Tuesday evening’s blessing from the Concord planning and zoning commission paving the way for the controversial drag strip at Lowe’s Motor Speedway may be a noble gesture, but one that could be too late. This comes after the City Council’s retreat from an opposing stance.

Bruton Smith had planned a $60 million drag strip project, but that was voted down on October 1 after City Council, answering to the complaints of Speedway neighbors related to noise, banned drag strips in the on Smith's property.

Smith responded by threatening to spend $350 million to leave his Concord property and move to somewhere within the Charlotte region. He told the Charlotte Observer there’s a 90% chance that he’ll leave Concord and sell the property piecemeal.

Tuesday evening’s blessing from the Concord planning and zoning commission paving the way for the controversial drag strip at Lowe’s Motor Speedway may be a noble gesture, but one that could be too late. This comes after the City Council’s retreat from an opposing stance.

Bruton Smith had planned a $60 million drag strip project, but that was voted down on October 1 after City Council, answering to the complaints of Speedway neighbors related to noise, banned drag strips in the on Smith's property.

Smith responded by threatening to spend $350 million to leave his Concord property and move to somewhere within the Charlotte region. He told the Charlotte Observer there’s a 90% chance that he’ll leave Concord and sell the property piecemeal.

A public hearing is scheduled for October 26 at 6 p.m. Smith has said he’ll refrain from making a final decision until then. Some say his decision may already be made.

A source close to the area told Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com that he spoke to a worker who was apparently disassembling part of the back straightway grandstands at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

“He told me that he would put them back up in two weeks – he just didn’t know where,” the source said.

Reportedly Smith has looked at several areas in the Charlotte region, among those rumored to be considered are close to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport and in Rock Hill, SC – close to the Carowinds Theme Park.