Travel author Sheila Scarborough spent 10 days in May cruising through North Carolina. The visit was book-ended by NASCAR races, with a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip thrown into the middle. By the time it was over, her silver 2008 Dodge Avenger racked up almost a thousand miles marinating in the Carolina culture.

The Country Crock Campground, near Turn Three at Lowe's Motor Speedway, has plenty of examples of why you should listen to your Mama when she says, "Don't judge a stock car by how it's wrapped." This is today's NASCAR in microcosm; humble pop-up trailers proudly parked next to half-milliondollar land yachts. The occupants of both wear Tony Stewart (or another favorite driver's) pajama bottoms and cordially wave to each other in the morning on the way to the PortaJohns and showers. Yep, we're in "tall cotton" at the Speedway these days; you can even legally buy Junior Johnson's moonshine.

Travel in western North Carolina is often a splitscreen experience.

Shiny, sophisticated Charlotte is the number two financial center in the United States, home to Bank of America, Wachovia, and a branch of the Federal Reserve banking system. Before visitors see the glass skyscrapers and imaginative downtown public art, however, they will exit the airport on Billy Graham Parkway, passing RV dealer billboards, and signs advertising NASCAR memorabilia for sale at a local Waffle House.

The region's best-known asset, of course, is NASCAR. You can talk banking and swank department stores all day long, but the fundamental draw in North Carolina are 3400-pound stock cars turning left at almost 200 mph for, well, hours and hours if there are enough wrecks, debris, and caution flags.

Experience the complete road test, including details on the Dodge Avenger, the racing and relaxing, as well as beautiful photography from the road trip in Automotive Traveler magazine!