12 Best Race Tracks in the US You Should Visit

The Daytona International Speedway has to be one of the most famous race tracks in the USA. Featuring regularly in NASCAR races (including the Daytona 500), this is a track that is regularly beamed onto screens around the world. It even had a Sega game named after it. So, even if somebody hasn’t heard of the race track, they may have seen it featured in countless video games.

The Daytona International Speedway has multiple track configurations, from 0.4 miles long to 3.5 miles long. The most famous configuration is the Tri-Oval, which is 2.5 miles long. You’ll regularly find that one featured in NASCAR. The Daytona International Speedway plays host to regular events. There is something happening almost every single week!

One of the coolest features of the Daytona International Speedway (other than the vehicles zipping along) is the UNOH Fanzone, which, among other things, allows spectators to look down on the vehicle garages and see how they are operating. This is always so much fun to us!

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the F1 tracks in the USA and, as a result, is probably known by a lot more people outside of the USA than the NASCAR-only tracks.

Founded in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has quickly become one of the best American race tracks. In fact, the track owners claim it to be the ‘Racing Capital of the World’, which we suppose it is. Some massive races have happened at Indianapolis, with the biggest being the F1 races, but the track also plays host to the IndyCar series, some NASCAR races, and a whole lot more.

There are a few configurations to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track, but the most popular will likely be the Road Race configuration for F1. It stretches 2.439 miles, with 14 awesome turns as the drivers navigate, at speed, throughout this beautiful track.

In our opinion (and probably the opinion of countless others), the Circuit of the Americas is one of the best race tracks in the US. There is a reason why it has been selected for the F1 United States Grand Prix, NASCAR’s Texas Grand Prix, and the FIA World Endurance Championship…and that’s just scratching the surface of all the epic races that happen around this track.

The Circuit of the Americas is one of the newest tracks on this list, with construction starting in 2010 and finally opening in 2012. The track has multiple configurations (as most tracks do), but the most popular is the 3.426-mile circuit, which boasts 20 turns, some extremely tight and tough to tackle at speed.

This track always presents a challenge to anybody trying to navigate it. In fact, after the first F1 race, it was praised for being one of the most challenging circuits on the racing calendar. It's not just racing events that happen here, either. There is even a massive amphitheater that can seat 14,000 people, and it plays regular host to music concerts.

The Sebring International Raceway opened its doors in 1950, and it is now one of the oldest continually operating racetracks in the country. It has gone through various refinements over the years, though. The early forms of the track were said to be too dangerous (the track dealt with many fatalities), and in 1966, the Sebring International Raceway went through changes that brought it closer to the 3.741-mile race track that we know today.

While the Sebring International Raceway doesn't look like a challenging track, it is. This is all thanks to its WWII construction (it was built on an airfield). There are some sections of the track that are notoriously bumpy, making it difficult to keep the vehicle under control at speed. That and there are several times that the surface changes, meaning that a good driver needs to adapt.

Watch cars travel at speed when the sections of the track change material, and you'll see sparks fly out the bottom of them. A few events happen here throughout the year, but the biggest happens in March. It is the 12 Hours of Sebring, which is a huge endurance race on the track that attracts tons and tons of spectators.

Thunderhill Raceway is a racetrack that is ignored by many motorheads. This is because it doesn't really play host to that many tournaments. For example, you won’t see NASCAR vehicles traversing around this stunning track. However, we believe Thunderhill Raceway is worthy of inclusion on this list of the best American race tracks. 

Built in 1993, Thunderhill Raceway has 3 track configurations, with the largest configuration being a whopping 5 miles long, which makes this the longest road racing course in the United States. On top of this, you have a skid pad and drifting areas.

The reason why Thunderhill Raceway deserves to be known by way more people is the fact that it hosts the longest race in America - The 25 Hours of Thunderhill. It is an epic endurance race that pushes vehicles and drivers to their absolute limit.

If you have ever played a racing video game that uses official tracks, then chances are that you will have heard of Laguna Seca. This track is famed for a corkscrew turn at Turn 8. However, the other 10 turns on the track are equally challenging due to the huge elevation changes the track goes through.

However, since the corkscrew turn is known as the most difficult turn in the world of motorsports, we figured that we would point that one out first! Unlike other race tracks in the US, the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca only has one track configuration. It is the 2.238 Grand Prix Circuit. Major events held on this circuit include some IndyCar races, the IMSA Sportscar Championship, and MotoAmerica.

Honestly, when it comes to beautiful race tracks, Lime Rock Park is probably the best there is. When the track was designed, it was intended to use the natural terrain as much as possible.

Since it was built right in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains, the track is incredibly hilly. However, you'll also see some stunning natural scenery while hurtling around the track. There are sections of the track without a spectator in sight. Just beautiful lakes, grass, and dominating trees.

In order to retain the natural look of this track, there is no grandstand seating here. If you want to spectate races on the track, you have to bring a blanket and sit in one of the many hilly areas. It does create a rather unique atmosphere and one that we love.

The 1.530-mile track doesn't play host to a lot of major events, mostly because the track is short and can't accommodate a ton of people. However, it still hosts the Trans-Am Series and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.

Continuing our journey through the best race tracks in the US, we head to Road Atlanta. This 2.540-mile track is famed for its turns, particularly the famous esses that break up the straights between turns 3 and 4, plus a famous downhill turn on 12, which is known to be incredibly challenging to tackle.

While this stunning track is well-known around the world (probably thanks to its inclusion in video games), it doesn’t really host a whole lot of major events. The biggest probably being MotoAmerica and the TransAm series. However, it is still a highly-used track. It is used for all sorts of amateur events, and there is always something going on here. In fact, if you’re lucky, you could even have a spin around the track yourself.

We don't know about you, but some of our favorite car racing tracks in America are those that work with the natural terrain. We love it when the land isn’t flattened, and you end up with beautifully paved roads traversing through natural scenery. The Pittsburg International Race Complex offers that.

The full track is 2.780 miles long, with a whopping 19 turns and a constantly changing elevation, making drivers feel that they are tracking the open road rather than just hurtling around a race track. 

We love the layout of this track. While it isn’t especially challenging (it was built with amateur drivers in mind), some of the views are absolutely stunning, and there is a wide section of the road that makes you feel as if you are driving through sweeping landscapes.

As this is a newer track and, honestly, a bit out of the way, it hasn't managed to pick up many major competitions yet. The biggest is probably the yearly MotoAmerica, but it is well-used by amateur drivers.

Many race tracks go through a lot of different changes after launch. Not Road America. The designers got this one perfect. It is one of the only race tracks in the world that retains the original configuration. It is a hefty 4.048 miles in length, with 14 turns and lots and lots of elevation changes. Although, the major highlight is the hefty stretch where cars can hit up to 200mph.

For a while, Road America was one of the NASCAR race tracks in the USA, but NASCAR has now moved on from the track. However, with over 400 events happening at Road America each year, the track certainly isn’t hurting for cash. The IndyCar Series probably being the most-visited of them.

The Brainerd International Raceway is a multi-purpose racing complex offering road racing, kart racing, and even a fabulous drag strip. There are two tracks running through Brainerd International Raceway. The original is the Donnybrooke Race Course, which stretches 3.100 miles.

It has 10 turns, and despite drivers easily being able to hit 200mph as they zip around the course, it is known for being an incredibly safe place to drive due to the wide roads and large runoff areas. Even the slowest of corners can be tackled at 80mph.

The Competition Road Course is the newest addition to Brainerd. This 2.500-mile track is a little bit more challenging despite sharing some overlap with the original. It boasts tighter turns, faster areas, and more. Brainerd plays host to the MotoAmerica and NHRA.

The Talladega Superspeedway has to be one of the most famous NASCAR tracks in the world. Partly because it formed the title of a Will Ferrel film. However, we are sure that many people have seen the oval design of Talladega appear in multiple video games.

When Talladega Superspeedway was first launched, it was actually a full racing track, although that was shut down in the late 1980s. Now, the only thing that remains is the famous tri-oval. At 2.660 miles long and offering 4 turns, this track is meant to be taken at enormous speeds…and that is what happens if you are ever lucky enough to see a race in person here.

It shouldn't be too hard to get tickets, either. It accommodates 80,000 people. Most of the top events that happen here are NASCAR-related, e.g., the NASCAR Cup Series. But countless other smaller events occur throughout the year.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a complex formed of multiple race tracks. This includes a long road course (regarded as one of the best road courses in America), stretching 2.499 miles. However, the most popular track is the Tri-Oval, which is 1.5 miles of pure speed.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway now hosts events like the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and plenty of minor events throughout the year. IndyCar used to operate races here too. However, due to a fatal crash back in 2011, the company refused to return.

For a while, Watkins Glen International would have been one of the most famous auto racing tracks in the USA. This is because it used to be home to the F1 races in the USA.

For 20 years, F1 cars traversed this beautiful track. Although unfortunately, the company has now moved on to other tracks throughout the country.

Watkins Glen International has a few track configurations, but the most famous has to be the 3.450-mile, 11-turn, Grand Prix Circuit.

This version of the track boasts the famous 'Boot', which is essentially just a section of the track that looks like a boot. So, expect tight corners in quick succession.

Watkins Glen International is a stop on the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.

There are a few track configurations at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, but they both hover around the 2.4-mile long mark, with the original road course being slightly longer than the newer version.

The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course boasts one of our favorite features on a racetrack - The Keyhole. This is a sharp turn at the end of an incredibly fast-paced straight stretch.

As soon as you leave that turn, you come right back out into another fast-paced straight stretch, ensuring that the race doesn’t slow down too much.

The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a stop on the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

The full circuit of Barber Motorsports Park is 2.38 miles long and offers 16 turns. Many of these turns are incredibly tight, keeping drivers on their toes.

Many drivers have commented that while the Barber Motorsports Park is an incredibly tough place to drive, particularly around some of the tighter turns, the drive is never anything short of exhilarating. In addition to the road course, there is a lightly used off-roading course.

Attached to the Barber Motorsports Park, you'll find the Barber Vintage Museum, which boasts a fantastic collection of vintage vehicles.

Each year, IndyCar brings one of their races here, as does MotoAmerica.