ASCAR hosts its season-finale each year in southern Florida at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, a 1.5-mile oval with 20 degrees of banking in the turns.

Begun as a way to help Dade County recover from the damage of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the track opened in 1995, but went through a major overhaul in 2003 that greatly improved the racing at the track. The track has doubled its seating capacity to 80,000 in recent years.

For a racetrack that has only been around since 1995, Homestead-Miami Speedway has undergone more than its share of changes.

Homestead-Miami Speedway actually started as an idea to help Dade County recover after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Ralph Sanchez, a longtime motorsports promoter in South Florida, struck a deal to build the track.

When it opened in 1995, the trackýs original configuration was a flat oval with short "chute" straightaways between Turns 1 and 2 and Turns 3 and 4. Five years later, an $8 million renovation turned the track into a more conventional oval with 6 degrees of banking in its turns.

Then, in 2003, Homestead-Miami Speedway took on its current shape. The trackýs turns were rebuilt with variable banking from 18 degrees in the bottom groove to 20 degrees near the outside wall.

That project cost another $12 million and set Homestead-Miami Speedway up to host to Ford Championship Weekend, a climactic tripleheader featuring the season finales in all three of NASCARýs top national series ý Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck.

Since it opened, Homestead-Miami Speedway has doubled its seating capacity to 80,000.

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Where to stay:

Where to eat:

Dan Marino's Restaurant, 5701 Sunset Drive, Miami, FL 305 665 1315

Sidetrips:

Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132-1924 305 577 3344

Track Facts:

Banking/Turns: 20
Distance: 1.5 miles
Shape: Oval

Photos:

Past Winners:

1999

• Tony Stewart-Pennzoil 400 presented by Kmart

2000

• Tony Stewart-Pennzoil 400

2001

• Bill Elliott-Pennzoil Freedom 400

2002

• Kurt Busch-Ford 400

2003

• Bobby Labonte-Ford 400

2004

• Greg Biffle-Ford 400

2005

• Greg Biffle-Ford 400