Atlanta Motor Speedway

Location:	Atlanta, GA
Year Built:	1960
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1.54 Miles
Shape:	Quad-Oval
Banking:	24° in turns 5° in straights

Last Five Winners:

March 2007: Jimmie Johnson
October 2006: Tony Stewart
March 2006: Kasey Kahne
October 2005: Carl Edwards
March 2005: Carl Edwards

Atlanta Motor Speedway has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Now a destination spot in beautiful Hampton, Georgia with luxury suites and a grand ballroom, Atlanta Motor Speedway was once a track where seats were limited, an outhouse was the only facilities available, and mud was everywhere.

Bruton Smith saved the track in 1990, adding seating capacity, luxury condominiums, and much more.

Atlanta Motor Speedway is popular with fans and drivers alike. Well known for high speeds close to 200 mph, the speedway has a racing surface that varies between 55 to 60 feet wide, allowing for three-wide racing and lots of passing. It proves to be an exciting race every time, and two races are run each season on the track.

Bristol Motor Speedway

Location:	Bristol, TN
Year Built:	1961
Track Type:	Short Track
Length:	.533 miles
Shape:	Oval
Banking:	36° in Turns 16° in Straights

Last Five Winners:

March 2007: Kyle Busch
August 2006: Matt Kenseth
March 2006: Kurt Busch
August 2005: Matt Kenseth
March 2005: Kevin Harvick

Bristol Motor Speedway is a fan favorite. A very short track with high banking and plenty of action, Bristol has a seating capacity of over 160,000.

The building of Bristol Motor Speedway was inspired by a trip to Charlotte. When its creators attended a race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, they were inspired to build a track in their home state of Tennessee. Though they opted for a shorter track, similarities can be found in the shape of the two tracks.

The first NASCAR race held at Bristol was in 1961, when the seating capacity was only 18,000. After many overhauls and many different owners of the track, the capacity was increased to meet today’s high race attendance.

Bristol Motor Speedway was repaved in June of 2007.

Chicagoland Speedway

Location:	Joliet, IL
Year Built:	2000
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1.5 Miles
Shape:	D-Shaped Oval
Banking:	18° in turns 11° on frontstretch 5° on backstretch

Last Five Winners:

July 2006: Jeff Gordon
July 2005: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
July 2004: Tony Stewart
July 2003: Ryan Newman
July 2002: Kevin Harvick

Only six Nextel Cup races have been run on Chicagoland Speedway since its opening race in 2001, and already one repeat winner shines: Kevin Harvick, the only repeat winner at the track.

Located on Historic Route 66, Chicagoland Speedway was built due to the growing popularity of auto racing and demand from fans in the area, the third largest market for racing events in the nation.

Chicagoland sits adjacent to Route 66 Raceway, a predecessor to the 1.5 mile oval. The horseshoe shaped 'true stadium of drag racing' as well as the smaller dirt oval track allow fans to get their fill of just about any form of racing when visiting the Chicago area.

Daytona International Speedway

Location:	Daytona Beach, FL
Year Built:	1959
Track Type:	Superspeedway
Length:	2.5 Miles
Shape:	Tri-Oval
Banking:	31° in turns 3° in straights

Last Five Winners:

February 2007: Kevin Harvick
July 2006: Tony Stewart
February 2005: Jimmie Johnson
July 2005: Tony Stewart
February 2004: Jeff Gordon

Daytona International Speedway is one of the most historical tracks on the Nextel Cup circuit, its roots dating all the way back to 1936. NASCAR literally began at Daytona with the first Daytona 500 in 1947.

Speeds of over 210 miles per hour were recorded at Daytona International Speedway before restrictor plates were put to use at the track. Drivers also discovered drafting while running at Daytona, and this continues to be a huge part of racing on superspeedways to this day.

Of the many historically significant occurrences at Daytona International Speedway, the best-known and most tragic would have to be the death of Dale Earnhardt on the last lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001. Changing the sport forever, Earnhardt's death led to new safety measures that are constantly being developed and upgraded, a welcome change for a sport that was once even more dangerous than it is today.

Dover International Speedway

Location:	Dover, DE
Year Built:	1969
Track Type:	Short
Length:	1 Mile
Shape:	Oval
Banking:	24° in turns 9° in straights

Last Five Winners

September 2006: Jeff Burton
June 2006: Matt Kenseth
September 2005: Jimmie Johnson
June 2005: Greg Biffle
September 2004: Ryan Newman

Dover International Speedway is a very unique track. Its nickname, 'The Monster Mile,' comes from its reputation of being very hard on racecars. Dover is a concrete track; most NASCAR tracks are asphalt.

Formerly called Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover boasts a horse racing track on the same property as the auto racing track, and fans can enjoy gambling on the ponies, slot machines, and more at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, located on the track as well.

Gateway International Raceway

Location:	Madison, IL
Year Built:	1996
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1.25 Miles
Shape:	Oval
Banking:	11° Turns 1-2 9° Turns 3-4 3° Straights

Last Five Winners

July 2006: Carl Edwards
July 2005: Reed Sorenson
May 2004: Martin Truex, Jr.
May 2003: Scott Riggs
July 2002: Greg Biffle

Though the track we see today was completed in 1996, Gateway International Raceway has been around in some form since 1967, when a drag strip was built at the location and named St. Louis Raceway Park. An expansion to a full ¼ mile in 1971 and a name change to St. Louis International Raceway really put the dragstrip on the map.

The addition of a 2.6 mile track to the facility in 1985 brought about another name change- to the current name of Gateway International Raceway. The first major events were held at the track in 1997.

Gateway International Raceway is a diverse facility, with an egg-shaped oval that the NASCAR Busch Series uses for its races, as well as a 1.6 mile road course and a quarter-mile drag strip.

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Location:	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Year Built:	1978
Track Type:	Road Course
Length:	2.71 Miles
Shape:	Road Course
Turns:	15

Last Five Winners:

N/A: 2007 is the first year the Busch Series will race in Canada

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve plays host to the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, as well as Champ Car Series races.

The inaugural NASCAR race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, satisfying the growing NASCAR fan base in Canada, will take place in 2007.

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve sits on a man-made island in the St. Lawrence river and it is named after Gilles Villeneuve, a Canadian driver whose son became the Formula One world champion in 1997.

Infineon Raceway

Location:	Sonoma, CA
Year Built:	1968
Track Type:	Road Course
Length:	1.99 Miles
Shape:	Road Course
Turns:	12

Last Five Winners

June 2006: Jeff Gordon
June 2005: Tony Stewart
June 2004: Jeff Gordon
June 2003: Robby Gordon
June 2002: Ricky Rudd

Located at Hwy's 37 and 121 in Sonoma, California, Infineon Raceway is close to the wine country (there's actually a vineyard on the track property!), San Francisco, and the Pacific Ocean.

The track itself is a road course, featuring 12 turns, left and right. It also is the only course on the NASCAR circuit that does not have even elevation, requiring drivers to drive up and down hills as well. More quirks about Infineon Raceway that fans enjoy are the 'esses,' a series of right and left swerves, and the 'hairpin,' which is at the start/finish line.

The only track located in Northern California, Infineon Raceway sees attendance from fans in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, and even Canada.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Location:	Indianapolis, IN
Year Built:	1909
Track Type:	Superspeedway
Length:	2.5 Miles
Shape:	Oval
Banking:	9° in turns 0° in straights

Last Five Winners:

August 2006: Jimmie Johnson
August 2005: Tony Stewart
August 2004: Jeff Gordon
August 2003: Kevin Harvick
August 2002: Bill Elliott

Home to the famed Indy 500, the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit also spends one race a year on this 2.5 mile superspeedway. Known affectionately as the “Brickyard,” a win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway seems almost as elusive and prestigious as a win at Daytona.

The “Brickyard” nickname comes from the brick paving of the track after its initial covering of crushed stone and tar proved dangerous and unsuitable for auto racing almost immediately after the opening of the track in 1909.

After bad damage to the racing surface during World War II, restoration efforts went into effect. NASCAR racing did not occur on the track until 1994, when the bricks had been paved over but the name “Brickyard 400” stuck.

Kentucky Speedway

Location:	Sparta, KY
Year Built:	2000
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1.5 Miles
Shape:	D-Shaped Oval
Banking:	14° in turns 8° in frontstretch 4° in backstretch

Last Five Winners:

June 2006: David Gilliland
June 2005: Carl Edwards
June 2004: Kyle Busch
June 2003: Bobby Hamilton Jr.
June 2002: Todd Bodine

Kentucky Speedway is home to four race weekends a year, including the Busch Series and Craftsman Trucks.

Carl Edwards became the first driver to win both the Busch and Craftsman Truck races at the speedway in 2005.

With over 66,000 grandstand seats, 50 luxury suites, and 1300 camping spaces, Kentucky Speedway is definitely large enough to accommodate a Nextel-Cup sized crowd, yet the track has been looking to obtain the rights to hold a Nextel Cup race since 2005.

Lowes Motor Speedway

Location:	Charlotte, NC
Year Built:	1959
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1.5 Miles
Shape:	Quad-Oval
Banking:	24° in turns 5° in straights

Last Five Winners

October 2006: Kasey Kahne
May 2006: Kasey Kahne
October 2005: Jimmie Johnson
May 2005: Jimmie Johnson
October 2004: Jimmie Johnson

Lowe's Motor Speedway is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, the home of NASCAR and most of the race teams' headquarters. Lowes Motor Speedway hosts three NASCAR Nextel Cup Series events yearly. The All-Star Race is run at Lowes, as well as a 500-lap event and the only 600-lap event that is run on the circuit.

The track is affectionately known as Jimmie Johnson's "house" because Lowes is his primary sponsor and because of his success at the track, posting five wins, four of which came consecutively as Johnson swept both races in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Lowes Motor Speedway has a seating capacity of 165,000 as well as113 Luxury Suites.

Michigan International Speedway

Location:	Brooklyn, MI
Year Built:	1968
Track Type:	Superspeedway
Length:	2 Miles
Shape:	D-Shaped Oval
Banking:	18° Turns 12° Frontstretch 5° Backstretch

Last Five Winners

August 2006: Matt Kenseth
June 2006: Kasey Kahne
August 2005: Jeremy Mayfield
June 2005: Greg Biffle
August 2004: Greg Biffle

Michigan International Speedway is one of the fastest tracks on the Nextel Cup circuit, and one of the few in which speeds exceed 200 mph. Built by the same architect who designed the track at Daytona, the track sits a short drive from Detroit, birthplace of the auto industry.

With a 39 year racing history, Michigan International Speedway is considered one of the country's premier racing facilities, and is expected to host over half a million fans during its three race weekends in 2007. Michigan is a popular track for drivers in many racing series.

The Milwaukee Mile

Location:	Milwaukee, WI
Year Built:	1903
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1 Mile
Shape:	Oval
Banking:	9.25° in turns 2.5° in straights

Located nearby Milwaukee in West Allis, Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Mile is the oldest operating racetrack in the world. 'America's Legendary Oval,' as it is referred to, has been the host of many different racing events, not limited to NASCAR.

The Milwaukee Mile is home to one Busch Race and one Craftsman Truck Series race per year, as well as the IndyCar series and the ARCA RE/MAX series. The seating capacity is over 40,000.

Nashville Superspeedway

Location:	Lebanon, TN
Year Built:	2000
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1.33 Miles
Shape:	D-Shaped Oval
Banking:	14° in turns 9° in frontstretch 6° in backstretch

Last Five Winners:

June 2005: Clint Bowyer
June 2004: Jason Leffler
June 2003: Scott Riggs
June 2002: Jack Sprague

Nashville Superspeedway is one of only three concrete tracks on the NASCAR circuit. Completed in 2000, the track held its first Busch Series race in 2001, with Greg Biffle winning.

The track holds both Busch Series Races and Craftsman Truck Series races, and has been the subject of much debate over whether or not a Nextel Cup event should be moved to Nashville.

Visitors to Nashville Superspeedway enjoy the sights of scenic Nashville, including the Grand Ol' Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the famed Broadway Street, home of live entertainment, bars, clubs, and shops.

New Hampshire International Speedway

Location:	Loudon, NH
Year Built:	1990
Track Type:	Intermediate
Length:	1.058 Miles
Shape:	Oval
Turns:	12° in turns 2° in straights

Last Five Winners

September 2006: Kevin Harvick
July 2006: Kyle Busch
September 2005: Ryan Newman
July 2005: Tony Stewart
September 2004: Kurt Busch

With the new Chase to the Nextel Cup format, New Hampshire International Speedway has suddenly become much more high-profile. Build just recently, in 1990, the track holds the opening events for both the 'Race to the Chase,' the ten races leading up to the Chase for the Nextel Cup, and the Chase itself.

Known as one of the most unusual tracks on the Nextel Cup Series, New Hampshire International Speedway has been called 'Martinsville on steroids' because of its fairly sharp turns and low banking. Its first Cup race was held in 1993 and was won by Rusty Wallace, though Jeff Burton boasts an impressive list of victories at the track.

O’Reilly Raceway Park

Location:	Indianapolis, IN
Year Built:	1960
Track Type:	Short Track
Length:	.686 Miles
Shape:	Oval
Turns:	7.5° in Turns 2° Straights

Last Five Winners:

August 2006: Kevin Harvick
August 2005: Martin Truex, Jr.
August 2004: Kyle Busch
August 2003: Brian Vickers
August 2002: Greg Biffle

O’Reilly Raceway Park is home to one Craftsman Truck Series race and one Busch Series race each year. The track also plays host to drag racing events, dirt racing events, Sprint Car races, and other events that are more suited to a shorter track.

Sometimes considered a support track to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one can find a large racing event there the night prior to the Indianapolis 500. The NHRA U.S. Nationals are also held at O’Reilly Raceway Park on Labor Day weekend.

If O’Reilly Raceway Park does not sound like a familiar name, it may be because it was formerly called Indianapolis Raceway Park and the name was changed in 2006.

Pocono Raceway

Location:	Long Pond, PA
Year Built:	1968
Track Type:	Superspeedway
Length:	2.5 Miles
Shape:	Tri-Oval
Banking:	14° in Turn 1 8° in Turn 2 6° in Turn 3 2° in straights

Last Five Winners

July 2006: Denny Hamlin
June 2006: Denny Hamlin
July 2005: Kurt Busch
June 2005: Carl Edwards
July 2004: Jimmie Johnson

Lucky fans in Pennsylvania enjoy two events at Pocono Raceway, held less than two months apart from each other- one in June; the other in either July or August.

Referred to frequently as a tri-oval, Pocono Raceway really does not fit into any category because of its unique shape. Its three distinctly different turns have proven to be a challenge to many drivers, compounding the fact that none of the straightaways are the same length.

Located close to major cities such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C., Pocono Raceway enjoys nearly full attendance at both races the track hosts yearly.

Watkins Glen International

Location:	Watkins Glen, NY
Year Built:	1948
Track Type:	Road Course
Length:	2.45 Miles
Shape:	Road Course
Turns:	11

Last Five Winners:

August 2006: Kevin Harvick
August 2005: Tony Stewart
August 2004: Tony Stewart
August 2003: Robby Gordon
August 2002: Tony Stewart

Watkins Glen International was a big idea for law student Cameron Argetsinger. He imagined and eventually created a difficult road course through the village of Watkins Glen, which was where he had spent his childhood summer vacations.

For years after the track was completed, it saw no professional competition, although the top names in motorsports from all across America would come to Watkins Glen to race. In 1956, more than eight years after the original track was built, a permanent circuit was put in and the track hosted its first NASCAR Grand National stock car event.

In 1971, the track itself was expanded even more, and many different series came to race: Can-Am, Trans-Am, Six Hours, Formula 5000 and CART IndyCar Series. However, due to financial difficulties and the removal of the track from the IndyCar circuit, Watkins Glen was forced to close in 1981. Thanks to some investors, including the International Speedway Corporation, the track was able to reopen in 1984 and began holding Cup events in 1986.

Watkins Glen now holds NASCAR and SCCA events as well as the Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix, one of America’s premier vintage racing events.

Jeff Gordon has dominated on this track, as he does on road courses, and in 2001 posted his seventh road course victory, setting a NASCAR Cup record.