Critics of NASCAR oftentimes echo the same cynicism toward the sport- “Who wants to watch cars drive around in a circle for hours?” Scoff, if you will, but the truth is both NASCAR fans and NASCAR revenue rank in the millions. According to Forbes, NASCAR teams value at an average of 143 million with 100 million in revenue each year, and sponsorship money for NASCAR doubles that of the NFL at a whopping 3 billion a year. Many NASCAR fans make weekend vacations out of attending the races, but which NASCAR tracks are the best? Here are the top five fan-favorite NASCAR tracks:
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fl
Considering that the headquarters for NASCAR is located in Daytona Beach, Florida, it is no wonder why NASCAR fans rank the Daytona International Speedway as one of the best NASCAR tracks. The 480 acre Daytona International Speedway hosts the Daytona 500, “The Great American Race,” and has been titled the “World Center of Racing.” NASCAR fans cite the size of the track, its history, and the racing museum as this NASCAR track’s distinguishing features. Since the Daytona International Speedway recently underwent a 500 million dollar renovation and addition, this NASCAR track is more popular than ever.
Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN
Bristol Motor Speedway is a Mecca for NASCAR fans, especially those NASCAR fans in the Midwest who make annual pilgrimages to the speedway. Called “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” this NASCAR short track is anything but substandard. NASCAR fans consistently rank Bristol as their favorite NASCAR track because of the overall value, vendors, campgrounds, and nearby shopping. There is a reason many NASCAR fans say “If you’ve never been to a Bristol race, you’ve never been to a race.”
Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, AL
This NASCAR Track located in Alabama (and popularized by the Will Ferrell hit movie Talladega Nights ) is a legendary NASCAR track. NASCAR fans agree that the television does not do the Talladega Superspeedway track justice. Tripadvisor.com shows that fans of the Talladega Superspeedway rate it the highest among customer service of all of these five NASCAR tracks. ” Dega ” has the longest track oval at 2.66 mile and was built to rival the Daytona Motor Speedway track. Unfortunately, Talladega is known primarily for its wrecks and has even been accused of suffering from a curse, which fans attribute to various sources ranging from Native Americans to witchcraft.
Charlotte Motor Speedway , Charlotte, NC
Dubbed “The Greatest Place to See the Race,” this nearly 2,000 acre speedway has a plethora of features to appease any NASCAR fan’s need for speed. In addition to watching the race on the 1.5 mile speedway, NASCAR fans can visit the team shops, attend auto fairs, or see the newly-opened NASCAR Hall of Fame. Not only is the Charlotte Motor Speedway home to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Bank of America 500, NASCAR fans rave about the Food Lion AutoFairs held every April and August and the Goodguys Southeastern Nationals street rod event in October.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, IN
Host to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indy 500, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a must for any NASCAR race fan! The 2.5 mile oval is home to the world’s largest and second-largest single-day sporting events. Among the many events offered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR fans look forward to the famous Brickyard 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race the most. Fans enjoy this track because of its enormous size (you could fit the Roman Coliseum, Vatican City, Churchill Downs, Wimbledon Campus, Rose Bowl, and Yankee Stadium inside) and all of the activities Indianapolis has to offer. You’re definitely not stuck after a race- Indianapolis is a metropolitan city that has more than enough activities for families to fill a weekend.
Sources:
forbes.com
daytonaainternationalspeedway.com
charlottemotorspeedway.com
visitindy.com
talladegasuperspeedway.com
bristolmotorspeedway.com
tripadvisor.com
