well, i dont have the first hand experiance but my uncle is a die hard race fan. goes to the local tracks for every race no matter what vehicle it is. he went to michigan 2 years in a row now and is heading on his 3rd. it got rained out for him his first year in june, so he booked tickets for the august race the next year. He just gets his tickets for him and his wife, gets a hotel (I have no clue where) and eats at a few retaurants. yes it is possbile to drive to the track, i dont know how long it takes from one of the hotels though. he has fun every year, and comes back with a few things each time. he doesnt have the most cash so i'm pretty sure this race is an affordable one.
And thats about all i have to say. whatever race you decide to go to, have fun!