Most NASCAR races take place on high-speed oval tracks with banked turns, which are known as superspeedways if they go over one mile in length. Configurations like tri-ovals with curved front stretches and quad ovals with four turns make up for an interesting racing experience. All oval races run counterclockwise, with left-hand turns, and only two races are held on road courses with more than four and little banking, such as Infineon Raceway.
Iconic venues like Daytona International Speedway, famous for its steeply banked turns and hosting the most renowned event of NASCAR, Daytona 500, and Bristol Motor Speedway, famously known for its tight racing conditions and frequent collisions that happen during the race have become staples in this sport.
On that note, let’s take a look at 5 NASCAR races every fan should attend in 2025.
The Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway is an important playoff race, making it one of the most competitive events of the NASCAR season. The 400.5-mile race is made up of 267 laps on a 1.5-mile track. This race is typically held during the playoffs’ Round of 12 and often comes out with the contenders for the world championship.
The 2024 Brickyard 400 marks a big moment for NASCAR fans as the event returned to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval for the first time since 2020.
Ever since 2020, the Brickyard 400 had been shifted to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s infield road course, but in 2024, the race made a comeback to its oval layout. It was also the first time when Nextgen cars were introduced on this track. The speedway is a 2.5-mile rectangular track and Jeff Gordon has the most number of victories here to date with 5 wins under his belt.
The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina is one of NASCAR’s oldest races. The first race here was held in 1950. The track is 501 miles long with 367 laps to be covered in total, the track is egg-shaped.
The race is traditionally run on Labor Day weekend and is a Crown Jewel event. Jeff Gordon currently holds the most no. of wins on this track, 6, and Hendrick Motorsports has bagged 12 wins, the most by a team. Being the oldest not only makes it a race with a lot of history attached to it, but the challenging track layout also makes it a must-watch for the fans.
The Coca-Cola 600, which is run at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, is NASCAR’s longest race. Held since 1960, it covers 600 miles (400 laps) on a 1.5-mile quad-oval track, it tests a driver’s endurance along with the strength of their car.
This race is a Memorial Day weekend tradition and one of NASCAR’s Crown Jewel events. Dale Earnhardt leads in the driver race win stats, with 4 wins to his name, while in terms of team wins, Hendrick Motorsports has 13 in total.
The Daytona 500, held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, is considered to be NASCAR’s most prized event. It was held in 1959 for the first time and spans 500 miles and 200 laps on a 2.5-mile oval track. This race is also known as “The Great American Race,” and is the opening race of the NASCAR season, and follows a three-stage format.
Richard Petty holds the record for most driver wins (seven), other than that, Hendrick Motorsports and Petty Enterprises lead with nine team wins each. As for the manufacturers, Chevrolet has maintained its lead with 26 wins.
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