According to news reports and Department of Transportation data, nearly 805,000 North Carolina drivers were expected to hit the road Friday for the long Memorial Day holiday weekend.

In spite of rising gas prices -- which reportedly are about 60 cents higher than this time last year -- the number of people traveling this weekend should be roughly the same number as last year.

The price of gas in the state reportedly ranges between $3.73 and $3.78 a gallon. Nationally, the average is $3.83.

To see where gas prices are the lowest in your area, go to the WRAL.com Fuel Tracker

Regardless of the price of gas, highway traffic is expected to be so heavy this weekend that the state DOT is changing its work schedule to help ease any road congestion. The department has announced that it will suspend most road construction from 4 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Click here to find out more statewide travel information from the DOT.

Traffic could be particularly heavy around Charlotte because of the Coca-Cola 600 stock-car event, NASCAR's longest and perhaps most popular race of the season. More than 200,000 people are expected to flock to Lowe's Motor Speedway outside Concord, where Rick Hendrick will field four teams in Sunday's race.

Hendrick Durham Auto Mall hopes to have a lot of traffic at the dealership this weekend. If you do happen to stay home for the holiday, or close to home, and would like to take advantage of the dealership's big Memorial Day Sale, please come by. We'd love to have you; the sales will be tremendous, and each purchase of a new vehicle will include a free fill-up of gas.

Labels: Hendrick Chevrolet Highway Traffic., Hendrick Chevrolet Memorial Day Sale, Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, Memorial Day Weekend, Rick Hendrick Chevrolet