Race Tracks in Arizona
Arizona's motorsport calendar centers on Phoenix Raceway, a NASCAR Cup fixture since 1964 that has closed the Cup Series championship every year since 2020. Around it, the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas host a dense cluster of private road-course clubs — Arizona Motorsports Park, Apex Motor Club, Podium Club at Attesa, and the remote Inde Motorsports Ranch near Willcox — that run SCCA and NASA track days almost every weekend of the mild winter season. Drag racing is anchored by Firebird Motorsports Park (formerly Wild Horse Pass) in Chandler, home to the NHRA Arizona Nationals since 1985, and by Tucson Dragway. Tucson Speedway and Havasu 95 Speedway are two of the state's three paved short-track ovals, both running ARCA Menards Series West dates. Dirt oval racing has thinned out since Manzanita Speedway and Arizona Speedway closed, but Canyon Speedway Park and Central Arizona Raceway keep sprint car and IMCA racing alive on Saturday nights. Karting club racing runs at Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson. Summer heat pushes most weekly racing into the cooler months.
16 venues listed across 6 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Road courses in Arizona
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Motorsports Park | Litchfield Park | 2.25 mi | 16-turn, 2.25-mile road course west of Phoenix with an additional 1.2-mile East Track and 1.0-mile West Track that can run simultaneously, plus a karting circuit and off-road course; used heavily by SCCA and NASA. |
| Inde Motorsports Ranch | Willcox | 2.75 mi | Members-only road-racing resort an hour east of Tucson with a 21-turn, 2.75-mile circuit offering up to 40 configurations, private garages, and trackside casitas. |
| Podium Club at Attesa | Casa Grande | 2.32 mi | SCCA-sanctioned, FIA/FIM-spec 15-turn circuit that opened in December 2021 halfway between Phoenix and Tucson; nine configurations and a membership model guaranteeing at least 200 track days a year. |
| Apex Motor Club | Maricopa | 2.27 mi | Private motorsports club 35 miles southwest of Sky Harbor Airport built around a 2.27-mile circuit with chicanes and a 2,400-foot straight, plus an off-road area, karting track, and clubhouse. |
| Radford Racing Course at Firebird Motorsports Park | Chandler | 1.6 mi | The road-course side of the Firebird Motorsports Park complex, home to the Radford Racing School (formerly Bondurant); includes East (1.25 mi) and West (1.1 mi) course configurations used for club racing and driver training. |
Ovals and speedways in Arizona
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Raceway | Avondale | 1.022 mi | 1-mile dogleg tri-oval opened in 1964, NASCAR-owned since 2019, and the season-ending home of the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series championships since 2020. |
| Tucson Speedway | Tucson | 0.375 mi | Paved oval at the Pima County Fairgrounds dating to 1968 (as Corona Speedway); runs ARCA Menards Series West and the annual Chilly Willy 150 NASCAR Weekly Series finale. |
| Havasu 95 Speedway | Lake Havasu City | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile paved oval in SARA Park, the only paved oval in western Arizona; runs a September-to-April season of Late Models, Modifieds, and Street Stocks to avoid the summer heat. |
Drag strips in Arizona
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firebird Motorsports Park (Wild Horse Pass) | Chandler | 0.25 mi | 600-acre complex on Gila River Indian Community land that has hosted the NHRA Arizona Nationals every year since 1985; renamed from Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park back to Firebird Motorsports Park in 2023. |
| Tucson Dragway | Tucson | 0.25 mi | NHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile strip at the Pima County Fairgrounds running Street Outlaws No Prep Kings, NHRA Divisionals, and weekly bracket racing. |
Dirt tracks in Arizona
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Speedway Park | Peoria | 0.333 mi | "The Diamond in the Desert," a 1/3-mile dirt oval opened in 1981 hosting IMCA Modifieds, Sport Mods, Stock Cars, USAC Sprint Cars, and the USAC Hall of Fame Classic. |
| Central Arizona Raceway | Casa Grande | — | Dirt oval running a nearly weekly program of USAC/CRA non-wing sprint cars, IMCA modifieds, and stock cars; hosted an inaugural High Limit Racing sprint car event. |
Karting in Arizona
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musselman Honda Circuit | Tucson | — | Outdoor karting and motorcycle road-racing facility open since 1972, hosting SCCA autocross, WERA-style motorcycle track days, drifting, and club kart racing. |
Closed and historic in Arizona
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manzanita SpeedwayClosed | Phoenix | 0.5 mi | One of the top dirt tracks in the country in its prime, running 1/4-mile and 1/2-mile ovals from 1951 with the Western World Championships from 1968; closed in April 2009 and the site converted to industrial storage. |
| Phoenix Street CircuitClosed | Phoenix | 2.312 mi | Downtown temporary circuit around the Phoenix Civic Plaza that hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix from 1989 to 1991 before the race left Arizona for good. |
| Arizona SpeedwayClosed | Queen Creek | 0.333 mi | 1/3-mile dirt oval that raced ASCS and USAC Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, and Desert Dwarf Cars; closed at the end of the 2021 season. |
Race tracks near the big cities in Arizona
Near Phoenix
- Phoenix Raceway · about 25 min
- Firebird Motorsports Park (Wild Horse Pass) · about 30 min
- Arizona Motorsports Park · about 30 min
- Canyon Speedway Park · about 35 min
- Apex Motor Club · about 40 min
- Podium Club at Attesa · about 50 min
- Central Arizona Raceway · about 50 min
Near Tucson
- Tucson Speedway · about 20 min
- Tucson Dragway · about 20 min
- Musselman Honda Circuit · about 25 min
- Inde Motorsports Ranch · about 60 min
Near Lake Havasu City
- Havasu 95 Speedway · about 10 min
Major race weekends in Arizona
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHRA Arizona Nationals | Firebird Motorsports Park (Wild Horse Pass) | February | NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series |
| NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix | Phoenix Raceway | March | NASCAR Cup |
| NASCAR Cup, Xfinity & Truck Series Championship Weekend | Phoenix Raceway | November | NASCAR Cup/Xfinity/Truck |
| Chilly Willy 150 | Tucson Speedway | November | NASCAR Weekly Series |
Track days and driving experiences in Arizona
The Arizona Region SCCA and NASA's Arizona chapter run the bulk of the club-racing and HPDE calendar at Arizona Motorsports Park, Apex Motor Club, and Podium Club at Attesa, with Musselman Honda Circuit covering autocross and karting. Inde Motorsports Ranch is members-only rather than pay-per-day. A novice HPDE day typically runs $250-$500, and the busiest season runs October through April to avoid triple-digit summer heat.
Frequently asked questions
Does this guide cover horse racing tracks like Turf Paradise?+
No. This guide is limited to motorsport venues — cars, motorcycles, and karts. Turf Paradise and other horse racing facilities are a separate category and are not included here.
Is Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek still open?+
No. The 1/3-mile dirt oval closed at the end of the 2021 season and has not reopened.
What happened to Manzanita Speedway?+
The historic Phoenix dirt track closed for good in April 2009 after attendance declined and the owners faced noise and dust complaints from encroaching development. The site is now used for industrial equipment storage.
Did Formula 1 ever race in Arizona?+
Yes, but only briefly. The Phoenix Street Circuit hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix from 1989 to 1991 on a temporary downtown course before the race was dropped from the calendar.
Where can I watch NHRA drag racing in Arizona?+
Firebird Motorsports Park (formerly Wild Horse Pass) in Chandler has hosted the NHRA Arizona Nationals every year since 1985. Tucson Dragway runs a full local and divisional schedule but does not currently host an NHRA national event.
Can I drive my own car on a road course in Arizona?+
Yes — Arizona Motorsports Park and Apex Motor Club both run public SCCA/NASA HPDE and club-racing days open to street cars, and Podium Club at Attesa and Inde Motorsports Ranch offer membership-based track access.
Venue list checked against 23 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.
