I'd suggest taking a day or two at the beginning and end just to relax to get there and get home also. I'd book hotels within 30 miles of the venue the night after. Basically it's drive to venue 8am-12noon, go to show 12noon to 5pm, show closes, drive to hotel and check in, re-ice the cooler, grab food, go back to hotel and chat with people at the hotel parking lot. If you are close enough to the venue you will have fellow PowerTour'ers in the parking lot.
Dad and I tried to drive all day from Minneapolis area to maybe an hour outside of Indy for day 3 last year and it was a lot, especially since it absolutely downpoured for most of the day. Kinda ended up at Indy tired and never caught up. Then drove from Champaign to Minneapolis again on the last day after we left the show at 3pm.
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So I've only gone to power tour twice, but my thoughts are-
I went for the day to spectate in 2017, venue was hot and dusty. Bring a cooler with water, drinks, a chair and sandwiches.
I only went 3 of the 5 days last year, that was enough for me. Long haul is cool just to say you did it, but after 3 days I saw enough cars. 50% of the cars are the same every day and 50% are new for 1 or 2 stops. Probably 1/3 of the cars on the trip are boring, stock, newish 2005+ Challengers, mustangs, or camaros anyways so they aren't worth looking at.
There is drag racing at a few stops which is cool but it's zero prep and long lines. Most run slower than 14's since everyone is on street tires. Only people running faster than 13's were hellcats on super traction control that pour the power in past the 330ft. I watched a bit but if I want to drag and drive I'll do a drag week focused style event.
There is usually autocross but with the Rona there wasn't any for '21. They had it in '17.
Most of the fun (for me) is driving through backroads and seeing the countryside, stopping at random roadside things, seeing people wave, kids ask for a burnout or something. Hot Rod provides a route and I suggest taking it. You can cut some time off going on the highway but it's boring. 1 of the 2 drive days I did last year were really boring (Indy to STL) and on the interstate for most of the time.
The drive from STL to Champaingn was much better/cooler.
Getting to the show grounds early (within 45 mins of opening) is worth it, otherwise you get packed WAAAY in the back and spend all your time walking to the front of the grounds for bathrooms, food, specating the autocross or drag racing.
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