Tag: Homestead

The Weekend:  Catch some race action at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Fast is better at Homestead-Miami Speedway, 35 miles south of Miami. Plenty of racing events, from go-cart competitions and motorcycle racing to street-legal car runs and NASCAR events, draw crowds 280 days of the year. But the big daddy is the grand finale of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in Mid-November.

 

Start Here: Book yourself at the Epic Hotel in downtown Miami, with easy access to State Road 836 and the Florida Turnpike — a 40-minute drive to the speedway. The sleek, 54-story hotel boasts panoramic views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami River, enjoyed from the room and 16^th-floor pool area where cabanas, a fitness center and outdoor dining come together. The speedway works with the hotel to create race-day packages for the NASCAR championship, and you’ll most likely meet other race fans here.

 

Weekend To Dos:

1. Pick a spot at the Pit Box, the closest thing to a private club, and watch events from the start/finish line. Waiters serve drinks from a fully stocked open bar and foods with a Latin spin — sugar-cane chicken with dark rum and habanera mango salsa, and smoked chipotle rubbed pork loin. Splurge and book the Pit Box for three days at $800.  But reserve early as NASCAR draws fans from around the world who consider this their bucket-list event and are ready to spend.

 

2. On the NASCAR champions weekend, the Richard Petty Driving Experience comes to the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Buckle into an authentic NASCAR racecar and feel the thrill as you ride shotgun for three laps at speeds up to 160 mph.

 

3. For a late-night dinner, head to Black Point Ocean Grill, tucked in the Black Point Marina off of Biscayne National Park, 20 minutes from the track and popular with racing fans. Enjoy South Florida’s balmy weather with a frosty beer, some peel-and-eat shrimp and a mahimahi sandwich on the waterfront patio.