Phoenix International Speedway

What sets this apart from the other mile layouts is the presence of a crook on the back straight. Many tracks have gradual curves - the so-called "triovals" - near the start-finish line, but Phoenix's layout is the opposite. The front "straight" is actually straight.

The track is surrounded on two sides by rugged mountains, and fans actually pay, by the thousands to hike up amid the cacti and varmints to watch races there. The backdrop is dazzling, but races are often fairly mundane.