Miami Events

Homestead-Miami Speedway is Miami-Dade County's premier motorsports venue, featuring NASCAR, Indy Racing League, IndyCar and GRAND-AM races, among other series. It regularly makes racing history with leaders in the field during various titles and championships, to the delight of racing fans who are both local and visiting from elsewhere.

Homestead-Miami Speedway Parking
General parking is free. Parking lots open at 6 a.m. Plan accordingly because NASCAR championship weekends in particular draw huge crowds, and it can take some time getting in and out of the lots.

Hotels near Homestead-Miami Speedway
Nearby hotels include the Homestead Hampton Inn & Suites, Courtyard by Marriott Homestead and Quality Inn Florida City. Other hotels, while not in the vicinity, may offer discounts for stays if you're heading to the Speedway for NASCAR championship weekends, so always check the Homestead-Miami Speedway website before booking.

Seating at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Seating is in the grandstands, which is divided into sections including the Turn 1 Grandstands Frontstretch West Grandstands, the Frontstretch East Grandstands, the Turn 4 Grandstands and the Start/Finish Grandstands. For premium seating, the air-conditioned Champions Club, featuring 16 suites and 800 seats that are considered the best in the house for many luxurious reasons, is located behind the Turn 1 Grandstands and the Speedway Club, which is partially enclosed and offers flat-screen televisions (among other perks), is located just behind the Start/Finish Grandstands. In each section, the higher the row, the more it costs to sit there because the view is better. You can view maps of the stadium and specific Grandstand arrangements for big race weekends on the website.

Food at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Guests are permitted to bring their own food and beverages in soft-sided coolers inside the gates, and are also allowed to leave the Grandstands to refill and come back. For specific instructions, see the website. The Champions Club provides high-end food and beverages; the Speedway Club has private concessions.

Beer at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Concessions, including cash bars, are open during "Fast Lane Friday" events. Ticket packages, such as the Coke Zero Fan Zone, offer unlimited Coke products and three beer coupons plus access to a cash bar, during race weekends. Hospitality guests who are seated in corporate suites in the Champions and Speedway Clubs or enjoying Pit Box or Pre-Race Pit Passes have access to premium suds and grub. General admission guests are encouraged to BYOB.

Parking alternatives at Homestead-Miami Speedway
RVs, buses and motorcycles are all welcome to park in specific lots at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Public transportation is limited to MetroBus; guests can also look into the Rally Bus shuttle services, which provide round-trip transport.

Author's bio: Jen Karetnick has been living in and writing about Miami since 1992. Her latest books are Mango (University Press of Florida, 2014) and Brie Season (White Violet Press, 2014).