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Nascar Revs It Up

By many parameters, NASCAR racing is really America's pastime. With a fan base of millions people (about a third of the nation's adult population), a single NASCAR race often draws bigger crowds than a Super Bowl, NBA finals game, and World Series game combined. In fact, NASCAR is the Number One spectator sport in the nation, with an average of attendance of about 100,000 fans per NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. That's a lot of varied vehicles heading to races many weekends from spring to fall!

NASCAR fans are part of a fun and fueled driving culture. A Simmons National Consumer Survey revealed NASCAR fans own more vehicles, drive further distances, and simply like starting their assorted engines more than non-fans-to the tune or 25-50 percent more in most categories.

Originally published in TrailBlazer Magazine


Anyone driving America's highways sees that the roads are filled with vehicles sporting stickers with one- and two-digit numbers stuck somewhere-and often more than once. Those numbers indicate the favorite NASCAR driver of the vehicle's owner and, frequently, that vehicle is headed to another big-time NASCAR race-along with lots of other racing fans.

Quite simply, travel to NASCAR races is a very big--and fun--deal. Nick Kelly, Manager of Business Communications at NASCAR, says, "Most NASCAR fans travel many miles to attend our events."

Once there, Kelly adds that NASCAR travel means much more than watching exciting races. From pre-race tailgating to souvenir buying and more at popular Fan Fests, as well as post-race revels, NASCAR travel is truly an American tradition.

Hit the Road, Jack (and Jill)
"Serious fans know where next week's race will take place and precisely how their favorite driver is doing in the season-long points chase," says Jay Ahuja, author of Speed Dreams. "And nearly all of them will gladly travel to every race they can get to," adds Ahuja, who notes that NASCAR statistics show that about 40 percent of fans are female.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup racing (and travel) season lasts from February through November and currently involves 20-plus tracks in more than a dozen different states from coast to coast. This geographical diversity provides lots of times and tracks to attend one or more races.

Lots of Choices
As outlined in Ahuja's book and in many other resources (including www.nascar.com), the options for NASCAR travel are incredibly diverse both at the various tracks and with nearby attractions. From "Where Racing Lives" outside Charlotte in North Carolina's Cabarrus County all the way out to the tasty wine country of California's Sonoma Valley, NASCAR travel means so much more than simply watching an exciting race or two.

For many, Charlotte Motor Speedway (www.charlottemotorspeedway.com) is the NASCAR travel destination. Nestled in the very heart of the motorsports industry, the speedway annually hosts three major Sprint Cup Series race weekends--two in May (NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600) and one in October (the Bank of America 500). However, it's not just the races that make Charlotte so special? "This is the only place in the world where you can completely immerse yourself in a motorsports experience," says Scott Cooper, Vice President of Communications at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "The speedway hosts one-of-a-kind race events that are so much more than just the competition on the track. Every weekend is a true spectacle, with concerts, pre-race show stunts, and a state fair-type fan zone [Fan Fest] near the main entrance. And, with more than 6,000 affordable camping spaces within sight of the track [as well as exciting infield RV sites], it's so convenient for fans."

Cooper adds that, as a Charlotte-area bonus, virtually every major team shop--from Hendrick Motorsports to Roush Fenway Racing to Richard Childress Racing (over in Lexington barbecue country)--is located within a short drive of the speedway. The speedway offers tours that start right from the track, as well as trips to downtown Charlotte to experience the famed NASCAR Hall of Fame (www.nascarhall.com). In addition, ride-along and drive programs in real NASCAR vehicles reaching up to 160 miles per hour and more on the fabled track are offered through programs like the Richard Petty Driving Experience (www.drivepetty.com), which is also available at many locations nationwide. "Charlotte Motor Speedway is simply unmatched when it comes to motorsports entertainment," Cooper concludes. "Mayor" Harry Wiley agrees. Harry has been camping at Charlotte Motor Speedway since 1979 and serves as the honorary mayor of bustling Hellman's Campground--just across from the track--each spring and fall. He and his wife Judy, who he met at Bristol Motor Speedway, were married in 1993 and have come to the Charlotte races together ever since.

The Johnson City, Tennessee, residents host an annual campground meal that has grown to more than 50 people over the years. Harry says he thinks of his campground friends as family and he can't wait to come back to his NASCAR home away from home twice a year, saying, "It's the people and the fellowship. If you've never experienced it, it's truly a feeling of homecoming."

Richmond International Raceway (www.rir.com) is definitely another favorite long-time "home" for many NASCAR fans. "We have hosted NASCAR's top series since 1953," says Dennis Bickmeier, president of Richmond International Raceway. "We're a long-time favorite of the fans, drivers, race officials, and media." RIR hosts two NASCAR race weekends each year, which includes the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday nights and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday night (all RIR races are held "under the lights").

Bickmeier says RIR is another popular track with RVers and, with its central location, Richmond-area attractions also draw race fans to stay for several days. The possibilities include theme parks like Busch Gardens and King's Dominion, Colonial Williamsburg, the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia Beach, Washington, D.C., and all of the historical attractions right in Richmond.

With 160,000+ fans at NASCAR events, Bristol Motor Speedway (www.bristolmotorspeedway.com) is another very popular choice. Located on the Tennessee/Virginia border, Bristol typically welcomes fans from all 50 states and a dozen or more countries. "We have two sets of caverns for exploring within 15 minutes of the speedway and the Holston River with some of the best trout and smallmouth fishing in the Southeast is just 20 minutes away," says Kevin Triplett, vice president of communications. And, as with many NASCAR tracks and travelers--Triplett says about 60 percent of those attending the race camp out at or near the track (mostly in RVs).

Combining NASCAR excitement with world-class wines is a tasty possibility out west, thanks to the location of Sonoma Raceway (www.racesonoma.com) just 35 minutes from San Francisco. Situated in the heart of wine country, they offer more than 1,600 campsites at six different campgrounds, with possible camper views including the packed track and Sonoma's rolling countryside and vineyards. Of course, nearby vineyards and wine-focused restaurants continue to provide perfect pairings for NASCAR travelers.
Last season, they began offering post-race movies at 50 Acres campground to rave reviews. The raceway partnered with Santa Rosa's Starry Movie Nights to bring an inflatable screen to the campground, with race fans getting to vote for their chosen movie (among car-themed and family-favorite options) on the raceway's Facebook page.

In between the west and east coasts, many other tracks continue to attract veteran NASCAR travelers and many first-timers destined to become hooked. Though all of the tracks welcome RVers, Daytona International Speedway (www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com), Talladega Superspeedway (www.talladegasuperspeedway.com), Chicagoland Speedway (www.chicagolandspeedway.com), and Martinsville Speedway(www.martinsvillespeedway.com) have proven to be particularly popular season after season with seriously hooked and hooked-up RVers.

"My buddies knew I was hooked when I bought a $500 scanner, intercom, and headphone set that allows a friend and me to talk to each other as we watch the race and to listen to the drivers and crew members communicate," says Speed Dreams author Ahuja. "Once you've tried it, there's no better way to watch a race."

Ahuja says he loves donning his gear at any NASCAR track, in that each venue and nearby attractions offer something unique. "Unique facilities with their own quirks and nostalgia make any sport better. If they all look the same, why not stay home and watch the races on TV?" Ahuja asks.

RVers Rev It Up
Any race weekend sees hundreds of RVs in the parking lots well before--and after--the actual race. That's because thousands of NASCAR fans attend a large number of races in their RVs.

"Did you ever wonder why so many race fans take recreational vehicles to the race and why they seem to have more fun than everyone else?" asks Ahuja. He says it's because of the camaraderie between RVers, the great seats often provided atop RVs, the ability to beat the crowds to a race (often a day or more in advance), and wait out post-race traffic-all with the comforts of home.

Lots of campers at Charlotte Motor Speedway have made the infield their home away from home, with fabled Turn One providing a perfect example every race. That's where you'll find long-time NASCAR fans like Bill "Couchman" Montgomery. Driving from North Carolina barbecue country in Lexington, Couchman has been coming to Charlotte since 1978 and is famed for setting up an array of couches overlooking the turn action for all to enjoy.

Nearby, infield campers Tom and Severina Parker from Trinity, North Carolina, welcome long-time and new friends to a sturdy homebuilt platform with incredible views of the race (and great food). "What we both love most is the sense of family and such tight friendships," says Severina.

Exciting NASCAR racing in great places has made for a travel combination that's hard to beat. Just start your RV's engine--but leave the speeding to the NASCAR drivers!

A Dozen Favorite Race Cities--Things to Do Away from the Track
from Speed Dreams, by Jay Ahuja

12 RICHMOND--history buffs will absolutely love this town.
11 DAYTONA--the beach is just the beginning.
10 ATLANTA--nightlife and pro sports are why it's also known as "Hotlanta."
9 LAS VEGA--if you like casino gambling, this city moves way up the list.
8 MIAMI--South Beach nightclubs and Miami Beach bikinis. What more can you ask for?
7 FORT WORTH--area museums, attractions, nightclubs, and restaurants are astounding.
6 INDIANAPOLIS--as vibrant a downtown as there is on the circuit.
5 KANSAS CITY--another surprising race destination with plenty to do and see.
4 PHOENIX--the Grand Canyon alone makes this a trip worth making.
3 CHARLOTTE--nowhere else has as many race-related attractions [including the NASCAR Hall of Fame downtown and many NASCAR team HQs and garages out in Cabarrus County ("Where Racing Lives") and beyond].
2 SONOMA--San Francisco is a short drive away and wine country is a great excuse to leave the kids at home.
1 CHICAGO--an unbelievable city with world class museums, attractions, restaurants, and nightlife.