What motorsports covers in the United States
American motorsports for ticket buyers comes down to three major series: NASCAR, which runs from February to November; IndyCar, which runs from March to early September and peaks with the Indianapolis 500 in May; and Formula 1, which holds three US races a year in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas. Each series sells tickets for whole race weekends, not single games, and that one fact shapes almost every buying decision.
The top NASCAR division, the Cup Series, ran 36 points races in 2026, from the Daytona 500 on February 15 to the finale at Homestead–Miami Speedway on November 8. Its tracks range from 2.5-mile superspeedways to half-mile short tracks, road courses and, new for 2026, a street race at Naval Base Coronado near San Diego. The 2026 season also brought back the Chase (the championship format NASCAR used from 2004 to 2013): the top 16 drivers on points after 26 races qualify for a 10-race title run.
IndyCar's 2026 season had 18 races between March 1 and September 6, mixing ovals, permanent road courses and street circuits such as Long Beach, a new Grand Prix of Arlington in Texas and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on the streets of Washington, D.C. Formula 1, the global series, ran 23 Grands Prix in 2026; the US rounds were the Miami Grand Prix in May, the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in October and the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a Saturday-night race on the Strip, in November.
The marquee races and where they run
A handful of events draw demand far beyond their series' regular fan base, and each has its own guide on this site.
- Daytona 500: NASCAR's season opener and biggest race, held in mid-to-late February at Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile tri-oval with 31-degree banking that opened in 1959.
- Indianapolis 500: IndyCar's signature race on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.5-mile oval that opened in 1909. The 110th running, on May 24, 2026, produced the closest finish in the race's history, a margin of 0.0233 seconds.
- Formula 1: the three US Grands Prix, each a Friday-to-Sunday (or Thursday-to-Saturday, in Las Vegas) weekend of practice, qualifying and the race.
- NASCAR: the full Cup Series schedule, from superspeedways like Daytona to short tracks like Bristol Motor Speedway, a 0.533-mile concrete oval known for its Night Race.
For fans willing to travel abroad, the Monaco Grand Prix (a street race through Monte Carlo, held June 7 in 2026) and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (the 2026 season finale on December 6, at Yas Marina Circuit) are the two most requested Formula 1 trips outside the US.
Monster trucks are a different kind of motorsport: an arena or stadium show rather than a race weekend. Monster Jam and Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live tour football stadiums and arenas, and their seating logic (sit high, not close) resembles an oval's more than a concert's.
How race tickets and passes are sold
Race tickets behave differently from stick-and-ball sports tickets in three ways.
- Weekend structure: most tracks sell a reserved grandstand seat for race day, a multi-day package that adds qualifying and support races, and general admission (unreserved areas such as hillsides, infields or standing zones). Formula 1 leans heavily on three-day passes; single-day tickets, when offered, usually cover Friday practice or Saturday qualifying.
- Add-ons: pre-race pit or garage access, infield passes, camping spots and hospitality suites are typically sold separately from the seat. Read what a listing includes before comparing two tickets.
- Demand curve: crown-jewel races (the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500, the Night Race at Bristol and every US Formula 1 race) draw buyers months ahead, and the best grandstands near the start-finish line go first. Ordinary NASCAR and IndyCar races rarely sell out; the huge capacities mean seats are usually available close to race day, and resale prices for those races often soften as the date approaches.
Capacities are the reason. Indianapolis Motor Speedway counted 257,325 permanent seats in 2004, reduced to about 235,000 by 2013 according to Wikipedia's figures, and Daytona lists from about 101,500 to more than 167,000 depending on how the infield is configured. Supply runs short only for the biggest events and the best locations.
Where to sit at an oval, a road course or a street circuit
The single most useful rule on an oval is to sit high. From row 30 and up in a large grandstand, you can follow the whole track, read the pit stops and see a pass develop through the turns. Low rows put you close to the cars but behind the catch fence (the tall safety fence along the outside wall), where the view is a blur of color and the far side of the track disappears.
- Superspeedways (Daytona, Indianapolis): pick seats near the start-finish line for the restarts, the pit road action and the finish. The turns offer a better look at three-wide packs entering the corner but less of the overall race.
- Short tracks such as Bristol: nearly every seat sees the entire track, so the choice is about elevation and pit road. Mid-level seats on the frontstretch are the safe pick.
- Road courses and street circuits (Circuit of the Americas, Long Beach, Las Vegas): no seat sees the whole lap. Choose a grandstand at a heavy braking zone, such as a hairpin at the end of a long straight, where overtaking happens, and make sure a video board is in sight to follow the rest.
- General admission: a good value for fans who like to roam, especially at road courses with hillside viewing, but plan for no seat, no shade and long walks.
Two cautions apply everywhere. First, check the sun: many tracks hold races in the afternoon, and an uncovered west-facing grandstand bakes. Second, at night races the lights change the picture; upper rows avoid glare on the fence. The guide How to Read a Seating Chart explains how to check a track map before buying.
What race day is actually like
A race is a long day. Gates often open hours before the green flag, traffic builds early, and many fans tailgate or camp and treat the race as the last event of the day rather than the only one.
- Hearing protection: stock cars and open-wheel cars are loud enough that earplugs or headphones are standard, particularly for children.
- Scanners: many fans rent or bring a radio scanner and headset to hear driver-to-crew radio and the broadcast. It turns a confusing race into a readable one.
- Coolers and bags: some tracks allow soft-sided coolers of a set size, which is unusual in sports. As of the 2026 season, policies differ by track and series, so check the track's current policy before you go.
- Weather: rain stops oval racing entirely (road and street courses can run in the wet), and a delay can push a race to the next day. Keep the ticket; tracks typically honor it for the rescheduled date, but check the track's rain policy.
Race weekends are also travel events. A 2024 industry report from the Sports Events and Tourism Association counted 109.7 million spectators who traveled 50 miles or more to sporting events, with 63.5 million staying overnight. Hotels near Daytona, Indianapolis and the Formula 1 cities fill early for race weekend, so book lodging when you buy the seat.
Tips for a first race
- Start with a crown jewel or a short track. The Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 deliver the full spectacle; a Bristol race delivers the most action per lap, with every car visible.
- Buy height before proximity. A seat in row 40 near the finish line beats row 5 almost anywhere on an oval.
- Check what the ticket covers. Race-day seat, weekend pass, pit access and parking are often separate items.
- Watch the series sites for schedule changes. The official schedules at NASCAR.com and IndyCar.com list start times, which move for television.
Every order on GoodSeats is backed by a 100% guarantee, which matters when a race is postponed or a seat location needs to be confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best seats at a NASCAR race?
High rows near the start-finish line. From row 30 and up you can see the whole track, pit road and the finish; low rows sit behind the catch fence and miss the far side of the track.
Where are the Formula 1 races in the United States?
In 2026 the US rounds were the Miami Grand Prix in May, the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin in October and the Las Vegas Grand Prix on the Strip in November.
When does the NASCAR season start and end?
The Cup Series runs from the Daytona 500 in mid-February to a championship race in November. In 2026 the finale was at Homestead–Miami Speedway on November 8.
Do I need a multi-day pass for a race weekend?
Not for most NASCAR and IndyCar races, where a race-day seat is enough. Formula 1 sells mostly three-day passes, and qualifying and support races are worth seeing if you are already traveling.
Should I bring ear protection to a race?
Yes. Race cars are loud enough that earplugs or headphones are standard, and they are strongly recommended for children.