ESPN's X Games Go To...Austin, TX

Despite a solid bid by Charlotte Motor Speedway to host the 2014 Summer X Games in Charlotte, ESPN chose Austin, Texas as the host city for the annual celebration of all things Gen-X.

Charlotte Motor Speedway President and GM Marcus Smith was pragmatic about the announcement.

“After several months of hard work by our staff and hearing from thousands of extreme sports fans who wanted the X Games here in the Charlotte region, we’re naturally disappointed that we weren’t selected as next year’s host site," Smith said in a statement released moments ago. "We put our best foot forward with a very competitive bid and received high praise from ESPN throughout the process. We want to sincerely thank the fans and everyone who has supported this effort.

“In spite of this missed opportunity, the Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Dragway 2014 event calendars will feature the world’s most diverse schedule of motorsports entertainment, and we’ve recently added the 50th birthday celebration for the Ford Mustang to next year’s car show lineup. We wish ESPN and event organizers the best of luck in Austin and will welcome the opportunity to bid for the X Games again in the future.”

It would have been interesting to have the X Games in Charlotte and especially Cabarrus County, which is far from the home of the skateboard/BMX/Moto culture, but it was worth a try!