Race Tracks Near Phoenix
Phoenix's motorsport scene runs from a NASCAR playoff-finale oval to a fast-growing cluster of members' road courses on the valley's south side. Phoenix Raceway in Avondale hosts the NASCAR Championship weekend each November, while the Wild Horse Pass complex in Chandler bundles Firebird Motorsports Park's drag strip with the Radford Racing Course (formerly Bondurant), a long-running performance-driving school. Nearby, newer private circuits — Podium Club at Attesa, Apex Motor Club and Arizona Motorsports Park — have turned the area into one of the busiest members'-track corridors in the Southwest. Dirt racing runs at Canyon Speedway Park and Central Arizona Raceway, and Tucson's speedway, dragway and Musselman Honda kart circuit are all within about two hours south. Inde Motorsports Ranch, roughly two hours southeast near Willcox, adds a long, technical road course for members and event rentals. Two historic ovals — Manzanita Speedway and Arizona Speedway — have closed in recent years.
15 venues listed across 6 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Road courses in Phoenix
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radford Racing Course at Firebird Motorsports Park | Chandler | 30 min | 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. |
| Apex Motor Club | Maricopa | 35 min | 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. |
| Podium Club at Attesa | Casa Grande | 45 min | 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. |
| Arizona Motorsports Park | Litchfield Park | 35 min | 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 | 1 h 55 min | 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. |
Ovals and speedways in Phoenix
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Raceway | Avondale | 25 min | 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 | 1 h 50 min | 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. |
Drag strips in Phoenix
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firebird Motorsports Park (Wild Horse Pass) | Chandler | 30 min | 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 | 1 h 45 min | 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 Phoenix
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Speedway Park | Peoria | 35 min | 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 | 40 min | — | 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 Phoenix
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Musselman Honda Circuit | Tucson | 1 h 50 min | — | 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 Phoenix
| Venue | Town | Drive | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manzanita SpeedwayClosed | Phoenix | 15 min | 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 | 5 min | 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 | 40 min | 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. |
Major race weekends in Phoenix
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup Series Championship weekend | Phoenix Raceway | November | NASCAR |
| NHRA Arizona Nationals | Firebird Motorsports Park (Wild Horse Pass) | February | NHRA |
| IndyCar Music City / desert test sessions | Phoenix Raceway | Varies | IndyCar (testing) |
Track days and driving experiences in Phoenix
The Wild Horse Pass complex (Radford Racing Course and Firebird Motorsports Park) in Chandler is the valley's most established venue for performance-driving schools and drag racing, about 25-30 minutes from downtown Phoenix. Newer members' circuits — Apex Motor Club, Podium Club at Attesa and Arizona Motorsports Park — run track days and driving programs south of the city, generally membership- or event-based rather than open-lapping. Expect a Radford school day to run several hundred dollars; member-club day rates and initiation fees vary widely by facility.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest race track to Phoenix?+
Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, about 20-25 minutes west of downtown, is the closest major venue; several members' road courses in Chandler are a similar distance south.
Is Manzanita Speedway still open?+
No, the historic dirt oval in south Phoenix closed and the site has been redeveloped.
Where can I drive on a track near Phoenix?+
Radford Racing Course at Wild Horse Pass runs public performance-driving schools; Apex Motor Club, Podium Club at Attesa and Arizona Motorsports Park are membership-based circuits in the same area.
Does Turf Paradise count as a race track?+
No — Turf Paradise is a horse (thoroughbred) racing track in Phoenix, not a motorsport venue, so it isn't covered here.
How far is Tucson's motorsport scene from Phoenix?+
About 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours south — Tucson Speedway, Tucson Dragway and the Musselman Honda kart circuit are all within range for a day trip.
Venue list checked against 5 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.
