Cheap NASCAR Tickets: How to Find the Best Race Deals
Complete guide with prices, dates, venues, and how to pay with crypto or installments
Where
Cheap NASCAR tickets start at $35 for general admission at tracks like Kansas and Dover. Buy early, target midweek races, and use Sezzle pay-in-4 on Travorio to split the cost with zero interest.
How to Score Cheap NASCAR Tickets in 2024
Cheap nascar tickets can be found for as low as $35 if you know where to look and which races to target. For fans wanting to see the action live without blowing their budget, the best way is to book through Travorio, where you can use Sezzle’s pay-in-4 option to split your ticket into four interest-free payments. That means a $120 weekend pass only costs $30 upfront, with zero interest or credit check. You can also pay with PayPal Pay Later or even over 100 cryptocurrencies. The flexibility helps you catch the sights, sounds, and smells of the track without the sticker shock. My last Daytona trip, I grabbed a Friday general admission for $42 and paid it off over a month, which let me spend more on food and pit tours.
You can browse events on Travorio and filter by price, date, or payment method. What most fans miss is that the best cheap NASCAR tickets usually pop up early in the sales cycle or at the last minute. If you’re willing to compare across a few platforms and dig into the weekday or lesser-known races, you’ll almost always find something under $50. I’ve been to Talladega, Charlotte, and Kansas for under $60 each, just takes a bit of planning and knowing where to look.
Cheapest Ticket Categories
NASCAR ticketing is split between grandstand seats, general admission, standing-only sections, and premium packages. For budget travelers, general admission is the sweet spot. At most tracks, Friday practice or qualifying sessions are the absolute cheapest, think $35 at Charlotte Motor Speedway or $38 at Kansas Speedway for general admission. These tickets don’t guarantee a fixed seat but do grant access to the main sections. On race day, the cheapest reserved seats (often called Category 4) can still be found for $49-$59, especially at tracks like Michigan International Speedway or Pocono Raceway.
For the playoffs, prices climb as you move from the Round of 16 to the quarterfinals and championship. The lowest-price Category 4 seats during the Round of 16 usually run $65 at places like Bristol, with quarterfinals more in the $80-$95 range at Phoenix or Martinsville. These are typically upper level or corners, but you’ll still get a full view of the track.
Standing sections are rare at most NASCAR ovals, but general admission lawns at road courses like Watkins Glen or Sonoma are wallet-friendly, $40 to $55 for Sunday races. The value here is flexibility: bring a chair or blanket, claim your spot, and you’re set. For those who want a seat, aim for end-of-row or upper-deck Category 4 seats. They’re less in demand, so you’ll often find last-minute deals right up to race day.
What most guides won’t mention is that post-qualifying or rain-delayed sessions sometimes open up unsold sections at a discount. I picked up a $33 Saturday ticket at Richmond Raceway after a Friday washout, just by asking at the gate. Always check with official ticketing and avoid random resellers.
How to Find the Best Deals
The trick to landing affordable nascar tickets is timing. Buy as soon as tickets are released, often six to nine months out, when early bird pricing applies. At Daytona, for example, I paid $49 for a Saturday Xfinity race by booking in September, whereas the same seat was $78 in the week before the event. Early sales phases usually have a set number of lower-tier tickets before prices jump in later waves.
Less-hyped races, like the spring events at Kansas or New Hampshire, come with much lower prices. Group stage tickets for non-playoff tracks can dip below $45, especially for weekday or Friday night races. Compare across platforms: Travorio almost always matches or beats Ticketmaster and SeatGeek, especially when factoring in the Sezzle payment plan or crypto options.
Last-minute deals can be gold. Many tracks release extra inventory the week before the race, and authorized resale sites list returned or unsold tickets at face value. I’ve seen $120 seats at Talladega posted for $69 on Travorio’s fan-to-fan section two days before the green flag. Avoid scalpers at the venue, official resale is always safer and usually cheaper.
Another overlooked hack: check for special promo codes or memberships. AAA members, local radio station contests, and even some hotel chains (like Wyndham or Hilton Honors) occasionally offer $10-$20 off select races. Stack the savings by booking your ticket, flight, and hotel together.
Cheapest Games to Attend
The cheapest nascar races to attend are usually the group stage events, weekday races, and doubleheader weekends. Smaller markets, like Dover, Pocono, or Darlington, often have $35-$45 tickets for Friday or Saturday sessions. Weekday races at tracks such as Richmond (a Thursday night regular) can be $39 for general admission. Early-start races, especially those that kick off before 2 p.m., are less in demand. When I went to a Monday make-up at Bristol, tickets were just $31 at the window.
Host cities impact ticket prices more than most fans realize. Races near big population centers (Charlotte, Atlanta, Las Vegas) tend to be pricier, with even the cheapest seats at $60-$70. Smaller towns like Martinsville, Loudon, or Watkins Glen keep prices low: $44 was my ticket for the Sunday race at Loudon last year, about half what I paid in Vegas for a similar seat.
If you want to maximize your budget, target doubleheader weekends (Xfinity and Cup Series) where a two-day pass can be cheaper than buying each day separately. At Pocono, the 2-day grandstand pass in 2023 was $78, while single-day seats were $48 and $52. Avoid playoff rounds if you’re looking for deals, prices jump 30% or more once the chase begins.
Most tourists miss that some tracks offer family or kids’ pricing: at Michigan, kids under 12 get in for $10 with a paid adult. That’s unbeatable value for families.
Pay in Installments with Sezzle
Biggest game-changer for budget travelers: with Sezzle on Travorio, you can split your NASCAR ticket purchase into four payments over six weeks, no interest and no credit check. Bought a $300 premium seat for the Daytona 500? That’s just $75 upfront, then $75 every two weeks. You still get your ticket instantly after the first payment. It’s ideal if you want better seats but don’t want to drain your bank account at once.
The steps are simple. Choose your event on Travorio, select Sezzle at checkout, and follow the prompts to pay your first quarter upfront. You’ll see the exact payment schedule before you confirm. No hidden fees, and it works for US and Canadian buyers. Travorio also lets you pay with PayPal Pay Later or over 100 cryptocurrencies, which can save even more if you have crypto with low transaction fees.
I tested this last year for a $180 Martinsville playoff ticket. Sezzle split it into $45 chunks, and I never paid a dime in interest. For crypto, I used USDC and paid less than $2 in fees, compared to $9 in credit card charges elsewhere.
For groups, each person can buy individually and use their own pay-later method. No need to pool cash or worry about splitting bills after the fact. You get all the flexibility, plus the security of tickets delivered instantly to your email.
Save on Hotels and Flights Too
Racing weekends can jack up hotel prices, but the secret is booking early or aiming for less-hyped host cities. Near Talladega, I found the Red Roof Inn Oxford for $88/night, while at Darlington the Quality Inn was $93/night when booked three months out. For Charlotte, prices climb fast, but suburbs like Concord or Kannapolis have places like the Comfort Suites at $117/night. Always compare across all suppliers, Travorio checks over 200 sites and often finds deals missed by Booking.com or Expedia.
For flights, Southwest and Delta run regular specials into Atlanta (for Talladega and Atlanta Motor Speedway) and Charlotte, with round-trip fares from Chicago or Dallas regularly under $170 if booked 60+ days in advance. For west coast races like Phoenix or Sonoma, try Alaska Airlines or Spirit out of LAX or SEA, where $120-$160 roundtrips pop up in the off-season. Use Travorio’s flight search to set alerts for your route.
If you’re chasing multiple races in one trip, book a multi-city flight. For example, Atlanta to Charlotte to Richmond can be $198 with American if you fly midweek. For hotels, look for free breakfast and parking, Holiday Inn Express in Bristol includes both at $109/night, which saves $20+ per day on food and parking fees.
The best budget hack: use Sezzle or crypto for hotels and flights too. The hotel comparison tool lets you filter by price, amenities, and payment method. I’ve booked a full week of NASCAR travel, flight, hotel, and tickets, all on pay-later, which really spreads out the financial load.
Avoid Overpriced Resale Tickets
Not all resale tickets are a ripoff, but you’ve got to be careful. Only buy from authorized resale sections on official platforms, like Travorio’s fan-to-fan marketplace or Ticketmaster’s verified resale. Check the face value: most group stage and regular season NASCAR tickets have a face value of $35-$70, while playoff rounds can run $80-$150. If you see a $50 ticket listed for $170, that’s a red flag.
Compare prices on at least two platforms before buying. I’ve seen the same seat at Bristol for $68 on Travorio and $94 on a third-party site. Social media sellers, especially in Facebook groups or Twitter threads, are almost always riskier, scams are common and tickets can be fake or voided.
If a reseller can’t provide immediate digital transfer through the platform, skip it. Never pay cash or Venmo to someone you don’t know. Always check the section, row, and seat number before purchasing, and confirm those details match the stadium map. If the price sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If you spot a scam or suspicious listing, report it directly on the platform or to the track’s box office. Most venues have security teams that monitor for fraudulent sales, and legitimate buyers are almost always refunded if a scam is detected. Stick to authorized channels, and you’ll avoid the headaches.
Ticket Prices by Round
Budget Trip Breakdown
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions answered clearly and concisely
General admission for group stage races can be as low as $35 at tracks like Kansas, Dover, or Michigan. These tickets typically include access to standing and lawn sections, and are cheapest during Friday or Saturday practice sessions. Some tracks run special $25-$30 deals for kids or local residents. Always check early in the sales cycle for the best prices.
Weekday races, especially in smaller markets like Loudon, Pocono, or Darlington, offer the lowest prices, usually $35-$45 for general admission. Practice and qualifying sessions are also much cheaper than race day. Avoid playoff rounds and major venues like Daytona or Phoenix, where prices are higher.
Yes, Travorio lets you split your NASCAR ticket purchase into four equal payments with Sezzle, at 0% interest and no credit check. For example, a $120 ticket costs just $30 upfront, then $30 every two weeks. PayPal Pay Later is also available, along with over 100 cryptocurrencies for flexible payment options.
Last-minute tickets are often released the week before race day, especially if sections haven’t sold out. Tracks and authorized resale sites like Travorio list returned or unsold tickets at face value. I’ve seen $120 seats drop to $69 just two days before the event. Always use official platforms to avoid scams.
Many tracks offer discounted tickets for students and kids, with prices as low as $10 for children under 12 with a paid adult. Student pricing is less common, but some venues run special college nights with $5-$15 off regular prices. Check the track’s website or Travorio for current deals.
Yes, most tracks offer group rates for 10 or more tickets, often with savings of $5-$15 per seat. Some include extras like fan zone passes or concession vouchers. Contact the venue directly or use Travorio’s group booking tools to request a quote and lock in the discount.
Standing or general admission tickets range from $35 to $55, depending on the track and date. Road courses like Watkins Glen and Sonoma have large lawn areas where you can bring your own chair or blanket. These are the best value for budget travelers wanting a flexible race day experience.
Hospitality and VIP packages start around $180 for basic fan zone access, with club-level seating and food. These are much more expensive than standard tickets, but some tracks run one-day upgrades for $70-$90, which include access to exclusive lounges but not premium seats. Watch for flash sales on Travorio or the track’s website.
Yes, especially close to race day, authorized resale platforms like Travorio, Ticketmaster, and SeatGeek often list tickets at or below original face value if sellers need to offload extras. Avoid social media sales, since those are prone to scams and rarely match face value prices.
A budget trip (ticket, hotel for 7 nights, roundtrip flight, and food) can be done for about $1,020 if you book early and choose a less popular race. That covers a $35 ticket, $90/night hotel, $145 flight, and $30/day for food. Using Sezzle on Travorio, you can spread that total into four payments of $255 each, with no interest.
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