Community News

The City of Concord will honor Greg Walter, President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, during the 97^th Concord Christmas Parade on Saturday, November 22. Walter will serve as the parade Grand Marshal, a special honor in recognition of his leadership and many contributions to the community.

Concord has long been known for its deep racing roots and is proud to be home to Charlotte Motor Speedway. Under the leadership of Walter, the Charlotte Motor Speedway complex continues to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to Concord each year for world-class racing and entertainment experiences. The complex generates a regional economic impact of approximately $450 million annually and supports Concord’s reputation as a premier travel destination.

Walter’s impact on the community, however, extends far beyond the dollars and cents of racing. Never wanting to limit what the racetrack can do for the community, he continuously looks for ways the organization can be more than just an economic powerhouse.

The speedway offers Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs to help educate and inspire students. They also host community groups and events of all sizes and variety throughout the year, including holiday celebrations like Speedway Christmas.

Even more, thanks to Walter’s compassionate leadership and community service work, the speedway has become part of how the community responds during crisis.

Ahead of Hurricane Helene, the speedway opened their campgrounds to evacuees, and in the storm’s aftermath, they hosted supply drives to get needed aid to neighbors in mountain communities devasted by the storm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the speedway hosted drive-thru vaccine clinics, drive-in movie nights, and drive-in graduation ceremonies for all 10 Cabarrus County high schools – ensuring more than 2,300 students had a memorable graduation.

Walter was promoted to president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2024, after serving for 25 years in various leadership roles within parent company Speedway Motorsports. He currently serves on several boards, including the North Carolina Motorsports Association, the Cabarrus Convention and Visitors Bureau Board, and the North Carolina Museum of Art, among others. When he is not at the track, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Donna, and his two daughters, Katelyn and Elizabeth.

The public is invited to join the City in honoring Greg Walter’s decades of service at the 97^th Concord Christmas Parade. The parade begins at 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Church Street and Lake Concord Road, and continues over two miles along Church Street, Buffalo Avenue, and Union Street, ending at the intersection of Union Street and Corban Avenue.  More information about the Concord Christmas Parade is available at concordnc.gov/Christmas.

Greg Walter, President and General Manager, Charlotte Motor Speedway