With humble respect for college and pro football, each with their own brand of fan reverence and pre-game campus and stadium lot rituals, the spectacle of NASCAR is hard to beat. With race-day crowds that can top 200,000 people, the tailgate scenes prior to big events like the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 are awesome.
Sheer numbers however, do little to explain the passion and excitement of NASCAR. Sure, stock-car races are one big left turn around a massive oval track but still, they provide way more competitive thrills than Formula One and Indy Car. Each race of the long NASCAR season is a major event, with Super Bowl-like hype and tons of tailgate rituals. With that in mind, here are the ten best NASCAR tracks for tailgaters and race fans alike.
The world cradle of motorsports has the Indianapolis 500 of course but for NASCAR fans, the Brickyard 400 is the premier spectacle on the calendar. With race fans in Indianapolis among the most zealous and knowledgeable around, the scene is tremendous.
Historic Bristol Motor Speedway is a favorite stop on the NASCAR calendar with fans and drivers alike. Known as “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile”, the short, steep track in Bristol, Tennessee has a wonderful amphitheater layout. The party outside the track kicks off way before start time.
Charlotte, North Carolina is the epicenter of NASCAR culture and as such, is the urban home of the most hardcore fans. Lowe’s Motor Speedway in nearby Concord holds 167,000 people and throws one raucous tailgate party every Memorial Day weekend in May for the Coca-Cola 600.
Sin City is not the first place most think of as a hotbed of NASCAR, but lest we forget, the sport is as mainstream in America as pro football. For the love of Richard Petty, superstar chef Mario Batali has a NASCAR tailgate cookbook out. So yes, Las Vegas Motor Speedway is one of the premier stops on the NASCAR calendar.
Darlington Raceway is one of the most controversial and beloved tracks in NASCAR. The “Lady in Black” and “The Track Too Tough to Tame” are two nicknames that pretty much say it all about the South Carolina oval. Steeped in tradition and lore, Darlington welcomes true diehards every year for the Southern 500.
Diminutive Delaware hosts a fantastic and eclectic tailgate scene at Dover International Speedway. Still known by many as Dover Downs, or simply “The Monster Mile”, the track is exactly one mile long and concrete in composition – both unique traits for NASCAR. Close to 150,000 fans pack the grandstands on race day.
Sonoma wine country in California hosts a tailgate scene at Infineon Raceway entirely distinct from the traditional NASCAR atmosphere in South Carolina or Alabama for example. While the decidedly non-oval track is a source of endless debate, the terrific party before the race is not.
The beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania host two major NASCAR events in June and August. The inaugural Pocono 500 was won by Richard Petty in fact, which must have been a good omen for the track. While the configuration is far from ideal for ardent race fans, the tailgate scene at Pocono Raceway is phenomenal.
Daytona International Speedway
The most important and venerable race on the NASCAR calendar is also the first of the season. While that may seem odd, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is one of the premier annual events for sports fans nonetheless, with a global television audience of more than 20 million. With a purse in excess of $1.5 million, the anticipation and energy before the race is electric.
With room for more than 175,000 fans, Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama is one of the iconic tracks in the world of motorsports. Home to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the track is a legend and legend-maker, with a superb tailgate scene to boot.
Check out hotel deals all across America before you plan your NASCAR trip.
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