Charlotte is the home of all things NASCAR.  The majority of all the race teams are located within 20 miles from uptown, the teams employ thousands of engineers, mechanics, technicians and administrative people to run a successful team.  If you're not familiar with NASCAR, it is a billion dollar racing industry and is only second to the NFL in popularity in the entire USA.  What makes NASCAR so special and unlike any other sport are the drivers and owners and how they view the fan. 

Try this.  Go to your local NFL, NBA, or MLB training facility during the week and ask to tour the facility during practice and see how well you're received.  With almost all NASCAR teams, you can visit the shop and check out what's going on - often times free any time you wish.  Plus, if you meet on of these guys, whether a crew chief or driver, they are really great guys.   

So, with that being said, NASCAR guys are totally normal.  Ok, its not normal to drive 200MPH (though I'd do it in a heart beat).  But they don't all live in gated communities away from the public and prying fans.  In fact, there's a good chance if you live in Mooresville or Huntersville, you may be living next door to a driver or crew chief.  And no, their homes aren't always big bucks. 

That being said, most of your higher profile drivers do live in some pretty nice million dollar plus homes (and remember these are Charlotte prices where a million can get you well over 6,000 sq. ft.).  However, if I drove you though Charlotte and I took you by Jimmie Johnson's house, I guarantee you that you wouldn't know it.  Its just a really nice classy home in South Charlotte - not gated - no security guys out front.  Same goes for mid-level drivers like J.J. Yeley, who home, while nice, is your typical suburban brick colonial. 

The exception to this rule would have been the former home of NASCAR Winston Cup Series and ESPN Analyist Rusty Wallace.  His former home, currently for sale in Cornelius, is a sight to behold; 9900 sq. ft. 4 car garage, and price just below $6.3 million. 

So the next time you're looking at property in the Charlotte area (regardless of price range), you may be walking to the home of a celebrity and not even know it.  However, the firesuits in the closets usually gives it away. 

Charlotte NC Homes for Sale