The Need For Speed
Spring 2023
If you want to burn rubber, make tracks for these locations.
While Nevada is home to serious outdoor splendor, not all recreation is found on hiking trails and mountain tops. For those looking for something with a little more gas, there are racetrack adventures waiting to be found.
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Just north of The Strip, this high-octane speedway consists of a 1,200-acre complex with multiple tracks for all kinds of motorsports racing. From NASCAR to drag racing, stock cars to dirt track racing, this is THE place for high-speed action in Las Vegas. Some of the speedway’s major events include:
NASCAR Cup Series
Two turbo-charged stock car racing weekends happen during the Penzoil 400 and South Point 400. The events are two of the most anticipated on the NASCAR calendar, with the Penzoil 400 taking place in March and the South Point 400 in October.
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series happens twice a year. The Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals takes place in the spring, and drag racers return in the fall for the Dodge NHRA Nationals presented by Penzoil.
The Bullring Events
Every other weekend, local stock car racing happens in The Bullring from March through November. It’s the perfect opportunity to watch drivers compete on the
3 / 8-mile oval track.
Exotics Racing
If watching others put the pedal to the metal isn’t quite the thrill you were seeking, the ride of your life awaits at Exotics Racing. Get behind the wheel of exotic cars (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren, and more!) and drive them without any speed limits or opt for the passenger seat to enjoy a drifting ride-along experience. You can also choose the Vegas Superkarts, which are powered with an SR5 4-stroke gas engine that blows electric indoor go-karts away.
Mario Andretti & NASCAR Racing Experience
Drive a full-size, Indy-style race car or jump in for a ride-along at the Mario Andretti Racing Experience. You’re on your own here: There’s no lead car to follow and no instructor in the vehicle. After a formalized driving instruction, you’ll meet your crew chief then jump behind the wheel of a NASCAR race car and take to the 1 1/2-mile oval racetrack—complete with banked turns, one-on-one instruction from a spotter, and average speeds well beyond 200 miles-per-hour.
TOP GUN RACEWAY FALLON
The only NHRA-sanctioned drag strip in northern Nevada is located 12 miles south of Fallon. Test and tune your own hot rod, race against others, or get in on the spectator side of the action from the grandstands. Visitors to the Oasis of Nevada can check out the Summit ET Series, Junior Drag Racing Series, Division 7 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, and Sports Compact Racing Series from April to October.
WINNEMUCCA REGIONAL RACING
Adrenaline also races at the fastest dirt stock track in northern Nevada. Once the green flag goes up, it’s on with International Motor Contest Association-sanctioned SportMods, Modfields, Sport Compacts, Mini-Modifieds, Pure Stocks, and Hobby Stocks, which compete April through September each year.
FERNLEY 95 SPEEDWAY
About 30 minutes from Reno, discover the holy grail of off-road motorsports racing at the Fernley 95A Speedway. You’ll find some of the Silver State’s most prestigious national and local racing events, ranging from the National Sprint Car Racing Series, midget racing, go-kart racing, and beyond.
