CHARLOTTE -- A crippling gas shortage that has left many residents in the Charlotte running on fumes has made an impact on Panthers and Falcons fans alike.
The shortages were caused by a disruption in supply following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and Charlotte and Atlanta are feeling it the hardest.
For days, panicked motorists have been waiting in long lines just to fill up their tanks but things should be getting back to normal very soon. Gov. Mike Easley says the fuel terminals on the Colonial Pipeline are being refilled and gas stations are being resupplied. By the end of this weekend, the supply situation should stabilize.
In Charlotte, fans of both teams said they're not really concerned about the fuel shortage.
But in years past, Charlotte parking lots have swarmed with Falcons fans. On Sunday, that wasn’t the case.
Some fans, like Daniel Tharrington from Montgomery County, N.C., said they have plenty of gas to get home Sunday night. But for fans from Georgia, it's a different story.
"Had we not fueled up, then yes, I'd be very concerned about getting back home," Pamela Walker, a resident from Riverdale, Ga., said.
For Falcons fans, it took a little more planning than usual to make the drive.
"We were almost at a half a tank in South Carolina. We were told before we got here gas in Charlotte was kind of short," said Atlanta resident Christal Whitehead.
According to the CEO of AAA Carolinas, more refineries in the Gulf of Mexico are online and more gas is flowing through the pipelines. The latest report shows only four out of 17 Houston-area refineries remain closed.