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Planning a trip to a NASCAR race can be almost as exhausting as planning a family vacation. Doing some research, and planning ahead can make your quest for tickets much easier, and may save you some money.

The first thing you need to consider is what track you will be visiting and if you will need accomodations while you are there. Will you be camping at the track? If so, make sure you research the cost of the infield pass. Most tracks offer a package for campers that allows them to park in the infield a few days out from the event(s), set up camp, and watch the race(s). For us die-hard fans, the serious action takes place in the infield. You get an amazing view of the track from the roof of your RV, and you will meet some great people. Does this sound good to you? If so, make sure you budget extra money for groceries, and figure on pulling a car with your RV. You won't want to stay at the track 24 hours a day, and taking the RV in and out can be a pain.

If camping in the infield isn't your style, and you would rather stay in a hotel, try and find a hotel that has set up free shuttles to and from the racetrack. This way, you can avoid the hassle and money for parking your car at the event. You also will not have to worry about drinking and driving. You can find packages that offer tickets to the race and discounted hotel stays on track websites, and other sites such as racetickets.com. If you are heading to a race where the weather will be sunny, pack a bathing suit, and spend the early afternoon at the pool. This can be much more fun than wandering around the outside of the track. Decide when you want to head over to the track, spend a sunny afternoon with fruity drinks by the pool, and have a great time!

If you would like to do a race in one day, there are many different options for finding tickets. The one thing that any fan in any sport will tell you is to avoid the people on the side of the road trying to hock tickets. Most times, the tickets offered are fake, and since buyers paid cash, they have no course of action to try and get their money back. The first place to start looking for tickets is the speedway itself. Some speedways sell tickets through their own box offices. You will sometimes find a better deal, and better seats by going directly through the speedway.

If tickets can't be found there, try www.racetickets.com. This is the official site for NASCAR race tickets, as well as many other motorsports events. On the homepage, simply click on the race you would like to attend, then pick an option. Some races offer hospitality packages, or multi-day packages. Once you have figured out which ticket is best for you, look them up! The site will automoatically search for the best tickets available in your price range. It will also give you a view from those seats, so you can get an idea of the way you will see the race. At most tracks, higher seats are better, as you can see the whole track, and don't have to worry about rubber flying in your eyes.

If you don't like what you see on racetickets.com, try www.stubhub.com. This is a website that was created for fans to buy and sell tickets. They guarantee that you will a) get your tickets in time for the event, and b) the tickets you are buying are real. On the homepage, find the motorsports section, then click the race that you would like to attend. Stubhub will compile a list of available tickets, from lowest to highest price. Some tickets are auctioned, others are available for outright purchase. Stubhub will give you a seating chart, but will not give you the view from the seats.

Remember, if you are going to drive up and back the same day, allot enough time to deal with race traffic. Bring extra cash for parking, and if you are tailgating, make sure you have enough space, and enough food to share since meeting other race fans can be one of the best parts of your day. If you are not going to tailgate, it is best to not get there too early, since you might be quite bored after you do the customary walk of the souvenir trailers and raceday attractions. If you arrive at the track 2-3 hours before the race starts, that will give you plenty of time to explore, get a t-shirt, get some food and get to your seats just in time to hear "gentleman start your engines!"

If you plan on returning to the same event next year, look into buying tickets for the event at that day's race. Many tracks will offer advace tickets to next year's event. This is a great way to get the seats of your choice, and make sure the event does not sell out before you have a chance to buy tickets. You can ask the box office to mail the tickets to your home so you don't have to carry them around all day and worry about losing them. If something happens, and you are unable to attend the race, you can sell your tickets on stubhub, in your newspapers' classified section, or on your local craigslist.

Whatever you choose to do, don't let planning a trip to a race stress you out. Visit www.laidbackracing.com for tips on every track on the circuit, from what to bring to where to eat. Enjoy the race, take pictures, and yell loud for your driver, no matter who it is!

Learn more about this author, Stephanie Stuart.
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