speedway today, keep an eye out for traffic. State Department of Transportation officials warn that traffic could be heavier than normal, especially along I-85 and I-485.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE TRACK

Besides the fans, the crowd at Charlotte Motor Speedway today also will include thousands of people who aren’t involved in the race, but who work behind the scenes to make the big event happen. In a related story, WFAE’s Michael Tomsic visits the track and introduces us to a few of those workers and volunteers. (See "Behind the scenes at Charlotte Motor Speedway"

FATAL SHOOTING ON ALBEMARLE RD.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police are investigating a fatal shooting overnight in east Charlotte. Police were called to the 6000 block of Albemarle Road around 9:40pm Saturday, where they found a man with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Carolinas Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:29pm. Police say the two men were dropped off at the scene and got into an argument. One of the men shot the other and then fled.  Police are seeking him this morning. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

RAID FINDS MOONSHINE AND GUNS  

Davidson County deputies have wrapped up a five-month investigation with a raid on a Thomasville home that found a still and 88 quarts of moonshine. They also found more than two dozen guns as well as drugs, including methamphetamine, steroids and marijuana  in the raid.   38-year-old Preston Porter faces a variety of felony charges and is due in court next month.