At first glance, it looks as if downtown Charlotte has built yet another coliseum. The giveaway, though, is what looks like an enclosed oval running around it. The official description is "swirled façade."

Hmm. Wonder if this has something to do with NASCAR?

Yes, indeed. From the inside, the oval will contain historic race cars. The gigantic edifice is the NASCAR Hall of Fame, scheduled to open on May 11. Its first induction ceremonies are to be held on May 23. Its budget is $167 million, and estimates claim it will provide a $60 million annual economic impact to the area.

During a January media preview, the Hall's director, Winston Kelley, unveiled a combination of the historic, the technologically advanced and the interactive.

"The hall exceeds my expectations," said Ricky Craven, who donated the car he drove to the close finish in Sprint Cup history. "I think that will be the response of the people who come here."

Also among the artifacts are a Modified Ford raced by trailblazing Louise Smith in the 1940s and a replica of a Chrysler 300 from the 1950s and Richard Petty's record-setting Plymouth from the 1960s.

The on-site historian, Buz McKim, said he will regularly rotate and change the artifacts, anticipating "limitless possibilities." The five-acre complex includes an office tower, grand-scale ballroom to operated by the Charlotte Convention Center and a high-tech television studio.

McKim is still at work "obtaining" artifacts. He admitted to having his own "holy grail."

It was the mechanic Red Vogt who, in 1947, suggested that the name of stock car racing's premier ruling body should be NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). Seven years later, "Big Bill" France honored Vogt as NASCAR Member No. 1 and gave him a gold membership card.

"Somewhere along the line, that membership car disappeared," said McKim. "I've talked to family members, and they don't know what happened to it. If anybody ever stumbles across that membership card, I would love to show it. That's the one thing that's stuck in my craw. I've got to find it."

Though NASCAR is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., Charlotte is where the sport's heart beats. Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of the sport's showplaces, and almost all the teams in NASCAR's three major touring series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck) are housed within an hour's drive. NASCAR's first Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup) race was run on a 3/4-mile dirt track once located near Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Only five will be inducted each year into the Hall, thus turning each year's ceremonies into major media events. The first five will be founder William H.G. (Big Bill) France, successor William C. (Bill Jr.) France, Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson.

The Hall of Fame isn't only a testament to this area's importance in NASCAR history. It's a guarantee that the sport will never wander far from Charlotte. One practical consequence is that the annual induction ceremonies will almost surely keep the Sprint All-Star Race at CMS for the foreseeable future.