Yes, the NASCAR Hall of fame is in Charlotte, NC. It’s also true that in Concord, you’ll find the Charlotte Motor Speedway. But once you get the best car insurance in North Carolina, you can find some of the most exciting roadways there, besides oval tracks.
Here are some roads where you can find a scenic route that will allow you to really test your engines, your coilovers, and your heel-toe driving:
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The Tail of the Dragon. This is arguably the most famous road in the state, and it’s found in the mountains of the southwest part of NC. Its official name is actually Deal’s Gap, and it is part of US-129.
When you drive here, it may seem like it was designed as a race track. There aren’t too many changes in elevation, and you’ve got banked curves to boot. In fact, the curves seem to come without rest. You drive 11 miles and you have to deal with 318 curves in all.
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Bairds Creek Road, Boone. It begins with an entry point off NC-105 that’s almost 180 degrees, and then you get to enjoy the sights while you have a clear straight road. That’s only for a few minutes, as soon you’ll encounter extremely narrow lanes, quick elevation changes, and lots of blind curves. These mean lots of shifting. The road quality will also test your car suspension.
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Hanging Rock, Danbury. It’s found near the border of Virginia, north of Winston-Salem and Greensboro, away from the tourists and residents. You’ll need a lot of torque if you want to tackle Hanging Rock, as the mountain road climb is steep and quite scary for newbies.
Since you’re there, you may as well try to drive down the nearby NC-66 and see if you can handle its curves. The part of the state highway near Hanging Rock offers a few hairpins and lots of sudden changes in elevation.
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US-64. This is the longest highway in NC, so you’ll get to see just about every type of terrain while you go through some of the best parts of the state. The eastern parts go through tobacco fields and large farms. To the west, the terrain is more diverse especially near Asheboro. With very little traffic, lots of rolling hills, and only a few stoplights, this highway can offer a lot of speedy fun.
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US-321. If you continue to head west on US-64, you’ll eventually get on US-321. It offers lots of bends and curves between Franklin and Murphy. This section is called the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway because you’ve got lots of waterfalls to see, and it’s 65 miles long.
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NC-18 past North Wilkesboro. Now this roadway is truly fun to drive. It’s narrow, and there isn’t lots of traffic along the way. It’s an easy start in the foothills of Wilkesboro, with picturesque valleys and a few teaser curves to get you excited. Then you’ll start to climb once you get past McGrady, and the road certainly becomes more challenging. There’s even a section that’s truly steep, followed by a switchback in the middle.
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The Diamondback near Little Switzerland. Little Switzerland is a town that doesn’t really look like its namesake at all. However, climbing up the steep mountain here feels like a punishing drive up the Swiss Alps. If you don’t have a powerful engine, this really isn’t for you at all.
All these driving roads can surely get your pulse racing, but you still need to drive responsibly. Part of being responsible is to get insurance, so make sure you get the best car insurance in North Carolina first (try Protective Agency) before you tackle these challenges.