Menu
NASCAR tracks build their own brands and one way they do so is through nicknames. Whether they originated from the flippant remarks of drivers or were the result of smart marketing campaigns, these are the best nom de guerre for NASCAR tracks across the circuit.
It’s a bold claim to call yourself the “World Center of Racing”, but Daytona International Speedway has more than earned that claim. Not only does it host the biggest stock car race of the year, but also one of the biggest sports car races of the year, the Rolex 2024, and motorcycle racing. Whenever any racing discipline heads to Daytona, it’s an event.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is arguably the most iconic race course in the world, and it hosts one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the Indianapolis 500. Its nickname, “The Brickyard” comes from the track’s opening in 1909, where it was originally paved with brick. Eventually, the track was paved with asphalt with only a few bricks left at the start-finish line, called the “Yard of Bricks”.
Bristol Motor Speedway is one of NASCAR’s hottest tickets, and that’s thanks to the incredible atmosphere created by the ring of seats towering over the track. The track’s resemblance to the “Roman Colosseum” gave track officials the nickname idea “The Last Great Colosseum”, and the name stuck.
Darlington Raceway’s nicknames derive from the earliest days of the track. “The Lady in Black” refers to the black sealer they’d apply to the track before a race weekend, making the track look dark black similar to a repave. “Too Tough to Tame” comes from the character of the track itself. With a narrow groove, there’s little room for error, and drivers have to race against the track just as much as they race each other. Even the most experienced drivers can struggle to get a handle on the track.
Dover Motor Speedway underwent a rebrand in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the track changed from asphalt to concrete. With the high banks, Dover has high speeds for a 1.0-mile track, making it treacherous and fun for drivers. From there, the track came up with the nickname “The Monster Mile”, complete with the concrete monster mascot, “Miles the Monster”.
Martinsville Speedway is also known as “The Paperclip” due to the track’s shape resembling a paperclip. When the track was first built, there was not a lot of land to widen out the turns thanks to the hilly terrain and a Norfolk Southern track behind the backstretch, so they settled on the tight turn design. The track has been a staple of the NASCAR schedule since the sanctioning body was founded in 1948.
Watkins Glen International is also known as “The Glen” for short. The name “Watkins Glen” comes from the nearby town of the same name, and auto racing has been a fabric of that community for decades. Every notable racing series in the United States has headed to the “Finger Lakes” region at some point or another.
Pocono Raceway’s nickname comes from the track’s unique design. The track has 3 turns, giving it a triangular shape, and each turn has a different radius and banking angle. As a result, setting up for the track is tough since drivers have to negotiate three distinct turns, making the track a “Tricky Triangle”
Just like “The Glen” at Watkins Glen, “Dega” is short for the track’s full name, “Talladega”. According to the city website, the name Talladega derives from the Creek tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the land. Talladega in their language meant “Border Town”.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is also known as the “Magic Mile”, but, it’s unclear where this nickname comes from. Bleacher Report in 2008 claims that is because “Special Things” occur there like Robby Gordon’s first career win in 2001 and Jeff Burton leading all 300 laps in 2000. I mean…first career wins and leading every lap aren’t exclusive to New Hampshire, but, I guess it works…sort of. Regardless of the fuzzy origin, it’s a cool nickname, and it gives the track a brand.
These tracks all have unique nicknames that add to their brand. Could other tracks join in with unique nicknames?
