Any Chevy dealership in Alabama is proud of their state’s long heritage of supporting racing and NASCAR. With dozens of different racetracks and dragstrips to visit, racing aficionados and Chevy fans will never tire of where to catch a race.
Alabama has had a rich tradition of racing, especially NASCAR. Back in the 1950s, a group of NASCAR drivers settled in the state and formed a group known as the Alabama Gang. Thanks to their influence, Hueytown became the center of the sport, and drivers gravitated to Alabama to race. Ever since then, the state has drawn visitors to its famed tracks.
Chevrolet continues to maintain its strong backing of racing and NASCAR. The automaker’s engineers are continually designing new vehicles for success on the track and to maintain a tradition of winning. Fans can look forward to the start of the 2022 Cup Series season when NASCAR will unveil the seventh generation cup car. Chevy dealerships in Alabama will be happy to welcome you and show you their latest Camaro and Corvette models and take them out for a test drive.
In the meantime, where can you and your family enjoy the roar of the engines at racetracks in Alabama?
Talladega Superspeedway
For Chevy drivers, the top of the list is the Talladega Superspeedway, the largest NASCAR racetrack in Alabama and the most well-known. Located in northeast Alabama, this famed track only hosts two NASCAR cup races during the year: the GEICO 500 in April and the Yellawood 500 in October.
But all year long, the track is open to visitors who flock to its Hall of Fame museum and sign up for hourly van tours of the track. The museum has much to see, and visitors can take their time since it is a self-guided tour. The van tour around the track allows visitors to witness the very steep incline that race cars have to navigate. Those who visit are impressed with its size, the scope of the facility, and its rich history of racing.
Atmore Dragway
If drag racing is more your passion, then the Atmore Dragway should be on your list. Spread over 40 acres of landscaped property owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Atmore is a modern 1/8-mile NHRA-sanctioned facility with an excellent pit facility. Located near the Alabama and Florida border, it regularly holds drag race events for the entire family. Visitors give it high marks for being family-friendly and accommodating.
Barber Motorsports Park
Outside of Birmingham in the town of Leeds is the beautiful Barber Motorsports Park, a multi-purpose racing facility. Known for its landscaping and greenery, it sits on 880 acres and includes the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum, which was named the world’s largest motorcycle museum by the Guinness World Records.
Visitors to the park can watch the action from numerous wooded or grass-covered banks as the racers make their way along a 17-turn, 2.38-mile road course. Spectators can watch the racing along the backstretch between Turns 8 and 11, with additional viewing areas outside of Turns 2/3 and Turn 14.
If you visit in the fall, you’ll be able to experience the Vintage Festival. This three-day event displays all types of motorcycles. Visitors can sit on a grassy hill to overlook the road races, cross country races, trials, a fan zone, skill shows, and two swap meets where motorcycle parts can be bought or traded. Combined with the Barber motorcycle museum collection of over 1,000 motorcycles, there is no better place to visit for motorcycle fans.
East Alabama Motor Speedway
If you and your family enjoy getting the full effect of a car race, head to the East Alabama Motor Speedway. In the founding days of NASAR, paved tracks were few and far between, and the East Alabama Motor Speedway is a throwback to that era. This is a traditional dirt track located outside of Columbus in Phenix City. At the end of the day, you’ll be covered with brown dust from flying dirt and have the sound of roaring engines ringing in your ears. It’s a rare experience today, but a great way to discover the most raw form of racing.
Huntsville Speedway
This quarter-mile oval racetrack near the Tennessee border opened in 1959 as a dirt track but was paved a few years later in 1962. It is famed for holding a NASCAR Grand National Series event in 1962, which was won by Richard Petty. Known as the South’s fastest quarter-mile track, spectators will enjoy weekly stock car racing. Family-friendly and affordable, visitors cite the excitement and good food as reasons to make the trip.
Richard Petty Driving Experience
For Chevy drivers itching to get behind the wheel and see what it’s like to drive a real NASCAR race car, the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Talladega is a necessary stop. Fans who have visited call it one of the highlights of their life. It gives visitors the experience to feel like a professional driver racing on a real top-tier racetrack.
The basic package is a three-lap ride around the 2.66-mile long oval track with a professional driver, or you can upgrade your ticket depending on time spent on the track up to the advanced experience. Guests take part in a meeting on training and safety with the crew chief, getting instruction on how to drive the track. There you’ll receive a jumpsuit and be fitted for a helmet before you hop in the car. Spotters help you reach your full potential during your time in the car. You’ll feel like a real race car driver as spotters give you one-on-one instruction over the in-car radio.
After every eight minutes out on the track, drivers take a brief pit stop and learn how to increase their speeds. Then they get to take the wheel again and get the experience of driving along those 33-degree sloped walls at speeds of up to 165 mph.
Holiday Raceway
Some of the best drag racing can be seen at the Holiday Raceway track in Woodstock, AL. Situated between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, the track runs events from March to November. Spectators have a lot of viewing areas along “the Beach,” as it’s been dubbed. Both sides of the track have everything a family needs: concession stands with drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, and snow cones; bathrooms; and bleacher seating.
Visitors are also invited to bring their vehicle up against the fence for an up-close experience or bring chairs to sit on the hill overlooking the racetrack. Spectators are treated to weekly events such as Test and Tune or Open Track, where racers can bring any type of vehicle and test their skills. There is also a competitive Bracket program where three classes (Pro, Footbrake, and Junior Dragster) drive against each other.
Alabama Loves Racing
With NASCAR, drag racing, road courses, and car shows, Alabama’s many racetracks embody the feel of the true Southern racing tradition. No matter what sort of racing suits your tastes, you can find it in the Yellowhammer state. Whether you live in Alabama or are just visiting, take some time to find a local track and experience this great American tradition.
