Las Vegas Motor Speedway Fan Guide: Cooler Policy, Bag Rules and What to Bring (2026)
Part of the Happy Hour Racing Track Fan Guide series - the spectator rules and what to pack before race day.
The Short Version
- Coolers: not allowed, of any kind, hard or soft, at the grandstand and terrace gates. Leave the cooler at home.
- Bags: up to two per person, max 18 x 18 x 14 inches. Clear bags are recommended and get a faster express line, but non-clear bags of the same size are allowed too. Everything is searched at the gate.
- Food and drinks: one non-alcoholic beverage per guest (64 ounces max, plastic or metal container only) and one food item per guest, like a sandwich, crackers, chips, or fruit. No family-size bags.
- Leave at home: coolers, glass or ceramic containers, drones, tripods and selfie sticks, folding or collapsible chairs, and umbrellas.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval in Clark County, Nevada, about 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip. The track opened in 1996 and has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series date every year since 1998, running 20 degrees of banking in the turns and 9 degrees on the frontstretch and backstretch. LVMS hosts two Cup Series weekends a year, the spring Pennzoil 400 and the fall South Point 400, and this guide covers the gate policies for both. Denny Hamlin won the 2026 Pennzoil 400 on March 15, his 61st career Cup win, after overcoming a speeding penalty during the race.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway cooler policy
Coolers of any kind, hard-sided or soft, are not permitted through the grandstand and terrace gates at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There is no small-cooler exception, so plan your food and drink around what fits in your two bags instead. Pack your one allowed beverage and one allowed food item and leave the cooler in the car.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway bag policy
Each fan can bring up to two bags through the gates, with a maximum size of 18 x 18 x 14 inches. Clear bags of that size are recommended and get routed through a dedicated clear-bag express line for faster screening, but non-clear bags like backpacks or totes are allowed too as long as they meet the same size limit. Every bag is inspected at the gate.
Prohibited items
These items will stop you at the gate, so leave them in the car or at home:
- Coolers of any kind, and glass or ceramic containers
- Firearms and other illegal weapons, plus knives longer than 3 inches closed or 6 inches open
- Aerosol cans, other than sunscreen, sun block, hand sanitizer, and bug spray
- Alcoholic beverages brought from outside the gates
- Drones and other radio-controlled flying devices
- Monopods, tripods, and selfie sticks
- Fireworks, dry ice, laser pointers, noise makers, and air horns
- Frisbees, balloons, beach balls, footballs, and other projectiles
- Golf carts, hoverboards, e-scooters, and similar personal transport devices
- Collapsible or folding chairs, umbrellas, and non-collapsible wagons
- Seat cushions with metal components, and stadium seats over 18 inches wide or with arms
- Pets other than service animals, and Confederate flags
What you can bring
One non-alcoholic beverage per guest is allowed, up to 64 ounces, in a plastic sports bottle, plastic cup, or metal tumbler. One food item per guest is allowed too, like a sandwich, crackers, chips, or fruit, though family-size bags are not permitted. Sunscreen, sun block, hand sanitizer, and bug spray are fine in aerosol, gel, or liquid form. Seat cushions are allowed as long as they have no metal components, and stadium seats or backrests are fine under 18 inches wide with no arms. Service animals are welcome on a leash or harness.
Grandstands, seating, and the track layout
LVMS runs multi-tier grandstands along the frontstretch and backstretch of the 1.5-mile tri-oval, with terrace seating adding more capacity above the main stands. The 20-degree banking in the turns puts every seat close to the racing surface, but sightlines still shift depending on which stretch you're in, so check your ticket's grandstand and row before you go. The map below shows the current tri-oval configuration used for NASCAR weekends.
Getting there and race-day tips
Free parking surrounds the entire speedway, and premium lots like Lucky 7 and Shell Rotella Lot 4 use digital VIP passes scanned through the track's mobile app. Every transaction inside the gates is cashless, debit or credit card only, and there are no ATMs on property, so bring a card rather than counting on cash. LVMS offers accommodations for guests with disabilities, including special seating, tram services, and accessible parking. If you need help on race day, the Fan Assistance Line at 702-632-8006 is staffed during events, or call the main ticket office at 800-644-4444 ahead of time. Las Vegas in March can swing from cold desert mornings to warm, windy afternoons, so dress in layers and bring sunscreen.
Fan tips from the grandstands
- Bring a clear bag if you have one, it moves through the express line faster than a standard search
- You only get one beverage and one food item per person, so plan snacks that travel well instead of packing a full spread
- Skip the tripod and selfie stick, both are turned away at the gate along with drones and monopods
- Bring a card, not cash. The whole speedway runs cashless and there are no ATMs on site
- Pack layers. Desert mornings run cold in March even when the afternoon sun heats things up fast
The bottom line
Las Vegas Motor Speedway runs a strict no-cooler policy at the gates, caps bags at 18 x 18 x 14 inches, and limits outside food to one drink and one food item per guest. Track policies change from season to season, so confirm the current rules on the official Las Vegas Motor Speedway track policies page before you travel.
Common questions about Las Vegas Motor Speedway
What size cooler can you bring to Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
None. Coolers of any kind, hard-sided or soft, are not allowed through the grandstand and terrace gates for NASCAR weekends.
What is the bag policy at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
Up to two bags per person, max 18 x 18 x 14 inches. Clear bags of that size get a faster express line, but non-clear bags of the same size are allowed too. All bags are searched at the gate.
Can you bring food and drinks into Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
One non-alcoholic beverage per guest, up to 64 ounces, in a plastic or metal container, plus one food item per guest like a sandwich, crackers, chips, or fruit. Family-size bags of food are not permitted.
Are umbrellas allowed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
No. Umbrellas are on the prohibited items list and are not allowed through the gates.
Are chairs or seat cushions allowed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
Collapsible and folding chairs are not allowed. Seat cushions are fine as long as they have no metal components, and stadium seats or backrests are allowed under 18 inches wide with no arms.
What items are prohibited at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
Coolers, glass containers, firearms and weapons, oversized knives, drones, tripods and selfie sticks, fireworks, laser pointers, projectiles like frisbees and footballs, golf carts and hoverboards, folding chairs, umbrellas, and seat cushions with metal components are all prohibited.
Is Las Vegas Motor Speedway cashless?
Yes. Every transaction inside the gates requires a debit or credit card, and there are no ATMs on property.
Gear up before you go
Heading to Vegas for the Pennzoil 400? Grab some Las Vegas win gear from Happy Hour Racing before you go.
Denny Hamlin's 2026 Pennzoil 400 winner tee, the Denny Hamlin 2025 South Point 400 winner tee, the Josh Berry first Cup win at Vegas tee, and the Justin Allgaier Xfinity Vegas win tee are all in stock. Browse the latest in the Happy Hour Racing store.
