Homestead-Miami Speedway Leaves Spectators in Smoke!

Travel & LeisureTravel Spot

  • Author Paul Negron
  • Published January 1, 2011
  • Word count 858

For all of the adrenaline-seekers and race car fans out there, the Homestead-Miami Speedway offers everyone the opportunity to burn rubber on the same cement slabs that legends Jimmie Johnson and Danica Patrick, just to name a few, have graced with their very own tire tread marks!

Johnson himself has been crowned NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion four consecutive times in the season-ending Ford 400 at the Miami Speedway. In addition, Patrick has consistently represented in the Izod IndyCar Series and been a challenger to beat at this South Florida track. Now just as the IndyCar drivers do, NASCAR competitors have to fear her as she races there on the championship weekend of NASCAR racing.

The Homestead-Miami Speedway presents the general public the chance to proudly race their own automobiles on the track, an experience visitors at Bluegreen Resort, Solara Surfside, just cannot pass up while in Miami, Florida! For the minor cost of twenty dollars, fans can race their street-legal cars on an eight of a mile straightaway on almost any Friday night after 6 p.m. How many other people can say they have raced where the professionals have on the same Florida Speedway that has seen six major races between the NASCAR and IndyCar alone?

The T-n-T experience, test ‘n’ tune, allows drivers unlimited turns to try and beat past records, or to simply make their own personal-best times. Overseen by professional race track employees, you can go head to head with other racers to vie for fastest car, as your times are recorded with the same highly technical equipment used for the pros!

Don’t forget to bring your own fans along to cheer you on and to take photos from the Pit Road Cabanas, so that you always can remember your time as a race car driver!

For those just as fond of their vehicles but less thrilled to race, the Homestead-Miami Speedway allows owners to prominently display their cars for fifteen dollars in the exact garages that NASCAR, IndyCar, and Grand-Am use for races. The displays are for car enthusiasts to come and enjoy, while the owners proudly stand by. Those not looking to race or to display can simply enjoy the racing action from the Pit Cabanas for only ten bucks!

Although Speedway T-n-T is an incredibly popular event on non-racing weeks, the Homestead Speedway has several other well-liked events including the karting program, which is a great way of improving team-unity and community within an organization or group. The Luxury Driving Experience also brings out high-speed fans for an exhilarating tour around the Miami Speedway’s 2.21 mile course in luxurious sports and exotic cars. Lastly, the Richard Petty Driving Experience and Indy Racing Experience both consist of private driver’s lessons and ride-alongs.

Although the non-sporting events draw large crowds and fans to the speedway, there is nothing like attending one of the major six races held year round, and personally experiencing the vibrating sensations of thundering engines speeding by at speeds faster than the blink of an eye! The power felt is like none other! Whether in attendance for the race, qualification, or even practice rounds, any NASCAR, IndyCar, or Grand-Am event is unforgettable!

The beginning of racing season in Miami usually tends to be around the month of March with the Grand Prix of Miami, the Grand-Am’s Rolex Sports Car Series. One of the series’ toughest tracks to maneuver, drivers come prepared to earn the prestige of being the best road racer.

After the Grand Prix, the next race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway isn’t until the beginning of autumn when the IndyCar’s take their turn battling it out for the championship. The Firestone Indy Lights Miami 100 allows open-wheel drivers to earn rides in the top tier of their sport, the Izod IndyCar Series. Stars such as Patrick, Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves, and Sam Hornish Jr. are featured in the 200 lap race around the 1.5 mile Homestead oval for the series championship, which then helps decide the Miami 300.

Most anticipated in November is the United States’ most popular weekend for motorsports, and one of Miami’s main yearly attractions, the NASCAR Championship. NASCAR Championship weekend comprises three events. The Ford 200 completes the Camping World Truck Series. The Ford 300 closes out the Nationwide Series, an apprenticeship series much like the Indy Lights series. Patrick, the best-known if not most accomplished female open-wheel driver ever, began crossing over to NASCAR in 2010, racing in the Nationwide Series.

Talk about saving the best for last. The final race of the weekend is the Ford 400, 267 times around the track for series points that determine the championship and final season driver standings. So much is at stake each year for stars like Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, and that invariably makes the Ford 400 the most compelling race of the year.

Whether visiting South Florida during a major racing event or not, the Homestead-Miami Speedway is a great attraction for you and the family. On a Friday night, race your car, check out the auto-show, or even watch others racing! You never know, you may even end up watching a future NASCAR champion in action!

Paul is a writer and contributor for Bluegreen's Travel Guide website, Colorful Places

Article source: https://articlebiz.com
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