Sink your toes in the sand and put the pedal to the metal during one dream vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Guests at Long Bay Resort can enjoy fun in the sun on the scenic Grand Strand seashore while also taking advantage of a bucket-list opportunity by merging into the fast lane with the NASCAR Racing Experience at the historic Myrtle Beach Speedway.
Located at the junction of Highways 31 and 501, Myrtle Beach Speedway allows racing fans and thrill-seekers to satisfy their need for speed on its half-mile asphalt racetrack. The NASCAR Racing Experience allows fans a firsthand, inside look at the popular sport by offering patrons a personalized racing adventure that’s catered to fit their own comfort zone.
Whether you want to take the wheel of a regulation NASCAR stock car and go for a spin, or would prefer to ride shotgun while a professional does the driving, the NASCAR Racing Experience has a package to suit your speed. To add to the excitement of the high-speed attraction, patrons get to follow in the tread marks of some of the biggest names in NASCAR history.
Founded in 1958, the Myrtle Beach Speedway once played host to the top levels of stock-car racing in the sport’s formative years, including four generations of the Pettys (Lee, Richard, Kyle and Adam), three generations of Earnhardts (Ralph, Dale Sr. and Dale Jr.), and former NASCAR champions like Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.
Now, average Joes can ride just like the pros at this licensed and certified driving school. Using professional NASCAR drivers, including some former racers, the NASCAR Racing Experience offers state-of-the-art safety equipment and first-class instruction. Patrons can see what their heroes go through on race days, from the pre-race drivers’ meeting to the checkered flag.
There are five NASCAR Racing Experience packages to choose from, beginning with the basic Pace Car Ride that is available for all ages. Regularly $39.99 per person, the Pace Car Ride features a trained driving instructor taking patrons for three laps around the track in a pace car specially outfitted for four. The ride provides a small but speedy taste of what it feels like to ride around the half-mile oval. The NASCAR Ride Along, regularly $129.99, offers a shotgun seat for one for a wild, three-lap ride in a stock car.
The next level is the Practice Experience, where licensed drivers can get behind the wheel of a 3,500-pound stock car for a timed, 5-minute session. In addition to getting to drive, students undergo detailed training and instruction and attend a realistic drivers' meeting. At the end of the sessions, patrons receive a graduation certificate featuring their top speed.
Those who want more drive time can take the next step up the racing ladder by attending the Rookie Experience, which offers an 8-minute driving session under real-life racing conditions. Upgrade to the Kings Experience and double your track time to 16 minutes, highlighted by an actual NASCAR pit stop with your own crew. Those who complete the top levels of training are eligible for future track time without additional training.
For those who prefer to spectate rather than participate in the sport, Myrtle Beach Speedway hosts live racing on many Saturday nights during the summer months. Featuring Late Model Stock, Super Trucks, Chargers, Challengers, Modified Stock and Vintage classes, Myrtle Beach Speedway provides exciting heats and ringside seats that let fans get close to all the racing action.
Myrtle Beach Speedway also hosts a long list of special non-racing events, such as concerts, festivals, car shows, motorcycle rallies, the Horry County Fair and even a 5K. To book your NASCAR Racing Experience session or to check out the schedule of events, visit http://www.myrtlebeachspeedway.com