There is nothing in the world like the bellowing roar of a NASCAR stock car and at Xtreme Xperience, we’ve had the opportunity to share some hallowed ground with the door-to-door racing masters at NASCAR. Remember, we take guests in real supercars on real tracks that are usually only approached by seasoned racing professionals, so we’ve learned a thing or two along the way. We’ve developed a fondness and real love for some of these tracks and we thought it would be fun to break down how we choose a track and which tracks are the best NASCAR tracks to drive.
Ready to dive into the best NASCAR tracks to drive? Let’s do it.
How Do We Choose the Tracks We Visit?
At Xtreme Xperience, it’s all about finding a balance between safety and thrills for our on-track events, and that can present an interesting challenge. Some tracks offer extremely technical corners that can be fun for someone with more experience, but be intimidating or downright dangerous for someone with little experience in a track car. Others don’t have much runoff area or limited contact zones in case of off-track expeditions, and that can also present a problem for the safety of both our drivers and our instructors. The bottom line, it needs to be fun for enthusiasts, allow room for mistakes, and be attainable for those that never stepped into a supercar before.
Off the track, we look for tracks that offer a reasonable distance to major metropolitan areas, after all, we are a business and we need to make sure the people will come out for our version of a heavenly afternoon. Tracks need to also be outfitted with amenities like restrooms, plenty of space to view the on-track action, and plenty of shade for hot days during our main running season.
So, you see, it’s not just a point-and-shoot experience. We actually put tons of work into every track and every experience we create.
The Best NASCAR Tracks We Visit
NASCAR offers a style of racing that is quite different from what we do. Yes, they do run road courses every year (with more happening every season) but NASCAR is known for ovals and we don’t do ovals. Although it may seem just like “going in a circle”, oval racing is among the most challenging and dangerous in the world. Just ask Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen.
Here are some of the best NASCAR tracks we do visit every year and why they’re so damn good:
- Michigan International Speedway: This Nascar-owned track has a HUGE 2600-foot straightaway where drivers can really hit top speeds. Banking is nominal and open-wheel/sports cars can have fun here.
- Sonoma Raceway: One of the NASCAR road courses, Sonoma is an all-time favorite. Corners like “the chute”, elevation changes, and plenty of complex transitions make this track a major challenge and some major fun.
- Texas Motor Speedway: Host to this year’s NASCAR finals, TMS., as it’s known, is the second largest course in the nation behind Indy. Although it’s earned some hate over the years, recent changes have encouraged better, more aggressive racing.
- Charlotte Motor Speedway: If you’re a NASCAR fan, this track is a must-visit because it is the home of NASCAR’s Hall of Fame and the location of many of the team race shop’s home bases. It’s one of the most immersive and fun environments for any fan.
- Pocono Raceway: Hosting a NASCAR Cup Series race this year for the first time since 1981, Pocono is known as the “tricky triangle” due to its crazy three-turn setup. Each corner is at a different angle and the racing here is, well, a bit nuts. A spectacle and show to be sure.
- Kansas Speedway: This iconic Kansas City track hosts two NASCAR weekends and is owned and operated by NASCAR. What that means is a huge spectacle, a great, modern facility, and a track design that encourages some intense racing.
Instructor Favorite Tracks
Our instructors have an opinion on the best tracks in the country too, and since these guys and gals are the experts, we think it’s best to give them a voice:
- Atlanta Motorsports Park: This track has been voted one of the top tracks in America and one trip around the extreme elevation changes and sweeping corners will tell you why. This one is a blast!
- New Jersey Motorsports Park: Tons of blind corners and a sweeping, technical layout across not one but two track layouts make NJMP a favorite for all the corner carvers out there.
- Putnam Park: Putnam is nestled into a beautiful location and happens to offer some of the coolest corners in the country, while also being well laid out and clearly marked for beginners. There are also huge runoff areas, so drivers can avoid the wall if they get a little too crazy out there.
- National Corvette Museum: Well, first of all, this is an iconic location that celebrates America’s very own sports car. Secondly, plenty of elevation changes, high-speed sweepers, complex corner combos, challenging hairpins, and fast straights all make for a hell of a thrill ride.
Wait, Those Instructor Favorites Aren’t NASCAR Tracks!
Yes, yes we know that our instructor’s favorite tracks are not NASCAR tracks but hear us out. What NASCAR does and what we do are totally different and that comes down to how NASCAR thrills spectators: speed.
Yes, when you come out to an Xtreme Xperience event, you’ll be going way faster than you can go on a street but there is no way we can hit speeds that NASCAR does. In fact, most of what makes for “good racing” at NASCAR are tracks that allow for speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour and door-to-door racing. Sounds insane? Well, it is and that’s why the professional drivers at NASCAR are one of a kind.
For us, we look for tracks that offer a combination of elements. We want a long straight to bend into a tight hairpin, a sweeper that dumps into a series of chicanes, and some elevation changes to keep things spicy for our guests. It’s a different type of racing, and it’s what we do best.
What’s Next For Xtreme Xperience?
Each season that passes brings more and more opportunities for us to travel to the best tracks in the country to offer our fans the best automotive experiences out there. As we grow and diversify our business, we want to always keep our fans top of mind. After all, without all of you and your enthusiasm for fast, and loud supercars, we wouldn’t be where we are today!
For now, you can book an experience and cross “Drive a NASCAR track” off that automotive bucket list you have going. Where will we go next year? Who knows, but trust us, you won’t be disappointed.
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