Sports

Ski Slopes

A number of ski resorts are located within a 2-3 hour drive of Gaston County. All resorts have rental equipment and offer skiing lessons.

Ski North Carolina

Appalachian Ski Mtn.
Blowing Rock
Phone: (828) 295-7828
or (800) 322-2373

Cataloochee Ski Area
Maggie Valley
Phone: (800) 768-0285
Snow report: (800) 768-3588

Beech Mountain
Ski Resort
Beech Mountain
Phone: (800) 438-2093
Snow report: (800) 438-2093

Ski Hawksnest
Seven Devils
Phone: (828) 963-6561, (800) 822-HAWK
Snow report: (828) 963-6563

Sapphire Valley
Ski Area
Cashiers
Phone: (828) 743-3441

Sugar Mountain
Ski Resort
Banner Elk
Phone: (828) 898-4521
Snow report: (828) 898-5256

Wolf Laurel
Ski Resort
Mars Hill
Phone: (828) 689-4111

T I C K E T S

Where to call for tickets

Charlotte Hornets
(703) 357-4801

Atlanta Braves
(404) 577-9100

Charlotte Knights
(704) 357-8071

Charlotte Sting
(704) 357-4801

Charlotte Checkers
(704) 342-4423

Charlotte Eagles
(704) 841-8644

Carolina Panthers
(704) 358-7800

TicketMaster
(704) 522-6500

Charlotte Speedway
(704) 455-3200

UNC Charlotte
(704) 547-4949

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When it comes to sports, the Gaston area has it all with professional football, basketball, and baseball right in our backyard.
[ Need Tickets? ]

Find the latest news & links for the Carolina Panthers.
[ Panthers Info | Panthers Schedule ]

CHARLOTTE HORNETS
NBA Basketball at it's best. Catch an exciting professional basketball game at the Charlotte Coliseum. To find available games and tickets call the Charlotte Hornets at 704-357-4801. [ Hornets Info ]

NASCAR & AUTO RACING
Lowes Motor Speedway
NASCAR facility, home for the Coca-Cola 600, UAW-GM 500 and other special events. Located off N.C. 29 in Concord.
Phone: (704) 455-3200.
[ NASCAR Info | NASCAR Schedule | Gaston Area dirt tracks ]

CHARLOTTE STING
Games are played at the Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road, located off the Billy Graham Parkway.
Call: (704) 357-0252.
For ticket prices call (704) 424-WNBA

AREA GOLF COURSES
Many excellent golf courses await your enjoyment. Check out our list of addresses and phone numbers so that you can find that special course.
[ Golf Information & Courses ]

BOATING
Ahoy Mates. Knowing the rules of the water is an important part of being a good captain of your water craft. Here is a list of the required equipment and boating laws you need to know before stepping aboard a powerboat, sailboat or personal watercraft.

GASTON AREA DIRT TRACKS

Carolina Speedway
Highway 274 South (Union Road) Gastonia
Phone: (704) 732-1954
When: Racing every Saturday night
Divisions: Late model, thunder & lightning, limited sportsman, super tock 8, modified 4, stock 4, pure street 8.

East Lincoln Speedway
Where: 1873 Mariposa Road, Stanley
Phone (704) 263-5347
When: Racing every Saturday night
Divisions: Late model, thunder & lightning, pure stock 8, open mod 4, mod 4, pure stock 4, sprints

Lincoln County Speedway
(Closed until April of 2001)
Where: 1209 Hill Road in Lincolnton
Phone: (704) 732-0907
When: Racing every Friday night, beginning in April of 2001
Divisions: Thunder & lightning, sock 8, mod 4, super stock 4, stock 4.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

The Gazette sports section provides complete coverage of The Hornets, The Carolina Panthers, NASCAR, the Carolina Diamonds, college and high school sports and recreation. To subscribe to The Gazette, call (704) 864-3291.

Panthers Schedule

Preseason
Aug. 18: Baltimore, 8 p.m.
Aug. 24: at New England, 8 p.m.

Regular Season
Sept. 3: at Washington, 1 p.m., FOX
Sept. 10: at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m., FOX
Sept. 17: Atlanta, 1 p.m. Fox
Oct. 1: Dallas, 1 p.m., FOX
Oct. 8: Seattle, 4:15 p.m.
Oct. 15: at New Orleans, Noon, FOX
Oct. 22: San Francisco, 1 p.m., FOX
Oct. 29: at Atlanta, 1 p.m., FOX
Nov. 5: at St. Louis, 8:20 p.m., ESPN
Nov. 12, New Orleans, 1 p.m., FOX
Nov. 19, at Minnesota, Noon, FOX
Nov. 27: Green Bay, 9 p.m., ABC
Dec. 3: St. Louis, 1 p.m., FOX
Dec. 10: at Kansas City, 1 p.m.
Dec. 17, San Diego, 1 p.m.
Dec. 24, at Oakland, 4:15 p.m.

NASCAR Season Schedule

Aug. 20: Pepsi 400, Michigan Speedway

Aug. 26: GoRacing.com 500, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.

Sept. 3: Southern 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, S.C.

Sept. 9: Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400, Richmond International Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

Sept. 17: New Hampshire 300, New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

Sept. 24: MBNA.com 400, Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover, Del.

Oct. 1: NAPA AutoCare 500, Martinsville, Va.

Oct. 8: UAW-GM Quality 500, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Charlotte

Oct. 15: Winston 500, Talladega Superspeedway, Ala.

Oct. 22: Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400, North Carolina Speedway, Rockingham.

Nov. 5: Checker Auto Parks/Dura Lube 500K, Phoenix International Raceway, Ariz.

Nov. 12: Pennzoil 400, Homestead-Miami Motorsports Complex, Homestead, Fla.

Nov. 21: NAPA 500, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga.

Boating

Ahoy Mates. Knowing the rules of the water is an important part of being a good captain of your water craft. Here is a list of the required equipment and boating laws you need to know before stepping aboard a powerboat, sailboat or personal watercraft.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

Class "A" – Less than 16 feet

360 degrees white all-around light.
Wearable or throwable personal flotation devices (life jackets.)
Fire extinguisher.
Sailboats less than 23 feet under sail alone may carry on electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light to be displayed in sufficient time to prevent collision.

Class "I" –16 feet to less than 26 feet

Red to port, green to starboard, 360 degrees white all-around light, or 135 degrees stern light and 225 degrees masthead light. Sailboats under sail alone should have combined lantern (red to port, green to starboard) and 135 degrees stern light but no 225 degrees masthead light.
Whistle or sound producing device.
Wearable personal flotation device for all on boats
Throwable cushion or ring buoy.
Fire extinguisher
Flame arrestor for 1B or 1os.
Ventilation system

Class "11" –26 feet to less than 40 feet

Red to port, green to starboard, 360 degrees white all-around light, or 135 degrees stern light and 225 degrees masthead light. Sailboats under sail alone should exhibit the combined lantern (red to port, green to starboard) and 135-degree stern light, but no 225 degrees masthead light.
Personal flotation device for each person
Throwable cushion or ring buoy
Whistle or sound producing device.
Fire extinguisher
Flame arrestor.
Ventilation system
Bell.

Class "111" –40 feet and longer

Red to port, green to starboard, 135 degrees stern light and 225-degree masthead light. Sailboats under sail alone shall exhibit the combined lantern (red to port, green to starboard) and 135-degree stern light, but no 225-degree masthead light.
Bell
Whistle or horn.
Personal flotation device for each person.
Throwable cushion or ring buoy.
Fire extinguisher (three B-1’s one B-2 and two B-2’s, a built-in system plus two B-1’s one B-1 or one B-2.)

BOATING LAWS

It is illegal to operate on the waters of North Carolina, a vessel without:

Effective certificate of numbers.
Lifesaving devices on board of proper size, type, condition or not readily accessible.
Operating between the hours of sunset and sunrise without a bow and or stern lights.
Effective whistle or other sound-producing device.
Correct type, number and size fire extinguishing burning gasoline. Fire extinguisher shall be kept in good condition and readily accessible.

No person shall operate any motorboat or vessel manipulate water skis, surfboard, or similar device on the waters of this state:

In a reckless or negligent manner or as to endanger life, limb or property.
While under the influence of an impairing substance.
After having consumed sufficient alcohol with a concentration of .08 or more.
Failure to have at all times the certificate of numbers.

While towing people on waterskis or other devices, there must be a person in a position to observe the person(s) being towed, unless the skier is wearing an approved PFD and /or unless the boat is equipped with a rear view mirror.

No person shall operate a vessel at greater than No Wake speed within 50 years of any boat launching area, dock, pier, marina, boat storage, structure on the water of Lake Norman.

Source: Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Norman Marine Commission