America’s Ten Best Race Tracks

Here in America we don’t mess around when it comes to Motorsports. Perhaps the reason is something more obvious – the U.S. is home to some of the world’s most well designed and iconic race tracks. Not all these tracks are created equal. That said, let’s help you identify some of the best tracks in America.



10. Utah Motorsports Ranch, Utah

Formally known as Miller Motorsports Park, the Utah Motorsports Ranch is a track from the same designer who drew up Alabama’s Barber Motorsports Park. This pristine track offers a host of opportunities; you have to get here to take your pick. Surrounded completely by mountains and desert, this facility is a must see and must ride.



9. Barber Motorsports Park, Alabama

If you love fast cars, then you must know about the North American Porsche Driving School. Needless to say, this has been the fostering ground for many car-racing icons. But that’s beside the point. Barber Motorsports Park is the home of this North American Porsche Driving School. The 740-acre multi-purpose racing facility has been the site for the IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Alabama since 2010. It’s located on the eastern fringes of Birmingham, Alabama near Leeds. The facility was built by George W. Barber and hosts the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum.



8. Willow Springs Raceway, California

Come to California’s Willow Springs International Raceway if you want some phantasmal desert experience. And when you do, the reality of a road course set in the High Desert of Southern California’s rolling hills might just be the hardest thing to believe. Perhaps this is what draws so many road racing historians to Willow Springs. It comprises of the Big Willow track designed for fiddly high-speed races and the Streets of Willow road course. If you can drive fast, this is the place. But personally, I’d prefer to be at Willow only for adventure as a true SCCA fan.



7. NCM Motorsports Park, Kentucky

NCM Motorsports Park is most popular for its dual-track design. A brainchild of Pratt and Miller and the Corvette Racing teams, and a handiwork of the National Corvette Museum; the facility is designed to accommodate all makes and models of vehicles and bikes. Its twin circuits are arranged in a way that can independently accommodate multiple events, or used jointly as a unique large course. Their circuits both feature technical turns, elevation, and straight changes.



6. Sonoma Raceway, California

You might have heard of Sears Point Raceway or Infineon Raceway. Both names refer to the same road course winding its way through the middle of wine country to the north of San Francisco. It is known now as Sonoma Raceway. The racecourse features 12 turns on a hilly topography with 160 feet (49 meters) of complete elevation change. These are probably the features that keep NASCAR coming back each year for its Sprint Cup Series races.



5. Road America, Wisconsin

Members of the motorsports community may disagree on many things. But when it comes to this four-mile road course, they all agree that it is the best that America has, and is one of the premier circuits on the planet. Tourists flock here. And for its fame, you’ll often hear it being referred to as America’s National Park of Speed. From here, you are assured of the best view of the adjacent rolling hills of Kettle Moraine, Wisconsin. It’s not just a racing spot; it attracts well over 800,000 visitors every year from all over the globe. By hosting multiple events mostly at the same time, it generates more than $100 million dollars annually.



4. Virginia International Raceway, Virginia

If you knew Virginia International Raceway during the fuel crisis of the 1970s, you’d need a local guide to retell you its story. The stadium that today continues to be a popular name at the top of the lists of best circuits in North America every year actually sat dormant for almost a quarter-century. Located in southern Virginia, the racecourse provides racers with up to 4.1 miles and 24 challenging turns.



3. Thunder Hill Raceway Park, California

Thunder Hill is owned and operated by the SCCA of San Francisco Region. It features a series of twists and turns with slight elevation changes. The racecourse hosts numerous motorsports events for both cars and motorbikes organized by the SCCA as well as the AFM, Northern California Chapter every year.



2. Circuit of the Americas, Texas

Abbreviated as COTA, this racecourse is hands down the nexus of United States’ international motorsport. Since its opening in 2012, COTA has played host to local Texans and international racing fans alike. Their reason for flocking here? To be there as heroes of the Formula 1, MotoGP and Lone Star Le Mans make their way into the books of sports history. The track is conveniently located in a sleepy area neighboring the airport in Austin, Texas and features large grandstands and a by-tour-only tower for SCCA fans from afar.



1. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, California

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has been one of America’s preeminent road courses for both vehicles and motorcycle racing since 1957. This paved road racing circuit in central California features a variety of exhibition, racing, and entertainment events ranging from super karts to music festivals and sports car racing every year.