Each race weekend, Charlotte Motor Speedway creates memories for thousands of first-time fans. With new, crowd-facing track configurations and a line-up of can’t-miss events, fans – seasoned or first-timers – are in for an epic Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend.
Here’s what some of the top NASCAR Cup Series drivers advise for fans to make the most of their weekend at the track:
Get There Early
At America’s Home for Racing, the fun doesn’t wait for the green flag. The Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Zone has something to offer fans of all ages from the Joe Gibbs (JGR) Fan Fest on Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m., to the action-packed EchoPark Automotive Coffee Cup Series all weekend long. Arrive early to immerse yourself in autograph sessions, meet-and-greets, interactive vendor displays and more.
Kyle Larson: “I think my advice for first-time fans would be get there early. Walk the grounds and go check out the atmosphere and the midways. Even during the race, if you get the opportunity to kind of move around and go to different seats and stuff and see the race from different perspectives, I think that would be good.”
Chase Briscoe: “Don't just show up an hour before the race. Go early. Go to the fan zone and do all the interactive stuff. Try to get up by the wall and see the cars go by. You never know when your favorite driver will be going through the fan zone or walking through the garage area. So I’d definitely get there early, enjoy it, explore and just have a good time with it.”
Get in the Pits
Want an up-close NASCAR experience? Grab a Track Pass and get closer than ever. See the cars, watch driver introductions and catch pre-race concerts by NASCAR-favorite Tim Dugger and GRAMMY-nominated group, Eli Young Band all rocking the ROVAL™.
Martin Truex Jr.: “Just take it all in, you know, enjoy the race. Try to get up close, go into the pits if you can, that's usually the best. Walk through the garage, check out the cars up close and then in there for practice, just feeling that horsepower and smelling the tires and the fuel burning. It’s a whole new experience if you’ve never been.”
Pick a Driver
Whether you’ve been a lifelong fan or searching for your next favorite driver, there’s no better way to experience the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 than by getting a Racing Electronics headset. Through the headsets, you can tune into your favorite team’s radio and get front-row access to all the strategy that goes into a win.
Christopher Bell: My advice for first-time fans is number one, pick a driver. Follow their day and make sure you rent the headsets so that you know what their strategy is and what's going on.”
Austin Cindric: “My advice for a first-time race fan is to get a scanner so you can listen to the drivers, listen to the team, listen to the flow of information that's happening because as cool as it is, and as different as it is for someone who's never seen a car go 200 miles an hour before, let alone 40 of them all at the same time, to really understand the technicality of what the drivers and teams are going through to make it all possible to compete for the win. There's a lot going on, and it's worth having the perspective of it.”
Joey Logano: “I always say, get a scanner, get the headset and listen in to the teams and what's going on. I feel like a lot of times our races are so complex that it's really hard to explain it, especially because it's so loud too, but also there are so many things going on. It's not just cars going in circles, there's so much strategy behind it that it brings a whole new element to the race when you can scan in and listen to what the teams are saying.”
Be There for the Start
Pre-race is always electric and is the perfect way to get pumped for the electric racing to follow – so you won’t want to miss it! Before the racing begins, enjoy pre-race activities that include NASCAR Hall of Famers Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards firing up the crowd with the most famous words in motorsports, NASCAR legend Kyle Petty delivering Sunday’s invocation followed by “The Voice” runner-up Josh Sanders performing the national anthem. Get settled in for these heavy hitters before the cut-off Round of 12 race commences.
Brad Keselowski: “Do not miss the start of the race. This is probably my biggest piece of advice. Just the thrill and to feel the energy when they start those engines and those cars go by the first time at speed. Don't be in the bathroom, don't miss it, find a way to be there for it… It happens people are like, “I was in the bathroom’ How did you miss the start of the race? ‘Oh, I went down to the concession stand to get a hot dog,’ and you miss the start of the race!”
Embrace the NASCAR Experience
For those new to NASCAR, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the perfect place to dive in. With pre-race concerts, fan appreciation events like the Saturday night THOR Camper Party, a new track layout designed for maximum excitement and more, this year’s Bank of America ROVAL™400 promises a weekend they won’t forget.
Harrison Burton: “My advice would be just go to the racetrack with an open mind. I guarantee you will find something about this sport that you love. It's got everything. It's got wild rowdy fans if you're in that demographic, it's got really intense racing, really intense strategy for the people that are the sport's purists. We've got kind of a party and then very serious fans, we've got a whole range of stuff going on, so just go with an open mind.”
Ryan Blaney: “You got to get to a race. That's the biggest thing I tell new people is you have to experience it live in person because it is so much different than on the television. The sounds, the smells, the feeling, you know, of just the race cars going by and the sense of speed, you can't get that on TV. So I always just encourage people if you maybe aren't even a fan of the sport, you're skeptical about it, or you're kind of curious about it, just get to a race because it'll change your whole mind, perspective and you'll fall in love with it pretty easy.”
The Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend is packed with can’t-miss action. As the drivers said, come early and be ready to make memories that’ll last a lifetime.
TICKETS:
Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, becoming a Facebook fan or downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
