Ohio to Southern states mid-december

First of all, I just want to say this is a very informative site and thanks to all replies. My brother and myself are planning to take a road trip for about a week and a half from december 12th until around the 20th. We are from northwestern ohio and are wanting to travel south/southwest/southeast. However we both have never taken a trip together and are wanting to get the most out of it. I personally drove from ohio to fort worth in 16 hours straight through last year in january. It was a very tiring drive and mostly at night so I couldn't enjoy anything. We are both comfortable driving long distances. I would like to know some opinions of good turn around points and destinations in between to visit. We are looking for maybe some racing, car shows, maybe a basketball game and a few good bars in between. Don't need high class entertainment just an enjoyable time. We just are unsure if we should head towards florida or arizona at this point. We know we don't want to drive through denver or anything like that in the middle of december and get stranded out there. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

First of all, you will find very little sympathy or support for trying to drive 1100-1200 miles in 16 hours here. Such endeavors are simply unwise and unsafe. With only a week or so for your entire round trip journey, and your stated goals for the trip, both on the way and at whatever your final destination might be, Arizona is entirely out or range. The panhandle of Florida is a possibility, but the Keys are not.The area that I really think will fit in best with your desires is North Carolina with its multiple ACC basketball schools and the many stock car racing teams headquartered around Mooresville (Penske), Charlotte (Hendrick), Concord (Roush), and others.

AZBuck

Hey AZBuck,
I appreciate your input. I do realize how stupid driving that far and long is, however I had to be in fort worth the next day and a woman I worked with refused to fly which led me to have to cancel a flight and drive her to out headquarters since I am her manager. I can say I would never do that again and yes definately not looking for any sympathy. lol. Anyways I do agree that AZ is a bit far and I have never been to the Carolinas which seems ideal to us. I was wondering if you had any advice on places to visit in and around winston salem or if I should look towards Charolette area

The entire area from Charlotte to Winston-Salem to Raleigh, including Chapel Hill and Durham is encompassed in a box less than a hundred and fifty miles in its longest dimension. If you were to set yourselves up in say Asheboro you would only be an hour or so from half a dozen different great venues and could see what you wanted anywhere in the general vicinity.

AZBuck