Guide To The Nascar Championship
Nascar Championship
Homestead Miami Speedway
1 Ralph Sanchez Speedway Blvd.
Homestead, FL 33035
(305) 230-5000
www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com
It's that time of year again when race fans congregate to the southernmost part of South Florida to see racing's elite take on the Homestead Miami Speedway in a weekend packed with racing and fried fodder that would make the fair blush. The Nascar Championship takes place November 15-17 and is when South Florida truly earns the southern part of its name. Whether this is your first or fourteenth time attending this event, make the most out of your experience and your money by planning ahead. Read on to get all of the race day and special event information as well as pricing and recommended local eateries.
Schedule
Gates open on November 15 at 10 a.m. and feature a full day of practice and qualifying races for all three main races. It ends with the Nascar Camping World Truck Series Ford Eco Boost 200 Race at 8 p.m. The following day, November 16, gates open at 11:30 a.m. for the Coke Zero Fan Club and ends with the Nascar Nationwide Ford Eco Boost 300 Race in the afternoon. The final day begins at 10 a.m. with the Coke Zero Fan club followed by racer meet-and-greets featuring Juan Pablo Montoya and Kurt Busch. It all ends with the Nascar Sprint Cup Series Ford Eco Boost 400 Race at 3 .pm.
Main Races
There are three main races at the Nascar Championship. On Friday, November 15, watch trucks take on the track in the Nascar Camping World Truck Series Ford Eco Boost 200 Race. Then come back the next day for the Nascar Nationwide Ford Eco Boost 300 Race, which has previously featured winners Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. It all builds up to the biggest race of the weekend, the Nascar Sprint Cup Series Ford Eco Boost 400 Race whose past winners include Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and last year's winner, Jeff Gordon. Purchase tickets to all three events or attend the first day to watch the qualifying and practice races for all three main races.
Tickets
There is an affordable ticket price for everyone whether you plan on experiencing the entire weekend or just one day. If you're a family of four, choose the Walmart Family Track Pack which includes four tickets to the Ford Eco Boost 400 race, four coke products and four hot dogs for $99, or get an individual tickets for $35 and up depending on race choice and seating location. There are are also two-day and three-day passes, which include tickets to the main race of your choice. Prices range from $75 to $350 depending on the package. General parking is free.
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Special Events
Nascar Championship Weekend also includes plenty of interactive events to enhance your race day repertoire. The best bet is the Coke Zero Fan Club. This add-on is only $80 and includes a free buffet, unlimited coke products, three beer coupons, a Q&A with Coca Cola race car drivers and a pre-race pitt pass, which gives you access to race pits on Saturday or Sunday. Another option worth exploring is either the Travis Pastrana Q&A or Race Day with Montoya featuring Colombian-born racer Juan Pablo Montoya. Both events include a Q&A, a pit pass and one ticket to the Ford Eco Boost 300 Race. The Montoya event also includes an additional ticket to the Ford Eco Boost 400 race.
Nearby Dining
Shiver's BBQ
28001 S. Dixie Highway
Homestead, FL 33033
(305) 248-2272
www.shiversbbq.com/
Nascar is a southern tradition and there is no better way to honor it than to pair it with another southern staple. Shiver's BBQ is only five miles away from the Homestead Miami Speedway and you can treat your family or friends to a filling meal featuring BBQ pork or chicken, cheese fries, onion rings and even fried okra. Finish it off with a slice of key lime pie or fried cheesecake and you've got a homestyle, southern fried feast right in the heart of Homestead. It's a great alternative to race day meal packages.
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Niema Hulin was born in Newark, NJ but raised in Lexington, South Carolina for the bulk of her formative years. In 2002, she moved to Miami after graduating from the University of Florida. Since then, Niema has worked in film, television and commercials as a Production Assistant and Production Coordinator. Some of her films have included Bad Boys II and I Am Number IV. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
