For fans of NASCAR racing visiting the Grand Strand, the summer of 2019 is set to really heat up and kick into high gear in late July. That’s when the squealing tires, revving engines and high-speed thrills of the Armed Forces Sun Fun Race — set for Saturday, July 20, at the historic Myrtle Beach Speedway — will roar onto the South Carolina coast.
Providing a whopping dose of some of the Southeast’s most exciting short-track racing, the Armed Forces Sun Fun Race will feature competition in five categories — NASCAR Whelen Series Late Models, Chargers, Mini Stocks, Super Trucks and Vintage Series. On race day, the speedway gates will open at 6 p.m., a Driver Meet and Greet will be held at 7 p.m. (bring your cameras and pens for photos and autographs!), and the racing action begins at 7:30 p.m. For race fans looking to catch a bit of early action on the track, the grandstands will also be open to spectators on Friday.
General admission tickets to the Armed Forces Sun Fun Race at Myrtle Beach Speedway can be purchased for $15 plus tax, which includes Friday and Saturday grandstand entry. Seniors ages 65 and up and attendees holding valid military IDs are given $3 off admission, and kids 11 years old and younger are admitted free of charge. Infield pit passes and other enhanced experiences are also available for an added fee — visit myrtlebeachspeedway.com or the race’s Facebook page for more info.
Built in 1958 and located next to Tanger Outlets Myrtle Beach on Highway 501 in Myrtle Beach, the Myrtle Beach Speedway is a semi-banked asphalt oval track spanning just over half a mile in track distance. From the historic track’s opening year in 1958 through the mid-1960s, Myrtle Beach Speedway played host to numerous NASCAR Cup series races. Later, the NASCAR Busch Series held races at the track from 1988 through 2000. Today, Myrtle Beach Speedway regularly hosts NASCAR Whelen All-American Series races from late February through November. Annual events at the track include the Myrtle Beach 400, IceBreaker 200, NASCAR Racing Experience, Monster Truck Beach Devastation, the NOPI Nationals and the Horry County Fair, and the track is also home to the NASCAR Racing Experience, car shows, Mustang Day, and various other events and festivals.
After taking in some high-speed thrills at the track, you and your race-day crew can head back to the luxurious oceanfront accommodations and wide-ranging amenities at Caribbean Resort to rest up for another day of thrills on the Grand Strand. Book your Grand Strand vacation today — and start looking forward to some race-day excitement on the Carolina coast!
