I decided to go to a NASCAR race for the first time after taking the “Feel the Thrill” tour at Charlotte Motor Speedway when visiting Cabarrus County, NC a couple of years ago. We were moving at about 60 mph in a van for the 24-degree banking and the force was intense! At that moment, I truly appreciated the sport, and I knew I had to experience an actual race, something I had never thought twice about doing before.
The stars and my travel calendar finally aligned, and I came to Cabarrus County as a guest for the AllStar Race Weekend in May, and I had the best time! I loved it so much that I would go to another NASCAR race in a heartbeat.
To have the best race experience, attendees need to be prepared for the day, so I hope these tips based on what I’ve learned will help anyone attending a NASCAR race for the first time enjoy the event to its fullest.
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Get the app – Race day events, schedules, guides, ticket info, maps and more are at your fingertips with the Charlotte Motor Speedway app.
Stay comfortable – You’ll be on your feet and walking a lot, so wear shoes that feel great all day long. There are shuttles that travel the perimeter of the speedway, but don’t count on catching one. Bring along a padded seat cushion as the seats can feel hot and uncomfortable. Bring plenty of sunscreen (be sure to keep reapplying it), wear sunglasses and a hat, and dress in layers you can add or remove since the weather can be unpredictable. Also, rain showers can pop up so bring a poncho. (Umbrellas are a no-no.)
Plan for parking – Lots get full quickly, so be prepared to walk a fair distance to/from your car. Camping spots on race weekends are available on a first come/first serve basis as well.
Arrive early – Plan to arrive at the speedway several hours before race time to enjoy pre-race festivities and get settled into your seats. Oh, and depending on the event, there may be a flyover right before race time, so look up!
Bring water and snacks – Although concessions are readily available, save a few bucks and pack your own drinks (no glass) and snacks in a cooler no larger than 14 x 14-inches.
Consider purchasing a pit pass or garage pass. Walking on the actual race track is a treat in itself, but with a pit pass you can get an up-close look at some of the cars and teams in action as they prepare for the big race. You can also get right up near the concert stage for the music events.
Ear plugs are a necessity – This is non-negotiable. A single race car is loud enough, but dozens of them at full speed can be deafening. And the jet dryers for the track are even louder yet, so it’s essential to protect your hearing. Ear plugs will muffle the sound to a point that it’s not dangerous.
Bring trackside scanners – Scanners can serve double duty as both noise-reducing earmuffs and a direct line to the action. You can listen to general race announcements, all driver-team communications or tune into a specific frequency to hear the transmissions of a single driver, spotter and pit team. Scanners are also available to rent at the track, but remember you have to return them after the race so calculate that into your time and exit strategy.
Watch for flying debris – The catch fences are protection from potentially large pieces of debris, but the drafts from the cars and trucks may carry tiny bits of rubber, dirt and grit through the fence and into your face. (This is another reason to wear sunglasses.)
Bring binoculars and/or a camera – There are tons of photo opps on race day, so be sure you have a camera or a phone with a good telephoto lens to capture it all. To zoom in the n up-close action all the way around the track, binoculars are a must. One of the best times to capture close-ups of the cars is during pace laps when all the cars are going around at the same speed.
Be prepared for race day traffic – If you followed the “arrive early” tip, you probably didn’t have much of a problem getting to the track, but leaving is another matter entirely.
Pedestrians have the right of way and police will hold cars for 20-30 minutes while those people walk from the stadium to their vehicles. By the time cars are allowed to move, those pedestrians are also driving, so it results in horrendous congestion. Traffic is blocked and directed in very specific ways and there’s no way to buck the system.
If your turn happens to be against the flow, you might as well pull over, park and wait. The police will not alter traffic patterns until they feel traffic congestion has been relieved, which can be about two hours. Fair warning.
Have fun!
For help in planning a visit to the area, reach out to VisitCabarrus.com
Comments & Reviews
I would LOVE to see a live Nascar race someday. I can only imagine the energy in there while the race goes on!!
You said it right with “energy”. It’s electric!
Have not been to a race track before. You have a lot of good points here. I honestly would not have thought about comfort for the day. I don’t know why but I would use for the grab and go. You have a much better idea than I do about this, and I will take it into consideration if I ever do go to the racetrack.
Comfort is the key!
Wow what an awesome experience! My boys would love this! Totally different than watching it on t.v.!
That’s the thing! I don’t enjoy it on tv, but seeing it live was FANTASTIC!
I have never been to a nascar race. I can only imagine that earphones are a must. Loud no matter where you are sitting.
With ear protection, it’s 100% enjoyment!
We LOVE NASCAR races. I love this post because you can’t just go to a race if you want to come back with your hearing intact and your skin unburnt.
I think seeing a NASCAR race would be so much fun! I would definitely practice these safety tips, and I would never it up front. I’d be afraid of a car hitting the wall and flying into the crowd. I saw it happen once on TV. O_o
Wow, I bet this is crazy to watch in person! I haven’t been to a nascar race, but I’ve been to other races and proper ear safety is definitely a MUST!
That would be so much fun! We watch the races on television all the time, but it’s the one thing we haven’t traveled for in person yet. Once the kids are older, though….
Wow looks like a great NASCAR race and concert. Didn’t know they did a concert after the race!
That was a pre-race concert actually! There’s a ton to do before the races even start!
When we drove down to the OBX from New Jersey earlier this summer we passed Dover Speedway, another NASCAR stop and my son was fascinated with it. He wants to go to a race. Great tips, especially bringing binoculars, I always forget those!
Sad to say that Daytona Speedway is almost in my backyard (30min) and I haven’t been yet. I wasn’t sure I’d like it. But it looks like you had a blast-going to have to try it out!
I have never been to Nascar, but my boys would love it! You can’t go wrong with fast cars and fun!
Who knew? It was awesome!
I’ve never been to a Nascar race before but I hear they can be a lot of fun! I’ll definitely keep these tips in mind if I ever go.
Even though Nascar is not my thing at all I think a race would be so fun! We have Texas Motor Speedway here and I should go!
You should! I’m not a racing fan by any stretch and I’ve always rolled my eyes at the sport, but I had to experience a race for the first time. It was so cool. Neely, go!!!
I have always wanted to attend a Nascar event! It seems like it would be so adrenaline pumping to watch!
Yes with the adrenaline!
I live right outside of Charlotte and I’m embarrassed to say that I have never been! My grandkids have been several times with their racing fanatic grandpa and they always have their ear protection. I need to do this soon!
You HAVE to do it at least once, especially since you live nearby!
This definitely looks like an experience that my husband and I would love! Thanks for these excellent suggestions!
You’re very welcome!
Nascar is not my typical thing to watch on tv or attend in person. If hubby wanted to go I would tag along and probably enjoy myself. Never been to a race so have no idea what to expect.
That is EXACTLY what I said! I’ll never follow racing on tv or be a particular driver’s fan, so I just didn’t have any interest in it, but being at a race was totally different. In a million years, I would never have predicted I’d enjoy myself so much, but I really did!
I have never actually been to Nascar races. I watch them on tv, but I think it would be so much fun to enjoy the action in person.
We live in Watkins Glen, NY, about six miles from Watkins Glen International. We hold a NASCAR race event every summer. I’ve never went, but if I’m given the chance, these tips will come in handy!
It looks like you have lots of fun. I know my hubby is not going to like the loud noise but I hope to convince him to bring watch a nascar race someday.
Race cars remind me of my dad who liked to watch on TV. I bet my toddler son would love to attend a NASCAR race at Charlotte Motor Speedway!
I love NASCAR! I’ve never been, but hope to go one day! Looks and sounds like you had a blast!
I have always wanted to go see a NASCAR race in person. Arriving early and bringing snacks and water is a great idea. I would have never thought to bring binoculars thanks for the great tips.
I love Cup racing. I’ve been to a few tracks but have never had the opportunity to go to Charlotte. The night race there is on my race bucket list.
This sounds like so much fun. I haven’t watched NASCAR in a few years. It can be so exciting.
My husband and daughter love Nascar. It has been a few years since they went to a race. Headphones are a necessity if you want to keep your hearing in tact.
I would love to be able to take my parents to a NASCAR race. My dad grew up with a racetrack in his backyard, and he’s always loved racing. These are great tips if we ever get to go!
My husband would love to do this. He used to watch NASCAR all the time, but he doesn’t really get a chance anymore.
Good to know! I had no idea the event was so involved. My husband would love to see a race so we might just have to make a trip of it. Good call on the flying debris. I would have never thought of that!
i have always wanted to go to a race. It looks like so much fun! thanks for the great tips.
I have always wanted to go to a race! I’ve never known where to start. These are perfect tips!
My husband and i went there a few years ago when passing through Charlotte, It’s awesome! I grew up at the race track since my dad used to race so its all a familiar scene to me, especially having to wear ear plugs lol!
I have never been to a NASCAR race but it looks like a lot of fun. I just don’t know if I could sit thru the whole thing. LOL
I have never tried a Nascar event! It always looks like it’s so much fun and I know my son would love it!
I’ve only been to amateur track races and I can only imagine how loud a Nascar race is! These are all great tips. I love that they let you bring in a cooler!
My son is a huge Nascar fan and would love to see a race live. Maybe someday we will make it there.
I’m typically not a NASCAR person but to be honest, I’m up for anything. My kids have taught me so much about cars so I think we would have a blast thanks to your tips!
This sounds like a lot of fun! I’m sure it’s going to be one exciting day especially if you’re a huge fan of NASCAR! I appreciate the tips that you shared!
I’ve never seen this live before! It sounds absolutely exciting! I can feel the adrenaline rush as the race starts and you see your favorites on the track. I’d love to watch someday! Thanks for the tips!
This looks like so much fun! If you are going to do something different, this would certainly be up at the top of the list!
I have always wanted to attend a Nascar race. It looks like such a fun event to witness. This makes me want to schedule a visit to Charlotte soon.
My family loves NASCAR but we’ve never seen a game in person. It sounds like this would be such a fun adventure for our family one day.
Bringing water is a big one! I made that mistake once, never again!
These are some great tips! We go from time to time and I can vouch for each one of these!
How cool is that. You went to Nascar. I hope to see it someday. I have to agree. Watching thing live is always a better experience.
I have a good friend who is a huge fan of the Nascar Races. Well, she got married to an man who absolutely loves watching those races too. They moved to NC, so they can be as close to the Charlotte Motor Speedway as they can. I am sure this is one exciting event to see live.
Going to car races is so much fun! I’ve been to a NASCAR once when I was a kid and it was an awesome experience! Sounds like you had a great time!
How exciting it would be to be there are the racetrack! I have never been to a racetrack or a speedway, but I do enjoy watching it on TV. My sons would enjoy to go there too. You know how boys are, they are just amazed at how fast these cars can go.
My family has never been to a NASCAR race. I think the most interesting tip is purchasing a pit pass. I didn’t even know you could do that. How cool?!
Lots of action. One of my drawing classes when I was in college went to a motor speedway to draw. It was fun!