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Professional and amateur sports enthusiasts have a lot to cheer about in the Charlotte region. While many area newcomers carry other team allegiances, it doesn’t take long for Charlotte’s home teams to earn a place in their hearts as well.

NASCAR is the region’s oldest professional sport, as the city embraced stock car racing long before it became a national passion. More NASCAR teams are based in the Charlotte area than in any other city. Lowe’s Motor Speedway (www.lowesmotorspeedway.com), the largest sports facility in the Southeast, hosts three major races – the UAW-GM 500 in October and the Nextel All-Star Challenge and Coca-Cola 600 in May – as well as numerous other events throughout the year.

While Charlotte has been home to NASCAR for decades, fans can now cheer local teams of the NBA, WNBA and NFL. The Charlotte Sting (www.wnba.com/sting), an original WNBA team, arrived on the scene in 1997. The team, which moves to the new Charlotte Arena in 2006, draws thousands of fans to its games each summer and consistently makes it to postseason play.

The Carolina Panthers’ (www.panthers.com) 2003-2004 season was simply magical. Overcoming a 1-15 record just two years before, the Panthers rallied to make their first-ever Super Bowl appearance in Houston. The Cardiac Cats’ 2005-2006 season promises to be equally exciting as they play at the Bank of America Stadium.

Under the ownership of Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson, the Charlotte Bobcats played their first season in 2004 at the Charlotte Coliseum and are the new tenants of the brand-new Charlotte Arena in Uptown.
If hockey’s your game, check out the Charlotte Checkers (www.gocheckers.com). The Checkers play in the East Coast Hockey League and are affiliated with the NHL’s New York Rangers. In 1996, the Checkers won the ECHL Championship and fans’ excitement about the team has remained high ever since. The team moves to the Charlotte Arena for its 2005-2006 season.

If golf is more your speed, don’t miss the Wachovia Championship (www.wachoviachampionship.com) in May. Hosted by Quail Hollow Country Club, the tournament had a successful third year in 2005 as Vijay Singh won the sudden-death playoff with Jim Furyk and Sergio Garcia to secure the $6 million prize. The tournament’s purse is one of the largest on tour, which brings many of the greats to Charlotte, including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

While Charlotte is not a Major League Baseball town, the Charlotte Knights (www.charlotteknights.com), 1999 International League Champions, are a favorite of all who enjoy the national pastime. As the Chicago White Sox’s AAA affiliate, the Knights afford local residents the opportunity to see the sport’s rising stars. The team plays at Knights Castle in Fort Mill, just across the S.C. state line off I-77.

The region is also home to two single-A baseball clubs - the Hickory Crawdads (www.hickorycrawdads.com), affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Kannapolis Intimidators (www.intimidatorsbaseball.com), farm club for the Chicago White Sox. Both teams play in the South Atlantic League.

Additionally, the Charlotte Eagles (www.charlotteeagles.com), who play in the A-League of the United Soccer Leagues, and the Lady Eagles, who play in the south conference of the United Soccer League, will delight soccer fans.

Catching a Charlotte 49ers (http://charlotte49ers.collegesports.com) men’s basketball game is a must. Led by head coach Bobby Lutz, the 49ers consistently make postseason play and join the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2005.

Outdoor sports enthusiasts are excited about U.S. National Whitewater Center (www.charlottewhitewater.com), a world-class park with controllable rapids that is modeled after the 2000 Olympic site in Australia. The park features rock climbing walls, mountain biking trails and flat water canoeing and kayaking in addition to the rapids. Located on the Catawba River near the interchange of I-85 and I-485, the park is expected to open in the spring of 2006.

Whatever your passion, and whatever your budget, as a sports fan you’ll be satisfied in Charlotte.