Where culture meets competition

For decades, the roar of engines, the scent of burning rubber and the unified anticipation of thousands have defined race weekends across the country. But at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), the experience transcends speed; it’s a spectacle of community, culture and transformation.

David Hart, Director of Communications at TMS, has lived and breathed the racing world for over 37 years.

“There’s nothing like sitting in the grandstands… it’s the sound, the sights, all the folks around you who are excited about it,” Hart said. “It’s like the kickoff for the Super Bowl.”

Although NASCAR is often viewed as an individual sport, Hart sees it differently. “It’s very much a team sport. The drivers get all the attention… but it’s the 15 to 20 people on each team in the pits and back at the race shop that make the difference.”

Cup Series and Xfinity Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a six-time series champion including two wins from Talledega and two from Daytona, agrees. “The more fans out there, the more energy, the more I look forward to getting in the car,” he said. “Our sport is all about the fans.”

Fan connection has always been key to NASCAR culture. According to a 2005 West Virginia University study on fan communities, loyalty is often passed down generationally, rooted in both family and regional identity. It’s a culture built on authenticity and access, traits NASCAR embraces through autograph sessions, meet-and-greets and open garage areas.

And yet, the sport is still navigating a generational shift. In a recent survey of TCU student participants, just 33.3% said they have attended a race at Texas Motor Speedway, while 36.4% have attended a professional race at any track. Although fewer than half have experienced TMS firsthand, 42.5% of respondents rated themselves a three or higher on a one-to-five scale when asked how likely they are to attend a race in the next two years. This signals a clear opportunity, and challenge, for TMS to turn curiosity into commitment.

Racing Forward: Community & cultural impact

The Speedway’s philanthropic work is anchored by its partnership with Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in need throughout North Texas.

“Last year, we gave out over a quarter of a million dollars in grants,” Hart said. “That helped over 40,000 kids in the DFW area.”

Since its founding in 1997, the SCC chapter at Texas Motor Speedway has distributed more than $12.4 million to nonprofit organizations, ranging from children’s hospitals to after-school programs and shelters. 

According to their website, “Speedway Children’s Charities could fill the grandstands at Texas Motor Speedway 18 times with the number of children helped since 1997.” That staggering visualization underscores the reach of TMS far beyond the world of motorsports.

The impact is not just financial, it’s emotional and deeply personal. “We get to meet the kids and families at our grant ceremonies,” Hart said. “It’s not just writing a check. It’s understanding what these kids are going through and knowing we can be part of their story.”

Events like the SCC’s annual Christmas tree lighting and holiday toy drive bring that mission to life. TMS opens its doors to hundreds of families each December, transforming pit row into a winter wonderland where children receive gifts, take photos with Santa and experience joy that might otherwise be out of reach.

 “That’s the kind of thing people don’t always associate with a racetrack,” Hart said. “But this place has heart.”

Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has personally supported SCC through charity golf tournaments and meet-and-greet fundraisers. He emphasized the importance of showing up. 

“Drivers love supporting the communities we race in,” he said. “NASCAR just needs to ask, and we’ll show up.” The presence of drivers helps boost turnout and funding, but also signals to young fans that the people they see on TV are invested in their hometowns.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, TMS again stepped up in a civic role, converting the vast space of the Speedway into a regional vaccine distribution hub and a drive-in graduation venue. Tens of thousands of doses were administered on-site, helping Dallas-Fort Worth communities meet urgent public health needs. 

Simultaneously, TMS became a beacon of hope for high school seniors whose commencements had been canceled. “They walked across the start-finish line while parents watched from their cars,” Hart recalled. “It was emotional. People were honking, cheering, crying; it reminded us what this place can mean.”

These community connections reinforce what historians like Mark Dyreson and others argue in Motorsports and American Culture (2018): that racetracks function as civic spaces. Venues like TMS are local institutions woven into the fabric of American life, especially in Southern cities like Fort Worth.

TMS exemplifies this civic identity not just through charity or crisis response, but through ongoing engagement with fans and residents. The track regularly hosts blood drives, educational outreach programs, and partnerships with local law enforcement and fire departments. It is, in a sense, a town square with horsepower.

For Fort Worth residents, that civic bond may extend beyond fandom. According to the survey, over 60% of respondents have worked on a car at some point in their lives. That mechanical intimacy, changing oil, replacing a tire, fixing a carburetor, builds a deeper understanding and respect for the kind of precision and speed on display at the track. It’s not just entertainment; it’s craftsmanship. And at Texas Motor Speedway, that appreciation becomes part of a broader community spirit, one fueled by connection, care and a shared love of engines and impact.