Motorsports Across America: Traveling to Top Racing Events
From IndyCar to NASCAR, America's racetracks roar during the summer
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After cheering for your favorite sports teams all winter and spring, maybe it is time for some excitement in the world of motorsports.
Driving your RV to any of the varied events coming in mid-summer and fall can bring new ways to enjoy your home on wheels. Some events are fast, loud, and some are wild.
Photo: Chase McBride
NASCAR Cup Series and More
There are 20 NASCAR Cup Series races running from June 1 to October 12, finishing up at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Another 10 scheduled races are in the IndyCar Series.
It’s too late for some of this year’s big spring events, but many of these require advanced planning and ticketing. So now is a great time to get ready for those.
A competitor in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Photo: Jason Miller.
One of the oldest motor racing events in the country is in Colorado at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Cars race almost 12.5 miles for a climb of 5,000 vertical feet. This year it is scheduled for Sunday, June 22. There are limited camping permits and cautions about moving locations. Tickets are available online.
October Revs Up
Charlotte Motor Speedway will host the NASCAR Series as the Bank of America Roval 400 on Sunday, October 5. The North Carolina raceway is home to summer and fall events ranging from truck racing to drag racing. Camping is available at the 380-site Good Sam RV park adjacent to the race track.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta hosts the Motul Le Mans, a multi-day event featuring European-style sports cars, October 8-11. Racing events culminate with a 10-hour championship race. The 2.54-mile track has 12 turns and room for some limited camping.
Formula One action. Photo: Stephen Kidd.
Formula 1 racing has two events: the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on October 19 in Austin, Texas. The second race is November 20-22 under the lights in Las Vegas, where drivers negotiate 17 turns and zip down Las Vegas Boulevard at speeds over 200 mph.
Daytona International Speedway. Photo: Imperial Assassin.
Doing Daytona and Beyond
The Daytona 500 in Daytona, Florida, gives the racing season a jumpstart each February with plenty of thrills, fun, and RV parking.
And the Granddaddy of them all — the Indy 500 each Memorial Day weekend — draws fans from around the world,d and RVers can park in the infield, but if not, there’s dry parking in a field across from the Brickyard.
Bob & Becky Bazemore
Bob and BeckyBazemore are former journalists and 16-year consultants with Good Sam. Their travels and work have taken them through Alaska, western Canada, the Pacific Northwest, and much of the Eastern Seaboard — RVing the U.S. along the way. After 12 years full-time RVing, they now hang their hats in Port St. Lucie, Florida, when not on the road.
