Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Map, Parking & Distance from Strip & Downtown

By Steve Beauregard

From NASCAR races to Christmas Light displays, to Electric Daisy Carnival and everything in between, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway gets millions of visitors per year.

Set on 1,000 acres, with nine different tracks, (including the main 70,000 seat Speedway), the LVMS is 17 miles north of the center of the Las Vegas Strip.

On a normal weekday mid-morning, Google maps will tell you it’s a 20 minute drive from Caesars Palace.

However that’s without an event going on at the track. Those of you driving to the LVMS on race day are well advised to get there very early, and take an alternative route, other than the main one via Interstate 15. (More on that below).

It’s similar when the race or event is over. Depending on your parking spot, an hour plus wait to leave the facility is not out of question. So pack your sunscreen and your patience.

LV Motor Speedway

In addition to the Speedway, which hosts two big NASCAR events each year, (the Penzzoil 400 in February and the South Point 400 in September), the other eight tracks include “The Strip” (a drag strip), The Bullring, the Dirt Track, an inside the speedway road course and a longer one outside, an exotic car racing course, an off-road track and even a Go Kart track.

The Speedway also is home to several different racing experiences, including the Mario Andretti Racing Experiences, Exotic Racing and NASCAR Experience.

These allow you to either (A) ride along as a driver whips you around the track, or (b) drive the car yourself. Prices for these (the Richard Petty one is on my personal bucket list), aren’t cheap, but I’m sure the memories stick around forever.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Map

(The red star is the center of the Las Vegas Strip. The purple star is Fremont Street in downtown, and the black flag is the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.)

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Parking Map & Directions

There are two main ways to get to the race track: (A) from I-15, and (B) From Las Vegas Boulevard.

A) Interstate 15

The vast majority of drivers will use this route. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best one.

For those of you following this route from either the Strip or Fremont Street, you’ll want to take I-15 north, getting off at Exit 54. The sign will say “Speedway Boulevard.”

The recent completion of a multi-million dollar widening project of I-15 lanes has helped with congestion, but it will still be packed on race days.

Once you exit the interstate on Speedway Boulevard, parking is on your left, in the complex’s massive “Blue Lot” parking lot.

On event days, the Nevada Highway Patrol and LV Motor Speedway parking attendants will be out in force to show you to the Blue Lot parking.

(B) Las Vegas Boulevard

While I haven’t personally driven this route, (I will next time), the LVMS itself says this is, “The best kept secret in town for arriving at LVMS,” as “very few cars use this road.”

Las Vegas Boulevard, of course, is the actual name of the Las Vegas Strip, although the Strip portion of Las Vegas Boulevard ends at the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino, 12 ½ miles to the southwest.

The road is sort of the “backroad” route. Taking Las Vegas Boulevard all the way north will lead you to the “Brown” or “Yellow” parking lot.

The LVMS says that parking at the Brown or Yellow parking lots leads to a quicker getaway after the race.

Please note that on a good day, this route will take you fifty minutes when starting from the center of the Las Vegas Strip (Caesars Palace, the Cromwell, Flamingo, Bally’s, Bellagio, etc.), so plan accordingly on the day of the race.

LV Motor Speedway Parking Cost and Pass

Parking here is free! However you can choose to pay to park in a closer, more convenient parking lot.

Called, the “Lucky 7 Preferred Parking Pass,” this pass, gets you to the Lucky 7 Parking Lot, on the southeast section of the Blue Lot.

It’s much closer to the main grandstands, and perhaps even better: there is a dedicated lane post-race for cars in the Lucky 7 lot.

At the time of this writing, the Lucky 7 Parking Pass costs $59 (not including Ticketmaster fees), for the three day race weekend.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Shuttle

First off, there is a free tram that runs on race days with four different routes. These run from parking lots to various gates, and even one to the infield.

As for a shuttle or bus from the Strip or Downtown Las Vegas to the Speedway?

In years past, a shuttle service known as the “Race Day Express” took guests (at a charge of course), from Strip and downtown hotels to the Speedway.

In 2019, the shuttle service became, “Front Stretch Shuttle.” They pick up passengers from four different Strip hotels, and one downtown hotel: Main Street Station Hotel & Casino, The Stratosphere, Treasure Island, Planet Hollywood, and the Tropicana, and then will drop you off in front of the main ticket gate at the LVMS.

For the track’s two yearly NASCAR races, the shuttle costs $119 per person (plus Ticket Master fees) for roundtrip rides for the Sunday race, or $159 per person plus fees for a 3 day weekend roundtrip pass.

The shuttle leaves from 45 minutes to one hour after the checkered flag. A Shuttle pass can be bought from the LVMS website, or you can call them at: (800) 644 – 4444.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Address, Phone & Website

Other

Last year’s Pennzoil 400 race brought in over 85,000 visitors to Las Vegas, according to data from the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Bureau.

If you really hate traffic and have the means, you can skip the traffic by chartering a helicopter to the Speedway. Maverick Helicopter of Las Vegas charges $500 per person for round-trip transportation to the Speedway. On the bright side, you’ll get there in just 15 minutes.

A luxury shuttle/limosine type of van will pick you up at your hotel and take you to Maverick Helicopter’s terminal at McCarran International Airport.

FAQ

Q. How Far is the Las Vegas Motor Speedway from the Airport?

A. It’s just over 23 miles from McCarran International Airport to the Speedway entrance.

The city’s other, smaller airport, the North Las Vegas Airport, is just 13 miles away.

Q. When was the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Built?

A. The track opened in 1996. The first NASCAR Xfinity race took place on March 16, 1997, while the first NASCAR Cup Series race was won by Mark Martin on March 1st, 1998.

Q. Can you tour the Las Vegas Motor Speedway?

A. The LVMS offers daily tours of the tracks. You’ll get special behind the scenes access of the Speedway, the Neon Garage, luxury suites, as well as a tour of the other tracks.

Prices are $10 for adults, and tours run Monday – Saturday, from 9 AM to 4 PM and on Sundays, from 11 AM to 3 PM.

(Photos and Map courtesy of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway)