Pat McCrory is doing well with Nascar.

The Republican gubernatorial nominee has picked up at least $70,000 from executives and owners of car-racing businesses and their wives.

Donors include such racing bigwigs as Brian France, chairman and CEO of Nascar; Hendrick Corp. Chairman Rick Hendrick and his wife; Gillett Evernham Motorsports owner Ray Evernham; and team owner Felix Sabates.

He's also received donations from Charles Ricks, Robert Rice and Scott Lampe, executives with Hendrick Motorsports; Greg Fornelli, president of Stock Car Steel; Nascar executives Paul Brooks and Rex Caton; and Marcus Smith, who sits on the board of directors of Speedway Motorsports.

McCrory had a major fundraiser including Nascar driver Brian Vickers and team owners Hendrick and Sabates in February, but he doesn't have the racing vote entirely locked up.

Democratic rival Beverly Perdue had a Nascar fundraiser of her own, headlined by Hendrick, Sabates and Fornelli, back in October.

It's not clear if the Nascar folks have changed lanes or not.

Pat McCrory will hold his first major fundraiser Wednesday.

The Republian gubernatorial candidate's new campaign manager, Jack Hawke, said the event has already drawn $400,000 in contributions, the Charlotte Observer reports.

That's roughly the amount of money that McCrory transferred from his mayoral campaign when he first announced his run for governor. 

Among the headliners: Bank of America chief Ken Lewis, Duke Energy head Ellen Ruff, Charlotte Bobcats part-owner Skipper Beck; Showmars restaurants founder George Couchell; NASCAR driver Brian Vickers; and NASCAR team owners Ray Evernham, Rick Hendrick and Felix Sabates. 

The event will be held at the home of developer Mel Graham, the nephew of the Rev. Billy Graham. 

The campaign will not have to report its total contributions for two months.