Away from the bright lights and flash cars of Las Vegas Strip are the even brighter lights, flashier cars, pumped-up adrenalin and noise of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS). Located 19km north of downtown Las Vegas, LVMS has hosted the most exciting NASCAR, Indy, dirt track and drag races since it opened in 1996.
If you're keen to check out the raceway action, be sure to purchase your tickets to big events well ahead of time and get there early for autograph sessions and warm-up exhibition races. LVMS contains the 2.4km Superspeedway track for marquee events, a state-of-the-art Drag Strip, the paved, oval short track known as the Bullring, Dirt Track, Go-Kart Track, Inside Road Course, Outside Road Course, Off-Road Course and Exotics Racing Course for European marques like Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini. Admission fees vary according to the event, but to supersize your experience, from US$99 for over 15s, the Neon Garage, located in the centre of the speedway's infield, offers up-close access to watch the NASCAR crews and drivers from ground-level and balcony positions. Daily track tours of the speedway are also available for US$8 for adults and US$ for children under 12.
If all the racing action has got you itching to put pedal to metal, or at least get in a car yourself, LVMS offers Richard Petty Driving Experience where you get to ride shotgun in a high-speed Ride-Along in a NASCAR race car for three laps with a professional instructor from US$59, or hop in the driver's seat and career around during the eight-, 18- or 30-lap Driving Experience from US$199.
To get to Las Vegas Motor Speedway from downtown Las Vegas, it's a 20-minute drive. From Las Vegas Strip, take the I-15 north to exit 54. Free parking is available. To make your experience more memorable, from US$159, the Ride Tour offers transportation from The Strip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a Ride-Along for three laps in a NASCAR race car and tour of the speedway.
