How to experience the thrills of NASCAR’s hottest event
Oct 14, 2025Sponsored by Phoenix Raceway
Phoenix Raceway in Avondale hosts the NASCAR Championship Weekend every fall (this year, Oct. 31–Nov. 2), but if you’re in town for Cactus League baseball, it’s the raceway’s NASCAR Cup Series Spring Race that’s not to be missed. Starting March 6, 2026, the sport’s biggest names hit the track during a whirlwind weekend of events. There’s nowhere else in the world where spring sports collide quite like this. Here’s your guide for how to maximize the fun.
What is the NASCAR Cup Series?
The NASCAR Cup Series is one of three national series that NASCAR sanctions for racing. The other two are NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The Cup Series is considered the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States, and of the three national NASCAR series, it’s the most elite—the Cup Series is the highest level a professional NASCAR driver can reach.
The Cup Series racing season begins in February and hosts races at tracks throughout the country, including at Phoenix Raceway.
Ticket options for NASCAR Cup Series Spring Race
At Phoenix Raceway, you have two choices for admission: grandstand seats or hillside seats.
Grandstand tickets, typically the pricier of the two options, are reserved seats and offer access to the stadium’s hospitality amenities.
Hillside tickets are more affordable and include wide-open views of the track, but seating is first-come, first-served; bring your own chairs or blankets. Bonus for hillside ticketholders: coolers allowed!
Add-on Perks
NASCAR racing fans eager to get in on the action should consider the Desert Diamond Casino Infield Experience. Available for add-on purchase with either the grandstand or hillside ticket, this pass grants you an inside peek at the pre-race goings-on, from joining driver introduction events and Q&As to watching drivers and their teams prep vehicles in the NASCAR Cup Series Garages. Pass-holders can even sign the Start/Finish line and celebrate in Victory Lane up. Plus: food, drinks and a NASCAR Kids Zone for the little ones.
Another add-on option with purchase of a grandstand or hillside ticket is the Busch Light Lounge Hospitality pass. This premium experience includes parking and infield access, and it gives access to a fun-filled bar and lounge complete with breakfast, lunch and post-race snacks as well as complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks. The lounge also hosts driver appearances and offers games such as shuffleboard, pool and corn hole, plus deejay entertainment.
Finally, to really enhance the excitement of the NASCAR Cup Series Spring Race, opt for a scanner headset rental. Not only can you tune into NASCAR race control and the MRN Broadcast, you can also listen to your favorite driver communicate with their crew chief and spotter—in real time.
Tips for Race Day
- Arrive early. Phoenix Raceway offers free general parking, which includes shuttle service, so it’s best to get there with plenty of time to find a parking spot and settle into your seat before the events kick off.
- Make sure you have a cashless form of payment. The food and souvenir vendors at Phoenix Raceway do not accept cash.
- Bring ear plugs, a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.
- Keep a marker or paint pen handy for driver autographs!
- Pick a driver—your favorite, or if you’re new to NASCAR, any driver—and follow their story throughout the events. For first-time race attendees, it can be overwhelming to try to watch everything going on at the track. Instead, follow “your driver” to truly immerse yourself in the thrill of the win, from where that driver starts to who they’re racing against and where they finish.
