Richmond Raceway Seating Guide: Best Seats, Seating Chart and Where to Sit (2026)
Part of the Happy Hour Racing track guide series - where to sit, what you actually see, and which seats are worth the money.
Richmond Raceway seating is all on one side of the track. The backstretch stands came down years ago, so every seat lines the frontstretch or wraps Turns 1 and 2. On a 0.75-mile short track that is fine, because you can follow the whole lap from almost anywhere. Picking the best seats at Richmond Raceway comes down to which grandstand, how high, and whether you mind the evening sun.
The Short Version
- Best value: the Dogwood Grandstand at the Turn 1 end, sections DWAA to DWD. It has the cheapest reserved seats on the official chart, and you watch cars charge down the frontstretch straight at you into Turn 1. That is our opinion, not an official ranking.
- Think twice about: the low rows of the Capital Grandstand at the Turn 4 end, CAA to CAC. The frontstretch is nearly flat, the fence is right there, and the cars are heading away from you.
- Shade: no grandstand has a roof and umbrellas are banned. The frontstretch stands face north, so the sun sits behind you. Dogwood faces west, straight into the setting sun before a 7 p.m. green flag.
Richmond Raceway Seating Chart and Track Layout
Richmond is a 0.75-mile D-shaped oval with 14 degrees of banking in the turns and 8 on the frontstretch. Per the official NASCAR Cup Series seating chart, from Turn 4 to Turn 2 you get Chaos Corner, the Capital Grandstand (CAA to CAI), the Commonwealth Grandstand (CWA to CWJ) with the Commonwealth Mezzanine (CMK to CMP), Torque Club and Commonwealth Tower (CTL to CTS) behind it, the Veranda Grandstand (VEA to VEF) and the Dogwood Grandstand (DWAA to DWO).
Best Seats at Richmond Raceway
Here is our honest version. Facts sourced, opinions ours. Prices are the advance ranges printed on the official chart, which the track says are subject to change.
Dogwood (DWAA to DWO, $40 to $101). The value play. From the Turn 1 end you look straight down the frontstretch as the field fires off Turn 4, which is where restarts get won and lost. The low letters, DWAA to DWD, keep you close to the line. The high letters up toward DWO swing around to Turn 2 and lose the finish.
Commonwealth (CWA to CWJ, $69 to $139). The classic pick. CWA to CWC face the start-finish line, and the middle-to-upper rows are where we would sit for the whole race. Above it, the Commonwealth Mezzanine ($139) and the Commonwealth Tower ($120 to $132) are the height upgrade, with a bird's-eye look at pit road.
Capital (CAA to CAI, $57 to $139). CAG to CAI sit right at the line and are as good as Commonwealth. The Turn 4 end is weaker, since cars are already past you. CAA is marked as family seating, alcohol prohibited, which is a real plus if you bring kids.
Veranda (VEA to VEF, $63 to $139). A short stand at the mouth of Turn 1, good for watching cars dive into the corner.
Chaos Corner ($40). A tiered party deck with a drink rail in Turn 4. It is a social ticket more than a viewing seat. Past seasons it was sold 21 and over with no coolers, so check the current rules before you buy.
Reviews describe a four-sided video board at the center of the track, so you can follow the running order from the stands. Bring a scanner anyway.
General Admission: What You Actually Get
For the Cup race, nothing in the grandstands is general admission. The official chart lists every Cup section as a reserved seat. The closest thing to a walk-up, sit-anywhere ticket is Chaos Corner, the cheapest ticket on the chart at $40.
General admission does exist on the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series day. Per the official chart, Capital CAA to CAC and Commonwealth CWF to CWJ are general admission for that race. Kids 12 and younger start at $12 on the Cup chart, which makes a family trip much cheaper than the adult prices suggest.
Seating Capacity and How the Sections Are Numbered
Richmond Raceway's seating capacity is about 51,000, the last recorded figure after the 2017 to 2018 renovation. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported it as under 50,000 in 2024. The track does not publish a current number, so treat that as the accepted figure, not an official 2026 count.
Richmond uses letters, not numbers. The first two letters name the grandstand: CA is Capital, CW is Commonwealth, CM is Commonwealth Mezzanine, CT is Commonwealth Tower, VE is Veranda and DW is Dogwood. The last letter is the section, in alphabetical order. Capital runs A at Turn 4 to I at the line, Commonwealth runs A at the line to J toward Turn 1, and Dogwood runs from DWAA in Turn 1 up to DWO in Turn 2.
Shade, Sun and Weather
No grandstand at Richmond has a roof, and umbrellas are on the prohibited list. Sunscreen and bug spray are allowed in aerosol, gel or liquid form, so bring both.
Orientation is the useful part. The compass on the official chart puts the frontstretch stands facing north, so Capital, Commonwealth and Veranda fans have the sun at their backs. Dogwood sits on the east side looking west, which means the low summer sun is in your face. The 2026 Cook Out 400 went green at 7 p.m. ET on August 15, so Dogwood fans had a low sun in front of them until it set around 8 p.m. In photos, the highest frontstretch rows tuck under the suite building, the nearest thing to cover. For real air conditioning, the Torque Club pairs an indoor club with outdoor reserved seats.
Accessible Seating
Per Richmond's ADA page, accessible seating for NASCAR events is on platforms in the Veranda and Dogwood grandstands, and in the Dogwood and Commonwealth Towers. Every accessible space comes with the option to buy companion seats. All grandstand entrances have a ramp or elevator.
Escalators on the east side of the Commonwealth Grandstand carry fans to the Mezzanine and the first row of the Tower, and an elevator at Level 4 reaches the top Tower rows. You can bring your own wheelchair or a personal electric mobility device, but Richmond does not rent either. Questions go to 866-455-7223.
Common questions about seating at Richmond Raceway
What are the best seats at Richmond Raceway?
In our opinion, the middle and upper rows of Commonwealth CWA to CWC at the start-finish line for the full view, and Dogwood DWAA to DWD at the Turn 1 end for value. Both let you follow the whole 0.75-mile lap.
What does the Richmond Raceway seating chart look like?
Every seat is on the frontstretch or in Turns 1 and 2. From Turn 4: Chaos Corner, Capital CAA to CAI, Commonwealth CWA to CWJ with the Mezzanine and Tower behind it, Veranda VEA to VEF, then Dogwood DWAA to DWO. There is no backstretch seating.
What is the seating capacity at Richmond Raceway?
About 51,000, the last recorded figure after the 2018 renovation, with a 2024 report putting it under 50,000. The track does not publish a current capacity.
Where is the shade at Richmond Raceway?
There is no covered grandstand and umbrellas are banned. The frontstretch stands face north, so the sun is behind you, while Dogwood faces west into the evening sun. The Torque Club has an air-conditioned indoor area.
What do you get with general admission at Richmond Raceway?
For the Cup race, every grandstand section is reserved. Chaos Corner in Turn 4 is the cheapest ticket. General admission seating is offered on the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series day in Capital CAA to CAC and Commonwealth CWF to CWJ.
Are the seats at Richmond Raceway backed or bleachers?
Mostly benches with backs. Fan guides describe the main grandstands as bench-back, with chairback seats in the Commonwealth Mezzanine and Tower. Seat cushions without metal parts are allowed, collapsible chairs are not.
Where is accessible seating at Richmond Raceway?
On platforms in the Veranda and Dogwood grandstands and in the Dogwood and Commonwealth Towers, with companion seats available. Call the ticket office at 866-455-7223.
The Bottom Line
Richmond is a short track where nearly every seat sees the whole lap, so pay for position and height, not proximity. Sit near the line in Commonwealth if you can, take Dogwood at the Turn 1 end if you want the best price, and if you land in Dogwood, pack sunglasses for the sunset.
Verify before you buy. Section names, prices, capacity, general admission and accessible seating can change season to season. Check the official Richmond Raceway seating chart and ADA information first. Then read our Richmond Raceway Fan Guide for the bag and cooler policy and our Richmond Raceway Parking Guide for where to park, and compare with our Darlington seating guide.
Gear Up for Richmond
Richmond gear from wins that actually happened at the track, all in stock now:
