Top 10 Thursday: Top 10 Races Sports Fans Must Go to

This is a list of the top 10 races in the world that you must go to.  This is pretty much any race fan’s bucket list.

I took all the major forms of racing (NASCAR, Indy Car, NHRA, Formula One, and Sports Car) and made this list based off their schedules.

If someone had the resources and the money to go to all these events, they’d be the luckiest person in the world, in my mind.

10. Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway

Nascar Sprint Cup Series’ longest race of the season is the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend.  The race is started in the early evening and finishes up at night.

The race was started in 1960 by NASCAR as a race to rival the Indianapolis 500.  It actually wasn’t until 1974 before the two races were run on the same day.

It would be cool if both races had enough time between the two again so drivers could run both.  What would be even better is to be able to be a fan in attendance at both races in the same day.

9. Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway

The Coke Zero 400 is the July race at Daytona International Speedway for the Sprint Cup Series.

This was and still is the only restrictor plate race to be started and run completely under the lights.

There’s nothing cooler than to see 43 cars running at those speeds in tight packs under the lights at Daytona.

This race formerly known as the Firecracker 400 and Pepsi 400 used to be run on Saturday morning/early afternoon.  It wasn’t until 1998 that they added lights to Daytona and ran the cars at night.  They did this as a way to keep fans out of the hot and humid conditions of the Florida sun every July.

I have been going to this race for years and I can honestly say, there’s nothing like it.

8. Southern 500, Darlington Raceway

The Southern 500 is one of the most historical events on the NASCAR schedule.  Every year NASCAR invades Darlington, South Carolina to take on the track deemed “too tough to tame.”

Only the best win at Darlington and that’s what makes this track so amazing.  The egg-shaped 1.3-mile oval is tricky and almost every driver makes at least one “Darlington Stripe” throughout the course of the race.

The race used to be a Labor Day weekend stronghold on the Cup schedule.  It was always the final race of the Winston Million challenge back in the day as well.  There are so many memorable moments in this race's history.

It wasn’t until corporate greed and money got in the way and took the race from its usual Labor Day weekend and put it on Mothers Day weekend in May.

Still the Southern 500 is a great race and a must-see in person.

7. Amp Energy Drink 500, Talladega Superspeedway

The fall race for the Nascar Sprint Cup Series at Talladega is always thrilling.  It was tough to decide which race I wanted to put here since Talladega hosts two Cup events.  Both are pretty much the same.  Great racing, great people, great track, great finishes.

I chose this race only because it’s towards the end of the Chase for the Cup.  There’s a lot of point implications at this race and that makes it evermore important.

The largest track on the Cup schedule provides great restrictor plate racing year in and year out.

I have personally never been to Talladega, but one of these years I’ll make it down there.

6. Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol, Bristol Motor Speedway

The 500-lap night race in Bristol is one of the most exciting races in the world.  There’s nothing like Saturday night short track racing under the lights at a track that’s built like a bowl and looks like an oversized college football stadium in the middle of nowhere.

The cars bumping and banging all over each other all night fighting their way to a victory in front of the most diehard raucous fans in the series is exhilarating.

Up until a couple years ago this race was literally the toughest ticket to get in all of sports.  The waiting list to get tickets for this race was longer than any other wait for any ticket for any sport.

Now the economy has gone bad on us, tickets are available. If I were you, I’d grab them now, because pretty soon it will once again be back to the toughest ticket to get.

5. US Nationals, Lucas Oil Raceway Park

The Labor Day classic for the NHRA Drag Racing series at Lucas Oil Raceway Park is second to none on the NHRA schedule.

All major drag racing series will partake in the US Nationals on Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis.

Every year this is the race all the drivers in the NHRA series want to win.

For any racing diehard I challenge you to come to Indy in early September and attend this event.

There’s nothing like watching two dragsters with all the power in the world take off and travel at over 300 mph in just a few seconds.  The feeling you get in your chest and the ringing in your ears is incredible.  There’s nothing like it.

Add it’s also the biggest race of the year for NHRA.

4. 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 24 hour of Le Mans is the best sports car race in the world.

Since 1923 the best drivers in the world have taken on the road course in France to test their skill and endurance.  The race is the world’s oldest sports car endurance race in the world. 

The race is always held in June, started at mid-day, and doesn’t finish until 24 hours later.

To be able to see the famous track and watch this great race would be a huge highlight in anyone’s life.

3. Grand Prix of Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco

This race also has historical significance.  The Grand Prix of Monaco is the oldest Grand Prix on the Formula One Schedule.  The have been running in Monaco every year since 1929.

The race is held with such high importance that it’s part of the Triple Crown of Motorsports (Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Monaco).

To be able to see this world-class city and watch the race would be amazing.

The track though is considered unsafe to many with the narrow racing lines, but there’s no way they’d ever replace it or change anything about the track.

This is the most prestigious race on the Formula One Schedule.  Every driver wants to add their name on the list of skilled drivers to have won the Grand Prix of Monaco.

Monaco is located by the Mediterranean Sea and the huge yachts and lavish high-rise buildings are a must to see on race weekend.

2. Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway

If you asked me to do this list a couple of years ago the Daytona 500 would probably be No. 1.  The Sprint Cup Series version of their Super Bowl has the best TV ratings of any race.

Every year the 500 is a sellout or close to it.

The close restrictor plate racing has given many memorable moments in the race.  The most memorable is probably the 1979 race.  That was the first NASCAR race to be shown live from flag to flag action.  The race came down to the last-lap wreck where a fight broke out between drivers in Turn 3, arguing over who caused the wreck.

The first race on the Cup schedule is a must-attend.  After all it’s Daytona.

1. Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway

For 100 years people have flocked to Speedway, Indiana on Memorial Day weekend for this event.  The 500 has regained its once strong hold as the greatest sporting event in the world.

Every year over 350,000 people attend the 500 making it the biggest one-day spectator event in the world.

There are many reasons for why this event is so huge.  The pageantry, traditions, colors, people, the cars, and the event itself.  I could go on and on why you should come to see the 500 in person.

The Indianapolis 500 is one of the toughest races to win.  Out of the 95 races that have been raced, the most anyone has won this prestigious event is four times.  As we saw this year, one mistake will be the difference of winning or not.

If you've never been to the Indianapolis 500 or even the Motor Speedway itself, I strongly urge you to go.