Travel Tips: Atlanta Motor Speedway – Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2013

Celebrate Labor Day weekend NASCAR-style at Atlanta Motor Speedway, home of this weekend’s AdvoCare 500 for the Sprint Cup Series and the Great Clips/Grit Chips 300 for the Nationwide Series. The two series visit the 1.54-mile oval Friday through Sunday, Aug. 30-Sept. 1.

Get to town early and take part in a few extracurricular activities with some of your favorite drivers. Reed Sorenson hosts his Charity Golf Classic at Crystal Lake Golf Club on Thursday, Aug. 29. Benefitting Speedway Children’s Charities, registration for the tournament begins at 8 a.m. ET, with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. ET. Some drivers from both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series are expected to participate (subject to change).

The inaugural NASCAR Hauler Parade takes place that evening at 7 p.m. ET, beginning on Speedway Blvd. outside the speedway and continue through downtown Hampton.

David Ragan fans, catch the NRA David Ragan Shootout on Friday, Aug. 30 at Cherokee Rose Sporting Resort. Also benefitting Speedway Children’s Charities, registration begins at 10 a.m. ET, with on-course shooting starting at 11 a.m. ET.

On Friday night, fans get a chance to ask reigning Sprint Cup champ Brad Keselowski questions on the frontstretch at 8 p.m. ET, prior to the USCS Sprint Car special event on the quarter-mile track at Atlanta. There’s additional racing on Saturday, Aug. 31 as well, with Legends cars on track from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. ET on the quarter-mile track.

Key on-track times:

Friday, Aug. 30:

• Sprint Cup practice – 3 p.m. ET
• Nationwide Series practice – 5 p.m. ET
• Sprint Cup qualifying – 6:40 p.m. ET
• Tim Smith’s Climax Moonshine Sprint Car Shootout – 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, Aug. 31:

• Nationwide Series practice – 10:30 a.m. ET
• Legends races – 12:30 p.m. ET
• Sprint Cup practice – 3 and 6 p.m. ET
• Nationwide Series qualifying – 4:05 p.m. ET
• Great Clips/Grit Chips 300 for the Nationwide Series – 7:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 1:

• Pre-race concert with Billy Currington – 5:40 p.m. ET
• AdvoCare 500 for the Sprint Cup Series  – 7:30 p.m. ET

Find the complete weekend schedule here.

First-time fans can check this out for tips on enjoying the race.

Find out more about this weekend’s races and purchase tickets at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.