Fast Facts: NASCAR Home Tracks

You don't have to go to a Cup race to experience the thrill of speed and the agony of crashing, of course. There are local tracks, dirt and paved, all over the country. South of Pittsburgh, the NASCAR-sanctioned Motordrome Speedway in Smithton provides die-hard race fans with a spring-through-fall schedule of Friday night racing under the lights. The Motordrome is a half-mile oval asphalt track featuring NASCAR's Whelen All-American Series, Super Late Models in a 50-lap race, Modifieds in a 30-lap race, Street Stocks in a 25-lap race, and the Chargers and Super Compacts in 15-lap races.  They do track performance and rank driver points nationally and by state by series. Partners include Hoosier Tires, Tony Stewart's tire of choice, and Sunoco race fuel, just like the higher-level series. 

It's a fun night out, and economical for families. Parking is free, or you can pay a little extra to park overlooking the track and have a picnic while you're watching the race. Adult admission is usually $12, or less with a season pass. There's the usual food concession stand too. My favorite is actually the Super Compacts, which are older-model four-cylinder cars with windows removed and reinforced for safety. You could pick out something from the junkyard that still runs, revamp the engine and go racing! I'm a little too old to actually risk it, but being there makes me want to try. 

Lots of top-tier drivers got their start at their local tracks at young ages, with their parents, family and friends serving as car owners and pit crew. Some big names even own some of the more successful teams. I've never seen anyone from higher up the NASCAR food chain at these local tracks, but you never know--maybe one of these days I'll bump-draft into somebody interesting at my home track. Plus, it's a cool t-shirt to wear to the big races because you always run into someone from Pittsburgh no matter where you roam.