What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Bring to Your First NASCAR Race

BY JARED TURNER

Been thinking about attending your first NASCAR race but not sure what items to bring along? You’re not alone. For anyone who has never been to a NASCAR event, knowing the necessities to have in tow is likely pure guesswork – unless, of course, you have a trusted friend or family member who has spent time at the race track and can show you the ropes.

Up next, we’ll take a look at five items a newcomer to the NASCAR fan scene should have in their possession when they show up at the track for the first time.

Sunscreen or Sunblock: Unless you enjoy feeling like your skin is on fire or walking away from a NASCAR weekend with a not-so-fashionable sunburn, you won’t want to leave home without having sunblock or sunscreen at the ready. NASCAR Cup Series races typically last at least three hours, which means potentially being exposed to sunrays for an extended period of time. And depending on the number of cautions, red flags, rain delays and how long you get to your seat before the green flag waves, you could be baking in the sun for up to five or six hours.

It’s especially important not to forget the sunblock or sunscreen if the race you’re attending is in the heat of summer. Beginning with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend and continuing through the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend, making sun protection a priority is especially pivotal.

The Proper Apparel: Is Chase Elliott your guy? Do you have a picture of Kyle Busch or Kyle Larson beside your bed? Do you dream about spending a day with Kevin Harvick or dining with Denny Hamlin?

Regardless of your fan loyalties, it’s important that you spend your time at the track all decked out in your favorite driver’s apparel. That means shirts, hats and perhaps even socks or shoes. In fact, one could argue that there’s no more important item to bring to your first NASCAR race than a hat, shirt or another article of clothing that pledges your allegiance to your driver of choice.

Track Snacks: Like most professional sporting events, NASCAR races have concession stands where fans can typically purchase hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, pizza, pretzels and various other popular food items. Appetizing as all these might sound and delicious as they might taste, you’re going to pay a hefty price for them. It’s just the way it is.

If you want to save some money – who doesn’t, right? – it’s best to bring your own track snacks and beverages, which you can throw into a clear bag or soft-sided cooler. Pre-packaged and sealed food and beverage items are welcome at NASCAR tracks, so there’s no reason to break the bank on concession food – regardless of how tasty it may be.

Seat Cushions without Metal Components: Is there anything worse than sitting on a hard seat for hours on end, with no relief for your backside? Unless you’re planning to stand for the entire race – which seems unlikely when considering its duration – you’ll need a comfy seat cushion to help get you through. In fact, you’ll want to bring a seat cushion for every member of the family, including children and the elderly who might have an especially hard time focusing if their posterior is in pain.

Just make sure the cushion doesn’t have any metal components, which tracks forbid for safety reasons.

Ear Plugs or Headsets: The race track is a loud place, especially when 40 NASCAR Cup Series cars are on the track at the same time. Therefore, ensuring you have adequate ear protection is absolutely critical. Who wants to suffer temporary or – even worse – permanent hearing loss in their first time at the race track? The answer, of course, is no one, and the only way to guarantee this doesn’t happen is to bring a reliable pair of ear plugs or, better yet, a headset that blocks out the noise. With the right headset, you’ll not only protect your hearing but you’ll be able to tune in to live radio coverage of the race and even listen in on the drivers as they communicate with their teams throughout the event. Best of all, if you forget and leave your ear plugs or headset at home, you can easily purchase ear plugs or rent a headset at the track – either once you get inside the concourse or through a vendor that’s set up outside.