Dating at a NASCAR Race

So you found yourself a redneck partner and want to impess them? Well, A NASCAR date is like a commitment - it can be cheap and not well thought out, or it can be over-the top and a lifelong memory. You're going to need tickets, grub, beer and a good pick-up, (truck, that is) to get you there.

You will want to plan a pre-party, either the night before you leave for your trip, or with your friends that are going along, if you live near a track. The NASCAR party theme can be in the decorations and food, such as black and white checkered tablecloths, racetrack cake, (chocolate fudge brownies with checkerboard pattern cutout stencil to sprinkle powder sugar squares on top), diesel dogs, Petty pepperoni pizza pie, or blackened steak sandwiches and waffle fries. Get creative with it. You can take the grill and the black-checkered tablecloth and make it a tailgate party for just the two of you.

NASCAR tracks are scattered around the country, and the price of their tickets vary as much as their location. Kansas Speedway offers a one-of-a kind, Sprint Fan walk, for the pre-race experience at $15.00 a head. You can watch mechanics in the pit area, get autographs, (be sure to bring a camera, a permanent maker and plan to buy a Nascar t-shirt to have the drivers sign, for a lasting souvenir.) Many other tracks also sell pit passes.

Then there are the tickets, they can range from $15.00 for grandstand to over $200 for great seats-per person, so you need to check the location you are planning to attend. There are several NASCAR ticket websites, just use your search engines to find the ones that offer the cheapest. They also sell the pit passes and parking passes.

If the NASCAR track is not close enough for same day driving, then you are going to need a hotel room, aw-shucks! Yes, but before you get too excited, it could "cost ya' a pretty penny". Hotel rooms are normally marked way up for an event because they know they will sell out, so unless you plan to sleep in your car, plan ahead, make lots of calls and plan to shell out some dough. Some hotels offer race packages that include tickets, lodging, shuttle service to the track and maybe some other perks. These packages are usually multi-day, before and after the event and can cost several hundred per person, but are worth the convenience.

So in summary, a NASCAR date needs to be planned out with a little notice depending on how far from the track you are. If you have a number of friends going, you can contact the track for group ticket pricing and maybe rent an RV or camp to save money. The cheap date package is still going to set you back about $100 per person, (camp, hotdogs, beer, park and grandstand tickets). The over-the top will be several hundred per person. Be ready for some loud noise, not much talkin' going on, shuckin' out some dough, and a fun time!