Bristol Speedway: From MLB to NASCAR, a Race Against Time

As soon as the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds finished their baseball game on the diamond inside the infield of the Bristol Motor Speedway, a new clock began its countdown. The “Last Great Colosseum” must change venue from the MLB Speedway Classic and prepare for the return of NASCAR to the historic racetrack for a playoff race on September 13th. The first MLB regular season game in the state of Tennessee set a record with a paid attendance of 91,032 fans, but now it must return to its racing roots.

It’s difficult, but they are things we like. It gives us a challenge and we like challenges.

Steve Swift, Senior Vice President of Speedway Motorsports Operations

The Major League Baseball used BaAM to create everything, from the locker rooms for the Braves and the Reds, complete with showers, fitness rooms, coaches’ and trainers’ offices, and batting cages. They built stands along both baselines with broadcast booths. The pit walls were torn down and now have to be rebuilt. The transformation into a baseball diamond on the infield required 17,500 tons of gravel to level the infield, then 340 tons of Pennsylvania clay for the playing surface. Swift said that pouring concrete walls takes time, and then more time to cure them properly.

As soon as the last release is launched, the last hit is connected, the teams do their thing, take care of the postseason, the pads will begin to come off the wall, and they will work overnight to basically disassemble so we can reassemble for the NASCAR race.

Steve Swift

Part of the gravel will be used in Bristol parking lots. Swift said they have found groups that will help use some of the materials to help people who are still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. That includes 2x4s and plywood used for the bleachers.

Many things will be used well in terms of the reconstruction part. We just need to get them out of the way so we can put asphalt and concrete back.

Steve Swift

This new renewal calendar has a couple of days built in for protection. The target date for completion is September 7th.

There may still be some paint drying when the Goodyear transporters arrive, but we will definitely aim for (September 7th).

Steve Swift

Bristol hosted a college football game in 2016 that drew 156,990 people. Now, the NHL could be in Bristol’s future after Sportico reported Friday that league officials would be reviewing how the racetrack handled Major League Baseball.

We have shown with soccer and now baseball that things can take place and we can do things that no one would think of.

Steve Swift