If you love watching NASCAR races from the comfort of your living room, imagine how great the race day experience could be if you got to sit inside the track itself and take in racing action from the luxury of your home on wheels? That’s exactly what you get and a whole lot more when you decide to go NASCAR camping in your RV.
Research Race Track Camping Logistics
NASCAR races happen from Florida to California between February and November, so you have lots of time to plan your race day getaway. Each track where NASCAR sanctioned races take place is unique when it comes to RV camping rules and regulations.
For example, some NASCAR tracks allow any RVer who can afford the entry price to camp on the race track infield, while a few tracks reserve that privilege for season ticket holders. Some race track RV camping sites are booked a year or more in advance while other tracks have plenty of room for spontaneous vacation getaways. Before you get your hopes up about attending a race near your home, go online to the race track’s website which will most likely have information for RV campers. A few popular NASCAR tracks with comprehensive RV camping information on their website includes:
In your research you’ll notice that RV camping is usually divided up into characteristics like:
- RV spots nearest the racing action (accompanied by the most expensive entry fees)
- Family friendly camping areas versus no-holds-barred party hubs
- Reservations only versus non-reserved spots
If the infield camping is anything like camping at the National Tractor Pulls in Bowling Green Oh, it will be a cross between 1) a zoo, 2) a drunk tank, and 3) and Insane Asylum!!!
— iRV2 Member
In all cases, you’ll see there are both advantages and disadvantages of infield camping. You’ll be packed in like a canned sardine and by the end of the weekend you’ll probably suffer from chronic ringing in your ears and sleep deprivation caused by non-stop partying and wild fan action. And because of the constant use of generators in the race track camping areas, those with breathing problems will want to avoid infield camping altogether.
When I was working at Texas Motor Speedway the infield was like a hazmat zone especially when there wasn’t any wind. The CO2 content of the available breathing air was terrible.
— iRV2 Member
If you love racing it will be the time of your life, but one iRV2 Forum Member has some important feedback you should consider:
do not take any children you will not sleep you are so tight between campers when you open your door it hits the person camper beside you
— iRV2 Member
And speaking of packing, when you get your RV ready be sure to stock it with all the race day provisions you’ll need to have a good time. Although some of the larger tracks that have mini-markets set up inside the camping areas are happy to lure you in with the promise of NASCAR driver appearances and giveaways, you’ll pay exponentially more for anything you buy on-site.
What You’ll Pay to Camp on a NASCAR Track
The luxury of being able to watch a NASCAR race from your front door comes with a high price tag in many locations. As realtors say, it’s all about location and what you pay for the privilege of camping on a race track depends on a few things, like the popularity of the track and associated races, the location of your RV spot , the weekend you’re going and all of the incidentals you incur over the event.
For instance, many race track campgrounds offer services you can’t refuse, like on-site door-to-door waste water disposal services, which of course come at a high convenience cost. Other fun on-site services you might want to splurge on include golf cart rentals (some tracks offer camping that isn’t within easy walking distance of the action) and on-site propane gas delivery. In many cases, although you can watch the racing action from your rooftop, it’s not unusual for a track to require all attendees to buy grandstand tickets in addition to the camping entrance pass.
If after all of your NASCAR camping research you decide to make the plunge and reserve a RV spot at the track, the experience will be something you’ll always remember. According to one iRV2 member,
It was absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had in the motorhome. . . If you like a good party (and I do), nascar infield camping is HIGHLY recommended!
— iRV2 Member
Often called “The O.G. of full-time RVing,” Rene Agredano and her husband Jim Nelson hit the road in a fifth wheel trailer in 2007, after their dog Jerry lost a leg to terminal cancer. Sixteen years later they are still traveling and sharing their nomadic adventures at LiveWorkDream. As a self-employed wordsmith, Rene shares her expertise for many RV industry videos, publications such as the Escapees RV Club Magazine, and has authored numerous books, including the Essential RVing Guide to National Parks, and Income Anywhere, a guide to earning money on the road. She has been featured in global media outlets including the PBS documentary “NATURE: Why We Love Cats and Dogs,” The Guardian Sunday Edition, and the Dan Pink book Free Agent Nation.
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