Following the decline of the Texas World Speedway that began in the 1980s, the state of Texas found itself without a major racetrack and races for more than a decade. In the early 1990s, the newly incorporated and rising Speedway Motorsports and its founder, Bruton Smith, sought to build a major racetrack west of the Mississippi River, deciding on the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in 1994 with eventual longtime track general manager Eddie Gossage. Construction began in 1995 and was completed in 1996, with TMS holding its first races in 1997. Upon the track's christening, TMS became one of the biggest sports facilities in the United States.
Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) in its current form is measured at 1.500 mi (2.414 km), with 20 degrees of banking in the speedway's first two turns, 24 degrees of banking in the speedway's last two turns, five degrees of banking on the track's frontstretch and backstretch, and a racing surface width of 80 feet. From 1998 to 2017, the turns were all banked at 24 degrees and the racing surface width was 58 feet. When the track was initially constructed, it had a dual-banking system, with a high bank of 24 degrees and a low bank of eight degrees in the turns. As of 2021, the track has a capacity of 75,000. Alongside the main track, Texas Motor Speedway features an infield road course with four layouts alongside two adjacent tracks, including a 0.200 mi (0.322 km) paved short track and a 0.400 mi (0.644 km) dirt track. TMS features numerous amenities, including the world's largest HD video screen, a Speedway Club overlooking the first turn, and a 10-story building dedicated for office space and condominiums.
TMS holds one annual NASCAR weekend, highlighted by a NASCAR Cup Series race known as the Würth 400. The track also features support races for the Cup Series, including the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series' Andy's Frozen Custard 340 and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' SpeedyCash.com 250. TMS formerly held IndyCar Series races from 1997 to 2023. In 2024, the IndyCar Series did not return to TMS due to an NBC conflict with the 2024 Summer Olympics. The speedway has held numerous festivals throughout its history, with some festivals having a recorded attendance of 250,000 people or more. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility held 23 high school graduation ceremonies for schools within Denton County, Texas.
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