Athletics Sports fans will delight in the fact that the Triad is home to several minor league baseball teams and some of the best college sports in the Southeast. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Women’s basketball tournament is played here as well as the Chrysler Classic, the oldest stop on the PGA Tour. Also, several professional teams, including the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Bobcats and Carolina Hurricanes, as well as Lowe’s Motor Speedway are within a little over an hour’s drive from the area. A Class A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, the Greensboro Grasshoppers are part of the South Atlantic League. Formerly known as the Greensboro Bats, the Grasshoppers took on their new name as part of their transition into a new stadium in downtown Greensboro. For tickets, call 336.268.BALL. www.gsohoppers.com. The Winston-Salem Warthogs are a Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The Warthogs are in the Carolina League and play at Ernie Shore Field, part of the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum Complex. For tickets, call 336.759.2233. www.warthogs.com. Golf fans will appreciate a long-standing tradition in Greensboro – the Wyndham Championship. Held annually since 1938, the Wyndham Championship is the oldest on the PGA Tour. For tickets, call 336.379.1570. www.wyndhamworldwide.com. Wake Forest is one of the smallest Division I schools in the country, known especially for its Demon Deacons men’s basketball team. Groves Stadium, home of the Demon Deacons football team, seats more than 31,000. For tickets, call 888.758.DEAC. http://wakeforestsports.collegesports.com. Another Division I team, the N.C. A&T Aggies football team, is hailed for its running game and strong defense. The Aggies play at Aggie Stadium, a 22,000-seat facility in Greensboro. Tailgating and food before each home game help fans get pumped to see their team win. For tickets, call 336.334.7749. www.ncataggies.com. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Spartans includes 16 different sports teams. The Spartans men’s soccer team has won five NCAA championships and the women’s basketball team has had nine NCAA appearances. For tickets, call 336.334.3250. www.uncgspartans.com. The Triad’s close proximity to Charlotte and Raleigh offers opportunities to see professional sports as well. The Carolina Panthers play at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Especially after their 2004 Super Bowl debut in Houston, the Panthers continue to dazzle fans with stars like quarterback Jake Delhomme and wide receiver Steve Smith. For tickets, call 704.358.7800. www.panthers.com. Some of the best NASCAR races are held at Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the largest sports facility in the Southeast. The UAW-GM 500 in October and the Nextel All-Star Challenge and Coca-Cola 600 in May attract racing fans from across the country. For tickets, call 800.455.3267. www.lowesmotorspeedway.com. The new NBA franchise Charlotte Bobcats began play in 2004 and moved to the new Charlotte Arena in 2005. Led by general manager and head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, the Bobcats’ own Emeka Okafor was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2005. For tickets call 704.BOBCATS. www.nba.com/bobcats. Professional hockey fans can travel to Raleigh to enjoy the 2006 Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes, who play at the RBC Center in Raleigh. For tickets call 888.645.8491. www.carolinahurricanes.com. DANIEL KEENEY/GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS