There are a number of large motor speedways around the world, and it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll get to visit at least one of them while you’re traveling.
Some of the largest speedways are in the United States, where NASCAR races are a frequent occurrence. In fact, there are 17 different NASCAR tracks around the country, allowing you to catch a race pretty much anywhere you go. This includes the legendary Daytona Beach in Florida, where cars go around the entire track twice per day and hold races every day of the week except Sunday.
The Top 5 Largest Motor Speedway
It takes a bit of digging through online directories to find the best five largest motor speedways in the world. The list below features five of the most famous racetracks in the United States and Canada, as well as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the venue for the annual Indianapolis 500 car race. If you’ve got a taste for speed and luxury, then you can’t help but want to visit the Indianapolis Speedway.
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is one of the original four NASCAR tracks. The opening race of the season is always held here, which means the entire month of January is devoted to car racing in Daytona Beach. The track opened in 1959 and is named after the Daytona Beach Hotel, which stood on the spot where today’s Daytona International Speedway stands. The speedway has a permanent seating capacity of 92,000, though race organizers usually cap attendance at 100,000 or more. While the entire month of January is dedicated to NASCAR in Daytona Beach, March and April are the hottest months, thanks to the spring race season. From early March until late April, you can catch some exciting races at the beach, as the season turns from winter to spring.
Los Angeles, California
Located in southern California, the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is the home of the Los Angeles Kings professional hockey team. The arena opened in 1926 and has a capacity of 18,500 for hockey and 19,000 for concerts. The site also has a 22,000-seat soccer-specific stadium adjacent to it. In addition to hosting multiple major sports and concerts, both arenas are surrounded by restaurants and bars, making them a great location for a sports and entertainment complex.
Las Vegas, Nevada
When it comes to resort and leisure destinations, Las Vegas pretty much takes the cake. Not only is it the largest city in the United States, it’s also one of the most populated cities of any kind in the world. If you’ve got a taste for gaming and luxury, then why not visit the city where they were invented? The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a different kind of racetrack, and it’s been the site of some pretty exciting races as well as some famous feuds. The track opened in 1998 and is named after the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, which also happens to be the first casino that the track’s owners envisioned as part of their complex. The track is frequently used for NASCAR races and also features truck races, IndyCar races, and motorcycle races throughout the year. It has a capacity of over 200,000 and has hosted multiple Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, including the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship in 2017. The track also regularly hosts concerts and other forms of live entertainment.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital city of Indiana and is home to the Indiana University campus. It’s also the headquarters of the IndyCar series. If you’ve never been there, it’s a good idea to make it a point to visit the city at some point during your life. One of the first things you’ll notice about the city is how it sprawls, with many neighborhoods that spread out from the center. In fact, it was originally intended that the city would grow and spread over the old Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was the city’s first professional sports franchise. As in everything else in the city, the speedway has an atmosphere all its own. It’s not uncommon to see a race held there on a Sunday afternoon, with thousands of people showing up to watch the big boys race.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
In Canada, the Toronto Star Amphitheatre is the largest outdoor stadium in North America. It’s located in the Toronto suburb of York, and though the venue opened in 1925, it didn’t become a sports and entertainment complex until 1966, when the Toronto Blue Jays moved in. The park has a permanent seating capacity of 37,500 and is often the site of music concerts, major sporting events, and festivals. It is also the host of the annual Canadian Open tennis tournament. One of the best things about the Toronto Star Amphitheatre is how easily it accommodates large crowds. It has a 50,000-seat capacity for football games and a 72,000-seat capacity for baseball games, which is more than enough for the biggest events every week.
The Top 5 Smallest Motor Speedway
You might be surprised to learn that not all motorspeedways are created equal, and it’s pretty much a given that you’ll have a much different experience at a track compared to what you’d get at a resort destination. For instance, the Toronto Star Amphitheatre is a very busy venue, but for a different reason. The seats are much closer than at a normal racetrack and the ambiance is completely different. You’ll feel like you’re in the middle of a huge party, and it makes for a fun experience, especially if you attend a concert or a theatrical performance. At the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got places like the Daytona Beach Racing Center, which seats about 26,000 and is surrounded by hotels and restaurants, limiting any ambiance at all. It’s all about the action and the atmosphere at the smaller tracks, though — especially on the road to success — the larger and more famous venues usually have the better seats.
The Top 5 Most Popular Places To Hang Out
With hundreds of millions of residents, it’s pretty safe to assume there must be a lot of places where people hang out. In the United States, at least. These are the five most popular places in the country where you can find your friends and make new connections:
- The Camping World Outdoor Retailer Winter Market – This is the largest winter market in the world and one of the most famous. It takes place annually in the city of Orlando, Florida and features over 160,000 square feet of camping, fishing, hunting, and outdoor lifestyle goods. Not only that, but there are also seminars and workshops held at the venue, which makes it a great place to learn and expand your knowledge.
- The Brooklyn Bridge – Though it’s not an exact duplicate of the original Brooklyn Bridge, it has become one of the most photographed bridges in the world. More than 8 million people cross it each year, which gives you an idea of the impact it’s had on the city that built it and the country as a whole. It’s one of the largest suspension bridges in the world and it’s been getting more and more people interested in history and what it means to be American.
- Central Park – There are few places in the world where you won’t find someone playing music, dancing, or laying down in the grass to nap. Though it’s the place where New Yorkers go to escape the hustle and bustle of their busy day, it also has a lot of recreational opportunities, with over 80 acres of lawns, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. It’s a great place to connect with nature and take a break from the busy city life.
- Times Square – While it might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of popular hangout spots, Times Square is actually one of the most populated areas in the country. It’s probably most well-known for its theaters and cinemas, though it has also become a haven for those who love to party. It really is the center of the universe, so to speak, with all the neon lights and people bustling around you 24/7.
- The Mall – For those who live in Washington, DC, the mall is pretty much the center of the universe. It’s an indoor-outdoor space that fills the whole area from the White House to Capitol Hill with retail stores, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. It really is the place to be. Especially on Saturday afternoons, when the mall is filled with people and activity.