Where Are the Races
Where Are the Races
The very first National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, or more popularly known as NASCAR, race took place at Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina on June 19, 1949. The race was held on a dirt track in front of a curious crowd of 23,000. Christian “Jim” Roper took the first place along with $2,000 purse in a Lincoln Cosmopolitan. Fonty Flock came in second place while future Hall of Famer Red Byron tool third. But where are NASCAR-sanctioned races held today? Over 1,500 races are sanctioned by NASCAR at over 100 tracks in thirty-nine states, as well as in Canada and Mexico. It was in 1996 to 1998 when NASCAR held exhibition races in Japan and 1988 in Australia.
NASCAR is very different from other land races that they use an oval track of three or four turns with all turns to the left. These oval tracks are also classified as short tracks, intermediate or speedway, and super speedway depending on the length. There are also the Road courses that involve both left and right turns.
The Atlanta Motor Speedway with the layout of 1.540-mile oval is located in Hampton, Georgia. It can accommodate a number of spectators with its 124,000 seats. In addition, the Atlanta Motor Speedway racetrack holds two Sprint Cup and Craftsman Truck and one Nationwide Series every season. The track opened in 1960 as a 1.5 mile standard oval and it was completely rebuilt in 1997 to standardize the track with Speedway Motor sports’ other two 1.5 mile ovals. The rebuilding project made the Atlanta Motor Speedway one of the faster on the NASCAR circuit.
A 2.000-mile oval layout racetrack located in Fontana, California is the Auto Club Speedway track. The track opened in the early parts of 1997 and was located on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill. It also has additional facilities to accommodate other road races, motorcycle races, vehicle testing and drag races. The track features an infield road course, which was used by NASCAR when it held its first NASCAR West Series. The death of a CART racer Greg Moore in 1999 caused the racetrack to be overhauled, including the paving of the infield grass on the backstretch.
In Bristol, Tennessee, NASCAR races are held at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The track was originally known as the Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway. The track was also constructed in 1960 and held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Currently, the Bristol Motor Speedway holds races like the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (Food City 500 and Sharpie 500), NASCAR Nationwide Series (Sharpie Mini 300 and the Food City 250), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (O’Reilly 200) and the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series (Food City 150).
The Daytona International Speedway is located in Daytona Beach, Florida. The racetrack is a 2.500-mile oval that can accommodate over 168,000 spectators. The facility also includes a 3.56 mile road course and a 180 acre infield. NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. began planning a new track for the premier event in 1953, which made it possible for the Daytona International Speedway to open in February 22, 1959. The most important race for NASCAR’s premier series called the Daytona 500 is held annually in the Daytona International Speedway. The race involves a 200-lap and 500-mile stock car race.
The number of NASCAR racetracks is staggering and are spread all across the United States. In Mexico City, Mexico, NASCAR races are held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track. There is also one in Montreal called the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The following is a list of racetracks that hold NASCAR-sanctioned races.
* Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois
* Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina
* Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware
* Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois
* Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida
* Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana
* Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California
* Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas
* Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky
* Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada
* Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina
* Mansfield Motor sports Park in Mansfield, Ohio
* Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia
* Memphis Motor sports Park in Memphis, Tennessee
* Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan
* Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin
* Nashville Super speedway in Lebanon, Tennessee
* Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona
* Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania
* Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia
* Talladega Super speedway in Talladega, Alabama
* Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas
* Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York
Tags: nascar champions, nascar qualifying, nascar speedway, nascar talladega