Bucket List

Our NASCAR Bucket List: Trading Pyrotechnics for Pit Passes

I'm not exactly sure when my obsession with NASCAR truly began. Was it the visceral roar of the engines, the blur of speed, or simply the captivating challenge of the race itself? Whatever the magic, it snagged me as a kid and hasn't let go since.

My first in-person dose of that magic was on March 11, 2001, at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS). It was the fourth race of the season, and still so raw, coming just weeks after the tragic loss of Dale Earnhardt at Daytona. That day cemented my love for the sport, setting the stage for years of checkered flag dreams.

Since Christie and I joined forces, we've shared countless laps of fun at some iconic tracks: AMS, Talladega, Martinsville, and Darlington. Each one has its own unique flavor, from Talladega's sheer speed to Martinsville's short-track intensity.

One of our absolute coolest NASCAR experiences happened in 2009 at AMS. We weren't just fans that weekend; we were part of the show, working NASCAR Security at the main garage gate for the Cup Series. Imagine the access! We met current and former drivers, actors, and all sorts of entertainers. It was an incredible gig, so much so that we were even offered full-time positions with NASCAR Security. As tempting as it was to live life on the fast track, the timing just wasn't right. With four kids at home, being on the road for 32 weekends a year simply wasn't feasible. Family always comes first, even before the rumble of a V8.

Fast forward to September 2022, and a casual conversation between Christie and me sparked an idea that quickly ignited into a full-blown mission: "How cool would it be to go to every NASCAR track?" Given our mutual love for race day excitement, it was a no-brainer. So, you could say our official NASCAR track bucket list kicked into high gear starting in 2023. We're on a quest to visit every single one, soaking in the history, the speed, and of course, the incredibly loud atmosphere.

Stay tuned as we tick off tracks, one by thrilling one. Who knows what adventures (and accidental detours) await us on this grand tour of American motorsports!

 

	✓	NAME	CITY/STATE	LENGTH	TRACK TYPE	TRACK OWNER	TICKETS
	✓	Atlanta Motor Speedway	Hampton, GA	1.540	Intermediate	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Auto Club Speedway	Fontana, CA	2.000	Superspeedway	NASCAR	TICKETS
	✓	Bristol Motor Speedway	Bristol, TN	0.533	Short Track	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
	✓	Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt	Bristol, TN	0.533	Short Track	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Charlotte Motor Speedway	Concord, NC	1.500	Intermediate	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course	Concord, NC	2.320	Road Course	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Chicago Street Course	Chicago, IL	2.200	Road Course	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Chicagoland Speedway	Joliet, IL	1.500	Intermediate	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Circuit of The Americas	Austin, TX	3.427	Road Course	Circuit of the Americas LLC	TICKETS
	✓	Darlington Raceway	Darlington, SC	1.366	Intermediate	NASCAR	TICKETS
	✓	Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach, FL	2.500	Superspeedway	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Daytona Road Course	Daytona Beach, FL	3.610	Road Course	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Dover Motor Speedway	Dover, DE	1.000	Intermediate	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Eldora Speedway	Rossburg, OH	0.500	Short Track	Tony Stewart/Stewart Haas Racing	TICKETS
		Homestead-Miami Speedway	Homestead, FL	1.500	Intermediate	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Indianapolis Motor Speedway	Speedway, IN	2.500	Speedway	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	TICKETS
		Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course	Speedway, IN	2.439	Road Course	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	TICKETS
		Iowa Speedway	Newton, IA	0.875	Short Track	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Kansas Speedway	Kansas City, KS	1.500	Intermediate	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Kentucky Speedway	Sparta, KY	1.500	Intermediate	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Knoxville Raceway	Knoxville, IA	0.500	Short Track	Marion County Fair Association	TICKETS
		Las Vegas Motor Speedway	Las Vegas, NV	1.500	Intermediate	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	Los Angeles, CA	0.250	Short Track	Los Angeles County	TICKETS
		Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park	Indianapolis, IN	0.686	Short Track	NHRA	TICKETS
	✓	Martinsville Speedway	Ridgeway, VA	0.526	Short Track	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Michigan International Speedway	Brooklyn, MI	2.000	Intermediate	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course	Lexington, OH	2.258	Road Course	Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC	TICKETS
		Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, WI	1.000	Superspeedway		TICKETS
		Nashville Superspeedway	Lebanon, TN	1.333	Intermediate	Dover Motorsports Inc.	TICKETS
		New Hampshire Motor Speedway	Loudon, NH	1.058	Intermediate	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		North Wilkesboro Speedway	North Wilkesboro, NC	0.625	Short Track	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Phoenix Raceway	Avondale, AZ	1.000	Intermediate	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Pocono Raceway	Long Pond, PA	2.500	Superspeedway	Mattioli Family	TICKETS
		Portland International Raceway	Portland, OR	1.900	Road Course	City of Portland	TICKETS
		Richmond Raceway	Richmond, VA	0.750	Short Track	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Road America	Elkhart Lake, WI	4.048	Road Course	State Fair Park	TICKETS
		Sonoma Raceway	Sonoma, CA	1.990	Road Course	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
	✓	Talladega Superspeedway	Talladega, AL	2.660	Superspeedway	NASCAR	TICKETS
		Texas Motor Speedway	Fort Worth, TX	1.500	Intermediate	Speedway Motorsports	TICKETS
		Watkins Glen International	Watkins Glen, NY	2.450	Road Course	NASCAR	TICKETS
		World Wide Technology Raceway	Madison, IL	1.250	Intermediate	Curtis Francois	TICKETS