The Best Foods for NASCAR Track Weekend

MARTINSVILLE, VA - MARCH 30: Martinsville Slider hot dogs are prepared in a concession stand prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2014 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Whether you're a seasoned NASCAR fan or a first-timer, there's a critical choice to make before you get comfortable and await the green flag – how will you fuel your race experience? Whether your driver needs to gain some serious ground in the standings or you’re just there to have a good time, each track has its own unique blend of food vendors and choices to keep you full and focused.

The Best NASCAR Track Food

There are a lot of important decisions to make on race day: how much time should you devote to driving to the track and finding parking? Which one of your favorite driver or team shirts should you wear? Where’s your lucky hat? 

But there’s another critical choice to make before you get comfortable and await the green flag – how will you fuel your race experience? Whether your driver needs to gain some serious ground in the standings or you’re just there to have a good time, each track has its own unique blend of food vendors and choices to keep you full and focused.

While the options will vary from track to track, here are some of the top categories of NASCAR track food to complement your race day.

Photo Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Specialty Burgers

You can’t beat a good burger at a sporting event, and no matter what state you’re in, you can usually find some local flare that goes beyond your basic burger or cheeseburger. Some variations that are known to make cameos at race tracks are:

  • Guacamole burgers. A generous dollop of guac not only counts as a vegetable; it can also level up the average burger and sometimes add a little spice.
  • Mushroom burgers. Depending on where you’re at, sometimes this means a grilled portabella mushroom on top of a beef patty, and sometimes the patty is made completely out of mushrooms.
  • Sloppy Joe burgers. A staple of most American childhoods, adding Sloppy Joe mix to your burger can be a nice dose of nostalgia on race day.
  • Colossal burgers. In the mood for something bigger? Many track vendors also boast a double or, sometimes, triple patty experience for those with bigger appetites. 

Sausages/Bratwurst

Sitting amid dozens of other people in the stands during a race doesn’t often lend itself well to eating foods that require utensils. With this in mind, many NASCAR food vendors serve brats or sausages that rival the traditional hot dog.

Whether the meat is local or store-brought, a juicy brat or sausage at the track is even better with these options:

  • Peppers and other fixings. From grilled peppers and onions to coleslaw and crushed Fritos, many vendors have possibilities that satisfy whatever you’re craving.
  • Hot mustard. There are typically plenty of condiment options beyond basic ketchup and relish.
  • Hoagie roll. Because sometimes a regular hot dog bun just won’t do.

Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for NYCWFF

Tacos

This is one of NASCAR’s best foods because, although one may not necessarily associate tacos with the track, each location does it differently. Some of the most common taco varieties you can find are:

  • Street tacos. This option alone offers different varieties of beef, chicken, and pork, and if there are warm tortillas on the menu? Even better.
  • Walking tacos. Walking tacos lend all the fun and flavor of a regular taco in a more track-friendly format.
  • Frito pie. Some locations combine the walking taco and Frito pie together or interchange the two names, but this heavenly amalgamation of Frito chips, seasoned beef, cheese, and other fixings can hit the spot for a long race.

Bonus: if you’re looking for some Mexican flare but tacos aren’t it, several locations also offer burritos.

Barbecue Sandwiches

It’s an added bonus that some NASCAR tracks are in great barbecue states like Texas and North Carolina, and the presence of a hot grill at a race cannot be understated. With a range of mild, tangy, and local sauces to match, some of the great barbecue staples you can take with you at the track are:

  • Pulled pork
  • Short ribs
  • Chicken
  • Beef brisket

You can get your barbecue at many locations as a standalone meal, in a taco, in a sandwich, or any way you prefer to enjoy it. Some vendors will even put it into grilled cheese.

Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

The Classics

While some racegoers like to expand their flavor palettes while watching laps, others prefer to stick to the old reliables that have been at the food vendors for generations:

  • Hot dogs. A plump frank with classic ketchup, mustard, and relish are sometimes all you need to turn a good afternoon into a great one, regardless of where your driver is in the pack.
  • Chicken fingers. If you’re at the track with a particular eater or need something simple, you can always find a vendor with chicken fingers on the menu.
  • Fries. Smothered fries, loaded fries, fry cups, or fries as a side with your burger or hot dog – you can always count on at least a few on the floor after a good race.
  • Nachos. Easy, portable, filling, and shareable if you need to feed multiple people. 
  • Pretzels. Warm, soft pretzels with cheese – either as a side or as the entire meal – is not only one of the simplest foods to eat, but it’s also one of the least messy.
  • Popcorn and Peanuts. The true OGs of sporting events, these salty snacks can give you just the dose of nostalgia you need to fall back in love with Sunday afternoons at the track.

Sweet Treats

Savory experiences have their place, but when you’ve got a sweet tooth – or if you need to celebrate a victory lap – there are also NASCAR food vendors who specialize in sweets.

  • Brownie bites. A warm brownie is one of life’s great comfort foods, and that’s no exception at an event as unpredictable as a NASCAR race.
  • Churros. A newcomer to the track vendor scene, these tube-shaped pastries come in a wide variety of flavors, from cinnamon sugar to chocolate drizzle. 
  • Milkshakes. Another mainstay of American culture that offers a variety of flavors and local favorites.

Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

Track Favorites

While it adds an element of anticipation to see new food options pop up at the race, there’s also something to be said for some of the reliable favorites that loyal racegoers can always find:

  • Talladega Superspeedway: “The Big One” meatball. The name is not ironic; this softball-sized meatball holds a delicious surprise – a blend of pulled pork, cheeses, and barbecue sauce.
  • Martinsville Speedway: the Martinsville hot dog. A tradition for over 50 years, this Martinsville staple has become as important to the fans as the race itself, complete with a steamed bun, a steaming red hot dog, mustard, chili, onions, and topped with vinegar-based slaw.
  • Watkins Glen Speedway: The Pierogi Burger. A newer addition to the menu at Watkins Glen, this rookie is already a hit with the fans. It features a pan-fried potato and cheese pierogi on top of a burger patty, accompanied by a secret sauce, lettuce, and grilled onions.

A day of excitement at a NASCAR race doesn’t have to be limited to what’s happening on the track. No matter what track you’re at, you can also build a food experience full of flavor, fun, and maybe a little adventure.

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HAMPTON, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 21: Corey Day, driver of the #17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives with sparks after an on-track incident during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia.

The Biggest Losers of the NASCAR Race Weekend at EchoPark Speedway

What’s Happening?

EchoPark Speedway, or Atlanta Motor Speedway, is often touted as the most exciting track on the NASCAR circuit. What was first seen as a Frankenstein experiment, Marcus Smith’s idea to turn AMS into a baby Daytona worked out in the end. We’ve gotten great race after great race and tonight was no different as fans saw Tyler Reddick power by Carson Hocevar to go two in a row to start the season.

But not everyone had a season to remember. Many drivers and teams had a season that they’d sooner forget. These are the biggest losers of the 2026 EchoPark Speedway racing weekend.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Officials

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race officials rightly got blasted online by fans after they made the extremely questionable decision to put the Truck race on Saturday on the weather clock. That would have been an understandable move if circumstances were different. But they caught flak because 1.) EchoPark Speedway has lights, 2.) the weather had moved out for the weekend, and 3.)…umm…they were only 10 laps shy from the scheduled distance anyway.

Now, we know who the defenders are. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race was slated to follow, but NASCAR has pushed races off in the past. And really, how much time would the CW have lost? Ten minutes? Twenty? If that? That, in my book, makes the NCTS officials some of the biggest losers on the weekend. They owe us fans ten more measly laps for racing!

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Corey Day and His HMS/JRM Teammates

Of any driver currently in the Chevy ranks, none has had the support thrown behind them like Corey Day. Day, a protege of proven NASCAR champion Kyle Larson, apparently has turned some heads on the dirt scene. Makes sense, since Larson himself said that he’d rather win the Chili Bowl than the Daytona 500. But unlike other drivers, such as Connor Zilisch, who have excelled in other racing disciplines outside of NASCAR, Day’s career so far has been lukewarm at best. And his race yesterday was the epitome of a rookie race, ladened with senseless mistakes.

The incident that hurt the most was the one where he wrecked his fellow HMS/JRM teammates, Carson Kvapil and Justin Allgaier. He simply just took them out while racing for the race lead. Though he was, somehow, able to rebound to finish the race in the 4th position, yesterday was a sloppy performance that even Corey himself acknowledges that he’d rather put behind him.

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Anyone Off the Bumper of Ross Chastain

Chastain did it again! And now, the feelings are mixed. Remember when Ross Chastain used to just send drivers willy-nilly, and it really got on fans’ nerves? Well, thankfully, he’s calmed down in recent years and has become a more respectable veteran of the sport. That is not to say that he still doesn’t have his…moments. Saturday night at the O’Reilly Auto Parts race, Ross Chastain, going for the win, entered turn 1 and sent leader Austin Hill.

Hill was the overwhelming favorite to win this race, and fans have grown sick of him. So, really, this was a welcome return to form for Chastain, a version of him that used to be loathed by fans. Thus, while fans might have won out by Chastain doing what he does best and slaying Austin Hill, the RCR team, and really, anyone who has Chastain in their rearview mirror in the closing laps, are the real losers this weekend.

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Josh Berry and His Wood Brothers Team

There were a couple of drivers who ended 2025 on a sour note and were looking to turn things around and start 2026 strong. One of those has to be Josh Berry and his entire Wood Brothers team. After floundering around with Harrison Burton for a few seasons, the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford got the shot in the arm that they needed with a new crew chief and Josh Berry as their new driver. They led a bunch of laps at Atlanta in 2025, only for a wreck with 10 laps to go to take them out of contention. Not to worry, though: they followed it up with a win at Las Vegas.

But since that win, the team suffered a steep decline heading into the summer months. By the time the postseason rolled around, they had the single worst Playoff performance in history with three straight last-place finishes. Though he had a promising start to the season with a 9th-place run in the Daytona 500, it was the same old same old tonight. Berry showed some speed in the first stage but ultimately crashed after Christopher Bell forced the issue in the beginning of Stage 2. It’s a familiar routine for the Wood Brothers. Yet another last-place finish. That makes them one of the biggest losers of the weekend. If only they could have capitalized.

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The RCR Era of Kyle Busch’s Career

This one’s a tired subject, so I won’t dwell on it too long. Kyle Busch’s late career decline at Richard Childress Racing should be studied. Though he showed speed early on, it was yet again a single-car spin that ended his day prematurely. Granted, he didn’t spin completely on his own. He was tagged from behind by Noah Gragson. But, that was after he checked up twice and recklessly pulled up in front of him in a hole that was barely there. Yet another disappointing outing for Rowdy Nation.

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HAMPTON, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 22: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Pinnacle Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader 400 at Echo Park Speedway on February 22, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia.

Cup: Tyler Reddick Starts 2026 With Two Straight Wins

What’s Happening?

The checkered flag has flown in the second race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Season. And, at the end of the day, it was Tyler Reddick who went back-to-back to win at EchoPark Speedway. Tonight, Reddick became the sixth NASCAR Cup Series driver to win the first two races of the season. He is the first since NASCAR Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth did it to kick off the 2009 season.

But, of course, Reddick wasn’t the only one to have a great start to the season. Several drivers leave Atlanta with a great points day, including Carson Hocevar, Bubba Wallace, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney. Here are the highlights of tonight’s race:

  • It was a chilly day down in Hampton, Georgia for the NASCAR Cup Series event at EchoPark Speedway (formerly the Atlanta Motor Speedway). There was a big fat question mark around this event as qualifying was rained out on Saturday morning. This meant that the metric determined the field and it was largely based upon the Daytona 500 finishing order. Daytona 500 champ Tyler Reddick started on the pole with his teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst starting not far behind.
  • Stage 1 was relatively tame. There was a lot of juking for positions, but the best of the best in the NASCAR Cup Series were largely able to keep their noses clean. Austin Cindric won stage 1, with Bubba Wallace taking stage two. The top two stage earners for today’s race were Bubba Wallace (19) and William Byron (16).
  • A number of contenders were involved in massive crashes littered throughout the day. Among drivers caught up in incidents are Josh Berry, Shane van Gisbergen, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch, Cole Custer, Austin Dillon, Austin Cindric, Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, and Kyle Larson, among others. When it comes to superspeedway-style racing, big crashes are inevitable.
  • In the last 10 laps of the race, it was still anybody’s game. Bubba Wallace led with a hornet’s nest of Bell, Hocevar, Chastain, Reddick, and Suarez behind him. With 4 laps to go, Byron had a tire go down, causing a huge late-race caution. The race would finish in overtime.
  • The overtime finish was thrilling. After one false start, Bubba Wallace lined up on the inside with his teammate, Tyler Reddick. Behind them was Chase Briscoe. In the high lane, we had the wrecking ball duo of Carson Hocevar and Ross Chastain with Daniel Suarez behind them. As Reddick gave Bubba a great shot, the No. 23 jumped up to block Hocevar. Unfortunately, he jumped up too car and allowed Hocevar to get down below him. Then, the tandem of Reddick and Briscoe powered back on the inside and Tyler Reddick cruised to victory with no right front fender.

Key Incidents

Berry & Gibbs Tangle

From an awful showing in the 2025 Playoffs to yet another last-place finish, Josh Berry’s 2026 season is off to a rough start. Today, he got together with Ty Gibbs after Gibbs had an awful start to the year last year. The No. 54 was able to turn it around later in the season, though. But, for their 2026 outing, there’s a lot left to be desired. Check it out.

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Kyle Busch Goes Around

Kyle Busch’s 2025 season was abysmal. But, after he put his No. 8 RCR Chevy on the pole for the 2026 Daytona 500, things seemed to be looking up. He smartly survived last week by lying back on the last lap and safely navigating through the crash, finishing 15th. And he was a contender early in this race. However, late, Kyle Busch continued his dismal legacy at RCR by spinning after contact with Noah Gragson. His day ended prematurely. Check it out:

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Hamlin/Logano Trigger Big One

We got our first big crash of the race at Lap 224 when both Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano got loose in front of the field. You can read all about that incident with the link below:

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Caution Recap
  • Lap 60: Stage 1 Break
  • Lap 81: Josh Berry and Ty Gibbs
  • Lap 103: Riley Herbst
  • Lap 126: Kyle Busch
  • Lap 161: Stage 2 Break
  • Lap 200: Shane van Gisbergen
  • Lap 224: Hamlin, Logano Gets Loose, Triggers Big One
  • Lap 239: Logano Spins
  • Lap 257: Byron Spins
  • Lap 267: Logano Spins

Unofficial Race Results

Race to the Chase Points (2 of 26)

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Cup: Logano/Hamlin Get Together, Trigger Big One at EchoPark

What’s Happening?

Things started to get real for the NASCAR Cup Series drivers as we got inside 40 laps to go. We got our first Big One of the afternoon at Lap 224. It was triggered as the field came out of Turn 4 and entered the dogleg. Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, both whose cars were upset by the dirty air, got together. Logano was able to scoot on virtually unscathed. However, Hamlin turned in front of the pack, collecting several stars and heavy hitters. Here’s what happened:

  • Taking a look at it, it looks like Joey Logano got loose and let out of the throttle. Initially, it looks like he saved it. However, he was still barely hanging on. He got loose again and once again let off. Hamlin had nowhere to go.
  • Hamlin, reacting to Logano, overcorrected and ricocheted off the outside SAFER Barrier. This bounced him down into traffic, where he collected the likes of Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher, A. J. Allmendinger, Connor Zilisch, and several others.
  • It has been a bad offseason for Denny Hamlin. He lost the 2025 championship in devastating fashion, he was in the thick of a lawsuit against NASCAR with Michael Jordan, he tragically lost his father in a house fire in December, and now he has two DNF finishes to start his 2026 campaign. After starting the season with three wild card races, one could only imagine that Hamlin is excited to get back to “normal racing” in a couple weeks when NASCAR heads to Phoenix.

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