Homestead-Miami Speedway

Homestead-Miami Speedway at a glance

Location

Homestead, Florida

Type

oval

Length

1.5 mi (2.414 km)

Turns

4

Direction

counter-clockwise

Banking

18-20° in the turns, 4° on the straights

Surface

asphalt

Opened

1995

Owner

City of Homestead (operated by NASCAR)

Capacity

43,000

Address

1 Ralph Sanchez Speedway Boulevard

Phone

+1-305-230-5000

Website

homesteadmiamispeedway.com

Track map and layout

Homestead-Miami Speedway is a 1.5-mile oval that has changed shape more than most tracks on the NASCAR schedule. It opened in 1995 as a flat, rectangular layout inherited from its road-course-influenced design, was converted to a conventional oval in 1997 to better suit NASCAR racing, and was reconfigured again in 2003 to variable progressive banking of 18 to 20 degrees, which opened up multi-lane racing and made it a favorite among drivers for close, technical competition. Lights added in 2005 enabled the track's move to a night-race format for its marquee NASCAR weekend. A separate road course of roughly 2.3 miles with 11 turns uses part of the oval and infield for non-NASCAR events, including the Miami Grand Prix's Formula E round in recent years staged on public roads nearby rather than the speedway itself.

Named corners and sections

• Turn 1. Entry off the frontstretch onto the progressively banked 18-20 degree corner that defines the oval's modern character.
• Turn 4. Final corner before the frontstretch, frequently the site of late-race, multi-lane passes for the win.

Configurations

Events and race weekends

Homestead-Miami hosted NASCAR's season-ending championship race for the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series every year from 2002 through 2019, before the finale moved to Phoenix Raceway in 2020. Starting in 2026, under NASCAR's new rotating-finale format, the championship race returns to Homestead-Miami, once again making it the season's title-deciding weekend. Its Cup race runs as the Straight Talk Wireless 400.

Getting there and parking

Miami International Airport is the main gateway for visitors, roughly 30-35 miles and 40-50 minutes north of the speedway depending on traffic; Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is a similar-distance alternative. The track sits in Homestead, at the southern edge of the Miami metro area near the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park.

• Miami International Airport (MIA) · about 45 min drive
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) · about 60 min drive

Parking

General on-site parking is available for race weekends; traffic on the surrounding local roads and US-1 can back up significantly for the championship weekend, so early arrival is advised.

Because Homestead sits well south of central Miami, visitors combining the race with a Miami trip should budget significant extra travel time each way.

Hotels and camping near Homestead-Miami Speedway

Homestead itself has a modest hotel supply, so many visitors also consider Florida City just south, or drive up into the greater Miami/Kendall area for a wider range of hotels, roughly 30-45 minutes north. Rates rise sharply for the November championship weekend given the market's overall demand.

Where to look

Homestead and Florida City for proximity to the track; greater Miami, Kendall and Coral Gables for a wider hotel selection roughly 30-45 minutes away.

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

The public cannot bring personal cars onto the NASCAR oval, but both driving and ride-along experiences in real stock cars are offered on-site through NASCAR Racing Experience and Richard Petty Driving Experience on select dates, including solo timed driving sessions on the 1.5-mile oval. There is no regular open-track HPDE program for personal cars.

Who runs days here

• NASCAR Racing Experienceboth
• Richard Petty Driving Experienceboth

Typical cost: Ride-along experiences from roughly $158; driving experiences from roughly $300

Lap records

Spectator guide

Homestead's grandstands wrap the frontstretch and both ends of the progressively banked oval, giving fans a good view of the multi-lane racing the 2003 reconfiguration was designed to produce. Championship weekends draw the track's biggest and most festival-like crowds of the year.

Seating

Frontstretch grandstands overlook the start/finish line and pit road; turn grandstands sit closer to the progressively banked corners where late passes typically happen.

Best places to watch

Frontstretch seats for the fullest view of pit strategy and the finish; turn 3-4 seating for close-up views of the banking where cars run multiple grooves.

Bag policy

Up to two bags per person: bags or backpacks up to 18 x 18 x 14 inches and one soft-sided cooler up to 14 x 14 x 14 inches, with sealed food and drinks, alcohol included (no glass). All purchases inside are cashless.

Weather

• Nov: Warm and humid South Florida conditions, highs typically 80-85°F with a chance of evening showers
• Mar: Mild and dry, highs around 78-82°F, generally the most comfortable spectator weather of the year

History of Homestead-Miami Speedway

An unusual start

Homestead-Miami Speedway opened in November 1995 after a $59 million construction project, built in part to help revitalize the area following the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Its original layout was an unusual flat, near-rectangular shape better suited to open-wheel and road-course-style racing than to NASCAR's stock cars, and drivers complained about the lack of banking almost immediately.

Converting to an oval

In 1997 the track was reconfigured into a conventional oval to better attract NASCAR's growing national-series audience, and further changes in 2003 introduced variable progressive banking of 18 to 20 degrees along with SAFER barriers, transforming the racing surface into one drivers consistently rank among the best on the circuit for tire wear and multi-groove competition. Lights installed in 2005 allowed the track to move its marquee weekend to prime-time television.

The championship era

From 2002 through 2019, Homestead-Miami hosted NASCAR's season-ending championship race across the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series every year, making it, for nearly two decades, the sport's title-deciding stage and a fixture of the November sports calendar in South Florida. That run ended when NASCAR moved the finale to Phoenix Raceway starting in 2020 as part of a broader restructuring of its playoff system.

Return of the finale

NASCAR's operating company, which has run the speedway since 2019, announced a new rotating-finale format for its championship weekend, and Homestead-Miami is set to reclaim the season-ending race in 2026, six years after losing it. The track continues to host a second, non-championship Cup Series weekend most seasons, and remains one of the sport's most respected 1.5-mile ovals for the quality of racing its 2003 banking reconfiguration produced.

Frequently asked questions

Other tracks nearby

• Miami International Autodrome (Miami Grand Prix) · 37 mi · street circuit
• Palm Beach International Raceway · 102 mi · road course
• Sebring International Raceway · 150 mi · road course
• Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg · 211 mi · street circuit
• Daytona International Speedway · 261 mi · road course & oval
• The FIRM (Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park) · 318 mi · road course