Nestled in the East Alabama hills, the Talladega Superspeedway shines like Ricky Bobby’s smile on racing day. It’s the fastest track in the Nascar circuit thanks to a 2.6-mile oval and high bank turns (30 degrees and over five stories high). The grandstand is a mile long and seats 130,000. Guided 30-minute bus tours depart from the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame.
The best time to visit, however, is when the cars are running in May and October. True tailgaters will opt for the motor-home camping area called the Infield. It's an RV camp in the middle of the track with views of the race. In fact, that's where the drivers live during race week. Of course, they fly in on private planes and live in rock-star tour buses. Note that on Fridays, there's a general admission policy to the grandstand and towers; during this time, tickets are only $20 ($25 on pre-race weeks). Kids (12 and under) get in for free on Fridays and Saturdays, but you have to order over the phone or in person.