The Race Weekend

A typical Sprint Cup Series race lasts a few hours, but there's much more leading up to it. Practice, qualifying and other events take place on the track, with a number of other activities taking place throughout the week around each racetrack.

OUTSIDE THE TRACK

A NASCAR race weekend is more than a sporting event -- it's an experience. Fans often arrive several days (and sometimes a week or more) prior to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Many stay adjacent to the racetrack, or even on the track infield, in campers and recreational vehicles, creating a festive and fun environment. And it's not uncommon for concerts, fan festivals, tailgating parties and other activities to take place around the track in the days leading up to the race.

Many fans have attended their favorite races for many years, and have built lasting friendships with other fans. A NASCAR race is a unique opportunity for fans to socialize, reconnect with each other and celebrate their love of racing.

ON THE TRACK

• Practice
In the days prior to the event, drivers have an opportunity to evaluate their cars and get a feel for the racetrack. Based on the driver's feedback, the crew chief will make crucial adjustments to the car that improve its performance.

• Qualifying
Typically held the Friday before the race, qualifying determines the cars that will participate in each race, and the order in which they will start. Each driver has two laps to record the fastest lap, the driver with the top time earning the Coors Light Pole Award and a spot at the front of the field for the start of the race.

On raceday, the car with the second-fastest qualifying time lines up in the front row, directly to the right of the polesitter; cars then line up behind them, two by two, based on their qualifying times.

The Top 35 Rule: Every time a car participates in or finishes a race, that team's owner is awarded championship owner points, based on the team's performance. In each race, the top 35 cars in the owner points standings are guaranteed to start the race -- those cars are competing strictly for the best starting positions. Cars that place 36th and lower in the owner points compete for the remaining starting positions in the field.

RACEDAY

NASCAR races are awe-inspiring flurries of sound, color and emotion. Few sporting events match the pageantry and sheer size of a Sprint Cup Series race. It's truly an unforgettable experience, with an average event attendance of more than 120,000 spectators. In fact, 17 of the top 20 most-attended U.S. sporting events are NASCAR events.

Prior to the start of each race, we honor our country in a stirring show of patriotism that includes the national anthem, accompanied by a ceremonial military aircraft flyover. The drivers then fire their engines after being given the ceremonial command of "Drivers, start your engines!"

The pace car then leads the field for a few pace laps, allowing the racecars to warm their tires and engines. Then, it's off to the races, with 43 cars competing in up to 600 miles of unpredictable excitement and incredible speeds that can reach more than 200 miles per hour. When the checkered flag falls, the winning team celebrates their triumph in Victory Lane, one of the most exhilarating celebrations in all of sports.

There are few experiences more exciting than seeing a NASCAR event in person.

• Tickets