With more than a year until the championship races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR is taking time to make some changes at the South Florida track.
Don't worry, racing fans; they aren't touching the racing surface.
"It could stand a fresh coat of paint," track president Guillermo Santa Cruz said during a media session on Tuesday. "We're very close to the ocean, so the salt tends to give the place a bit of a beating sometimes. Other things that we want to do to improve the fan experience when it comes to hospitality, when it comes to our Champions Club in particular.
"When we look at the footprint of the track, look at the place, we want to make sure that we are looking at everything and make sure that we do things that will be enjoyed by all our guests, regardless which tier you're coming in, the high-end hospitality, or a grandstand, we want to make sure people have the best possible experience."
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a championship-caliber facility in terms of the racing it produces. It's high on the list for drivers who love to rip the wall. However, NASCAR knows that the facility could use a little bit of love.
Homestead-Miami Speedway is just not quite as turnkey a Phoenix Raceway, which underwent a $178 million reconfiguration in 2018.
This project in Arizona changed the racing surface, updated the grandstands, and added escalators and elevators. It also upgraded the media center, victory lane, and several other spaces in the infield.
"Homestead isn't a Phoenix Raceway; it probably won't be to that level when we come from the championship next year," explained Ben Kennedy, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer.
"But we are going to be putting some capital in that facility to make sure it is a championship-caliber property when we show up to it next year."
Providing more comfort for the fans will be a priority for Homestead-Miami Speedway, starting with additional ways to provide shade.
NASCAR and the track will also focus on getting fans in and out of the facility throughout the race weekend. No one wants to wait in long lines and miss key parts of the experience, nor do they want to get stuck in a queue when heading to their cars.
Kennedy added that the hospitality offerings, audio, and infield experience will all be high on the list this fall and heading into next spring. He doesn't know if they will check off every item on the list, but they will put in a solid effort to make some updates happen before championship weekend.