If you go to more than a couple NASCAR races in your lifetime, it’s worth investing in a radio scanner and headset versus renting them at the track. We researched products made all across the U.S. to find the best NASCAR radio scanners on the market. Here are our findings along with all of the factors that we considered in our research. Also be sure to check out our research for the best headsets for NASCAR.
Our Findings
The best options on the market right now are from Racing Electronics. They’ve been in the racing industry since 1988 and manufacture all their products in Concord, North Carolina (related: other NC made products), which is right next to the home of NASCAR and where most race teams are located. Check out Racing Electronics and our other top picks below. There are a few different options depending on the features and customization you want in your scanner.
Top Recommendations
| Best NASCAR Race Scanners | Best for: |
| Racing Electronics RE3000 Scanner | Quality |
| Racing Electronics RE1000 Scanner | Cheap Price |
| Uniden BC75XLT Scanner | Customization |
Recommendations: Going Deeper
Here are some additional details around each of our top picks.
Best Race Scanner for Overall Quality
Racing Electronics RE3000 Scanner
The RE3000 sets the standard for radio scanners at the racetrack. It’s one of the newest models from Racing Electronics and works with any headset that you pair it with. With this scanner, you will receive free Over-the-Air programming for life. No more standing in those long rental lines at the track and having to pay additional fees for programming. On top of that, the RE3000 comes with a one-year warranty in case anything ever happens to it. We also really liked the audio replay capabilities (only for previous 30 seconds), the long battery life (our tests indicate over 12 hours), and the good sound quality. If you need to, you can even manually program frequencies for certain drivers. Overall, we were very pleased with the performance of this scanner and highly recommend it to all race fans.
Things we like:
- Audio replay capabilities for the previous 30 seconds
- Three hot button favorite channels so you can quickly tune into your favorite drivers
- 440 UHF Channels in 4 different series
- Long battery life
- Crisp sound quality
- Easy to hold, comes with belt clip attached
Things we don’t like:
- Online instructions for how to use the scanner are somewhat confusing
Best Cheap Race Scanner
Racing Electronics RE1000 Scanner
The RE1000 is an older model from Racing Electronics, but still works well and is a good option for those who really value price. It’s lightweight, and again works with all headset models, including intercom systems. The RE1000 has a really simple user interface and a very similar long battery life to the newer models. The only primary concern with this model is the slightly lower sound quality compared to the newer RE3000 model. It also has fewer channels and is slightly more of a nuisance to program if you’re doing it manually. This model is very popular at the race track. It’s the scanner that I see most frequently when I head to the speedway (I go to at least 3 races every year).
Things we like:
- Cheaper price
- Simple user interface
- Ergonomic
- Long battery life
Things we don’t like:
- Fewer channels
- Lower sound quality
Best Race Scanner for Customizing
Uniden BC75XLT Scanner
The Uniden BC75XLT is a great all-around scanner for more than just NASCAR races. Tune into frequencies on emergency broadcasts, weather reports, police and fire departments, military air shows, local events, and more. It comes with some pre-programmed bands for commonly used frequencies and a belt clip so it’s easy to tote around. Program up to 300 channels, which gives you plenty of room for each of the three NASCAR series, and it auto detects nearby transmissions which is super convenient for manual programming. You don’t see this model super frequently at the speedway, but it can definitely get the job done and be used for tuning into a variety of other events and broadcasts as well. Just make sure you have your scanner programmed before the race so you don’t miss any of the action!
Things we like:
- Compact, easy to handle (comes with belt clip)
- Customization
- Close call RF capture technology – auto detects nearby transmissions
- Pre-programmed bands for commonly used frequencies
Things we don’t like:
- Extra work to program frequencies before a race
- Slightly heavier
Recap: Best NASCAR Race Scanners Made in the USA
- Racing Electronics RE3000 Scanner – Quality
- Racing Electronics RE1000 Scanner – Cheap Price
- Uniden BC75XLT Scanner – Customization
Factors We Considered
Sound Quality
Good sound quality is a requirement for any NASCAR scanner when you’re sitting trackside with cars going 200mph down below. If signals come in even slightly unclear, it can be tough to hear the crew chief and spotter communicate with their driver. We hand-tested each and every scanner for quality to come out with our top recommendations.
Usability and Controls
A complicated or bulky scanner can be super frustrating. We looked for ergonomic radio scanners that were easy to hold or clip to your belt. In addition to those requirements, user interface was also important. We considered race scanners that were easy to set up, program, and navigate the user interface.
Value
Getting a good value for the price you pay is important for every consumer. We eliminated several scanners from our list if we thought they were overpriced for the quality of the product. Scanners suitable for NASCAR races range everywhere from $50 to $400. We made sure to make recommendations that will give you the highest quality product and not break the bank.
Variety & Customization
Variety is important in a race scanner – you need to be able to have the flexibility to program frequencies for all your favorite drivers across three NASCAR series. We eliminated several scanners that didn’t meet our variety standards – whether it was too narrow or had more channels than necessary.
