Across the Southeast, there are several racetracks where you can drive your own car; you just need to know where to look to find them. Lucky for you (and us), most are within a short drive of the Triangle, offering various ways for you to participate in a motorsports event. Whether it’s attending a high-performance driving school, racing a specially built go-kart or driving your own car on a racetrack, we’ve put together a list of six regional road courses that will offer you a bit of everything.

Located from Virginia to Georgia by distance and drive time from Raleigh, any of these six tracks are sure to please the car enthusiast who wants to learn how to get the most out of their vehicle. Virginia International Raceway, just across the North Carolina state line near Danville, is the closest track on our list and also happens to be our recommended road course. Several of our Leith dealerships participate in annual events at VIR each year, like their spring and fall charity laps.

Virginia International Raceway

VIR offers several track configurations. The “Full Course” is 3.27 miles in length, while the “Patriot Course” stretches for 1.1 miles entirely inside the Full Course. The “North Course” is 2.25 miles long and the “South Course” covers a distance of 1.65 miles.

Some of VIR’s turns have unique names like “Oak Tree,” “Roller Coaster,” “Hog Pen,” “Horse Shoe,” “NASCAR Bend,” (because NASCAR drivers Richard Petty, David Pearson and Wendell Scott had some trouble in the turn during a Trans-Am race in 1966) “Snake,” “Spiral,” “Fish Hook” and “The Bitch.”  VIR offers a lot more than racing and track days too. Here’s our guide to getting the most out of your VIR experience.

Alton, Virginia – 1 hour, 30 minutes /  80 miles from Raleigh, North Carolina

Carolina Motorsports Park

Known as the Road Racing Center of the Carolinas, Carolina Motorsports Park has been developed by a group of enthusiasts and racers from the Southeast. The full 2.3-mile road course opened in July 1999. The site is an old World War II fighter-training base located south of Kershaw, South Carolina, and is a one hour drive south of Charlotte International Airport.

Kershaw, South Carolina – 3 hours / 162 miles from Raleigh, North Carolina

Dominion Raceway & Entertainment

Dominion Raceway & Entertainment is a multipurpose facility located off I-95. Located between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, Dominion Raceway includes a 2-mile road course, a 4/10ths-mile paved NASCAR oval, 1/8th-mile drag strip, festival concert venue and more.

Woodford, Virginia – 3 hours, 13 minutes / 198 miles from Raleigh, North Carolina

Roebling Road Raceway

Roebling Road Raceway, formerly known as Savannah International Raceway, is a 2.02-mile road racing course located just outside Bloomingdale, Georgia. The course opened in 1959 and is relatively unique in that it lacks any accommodations for spectators; there are no grandstands, picnicking areas, nor any other sort of viewing facilities.

Bloomingdale, Georgia – 5 hours, 35 minutes / 339 miles from Raleigh, North Carolina

Road Atlanta

Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia. The raceway is used for a variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams.

Braselton, Georgia – 5 hours, 31 minutes / 363 miles from Raleigh, North Carolina

Atlanta Motorsports Park

Atlanta Motorsports Park is the first green, sustainable motorsports club of its kind for high-performance cars, motorcycles and karts. In addition to providing events for club members, Atlanta Motorsports Park offers private track rentals and corporate group options, as well as one of the most unique kart tracks in the nation.

Dawsonville, Georgia – 6 hours, 24 minutes / 394 miles from Raleigh, North Carolina

Learn how to get your car prepped with our track-day checklist: 8 Ways to Get Your Car Track-Ready.

Written by LeithCars.com Media.