Types of NASCAR Tracks

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) oversees a series of auto races and leagues throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. NASCAR races are run on four types of tracks--short, intermediate, superspeedway and road courses. Racing on these tracks can differ in speeds and how aggressive drivers can be due to the width of the tracks and the length of the straightaways.

  1. Short Track

    • A short track is a oval surface measuring less than 1 mile in circumference. Eight NASCAR facilities on the circuit are listed as a short course as of 2010. The shortest track is also the largest venue in this category. Drivers race on a 1/2-mile track at the Bristol Motor Speedway where 160,000 fans can watch the action. Racing on short tracks is about position rather than speed. A fast car helps, but a driver who does not mind mixing it up is a key to winning on these tracks.

    Intermediate Track

    • The intermediate tracks on the NASCAR circuit are ovals surfaces that measure in length from 1 mile to 2 miles. A dozen tracks on the NASCAR series are listed as intermediate. Some of the tracks include the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Kentucky Speedway. The Charlotte Motor Speedway, with 165,000 seats, is the largest intermediate track. The track is a quad-oval, measuring 1 1/2 miles.

    Superspeedway

    • A superspeedway track is any raceway longer than 2 miles. The most famous tracks on the circuit are in this category. They include Daytona Beach, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and the Talladega Superspeedway. These speedways also feature some of the largest spectator facilities in the sport, with Indianapolis having 250,000 seats. Because of the long straightaways, racing on these tracks is faster than on other types.

    Road Course

    • Road course tracks are circuits that involve right-hand turns in addition to left-hand turns. As of 2010, three road course tracks are on the NASCAR series: Watkins Glen, Montreal and Sonoma. The Montreal track is the longest in this group at 2.71 miles. The racing on road courses is a mix of short track and super speedway with fast speeds complemented by the trading of paint in some spots on the course.