Bristol Speedway: From MLB to NASCAR, Against the Clock for the Race

As soon as the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds finished their meeting on the baseball diamond inside the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway, a new clock began to run. The “Last Great Colosseum” must be quickly transformed after hosting the MLB Speedway Classic and be ready for the return of NASCAR to this historic racetrack for a playoff race on September 13. The first MLB regular season game in the state of Tennessee set a record with an attendance of 91,032 people, but now it must return to its racing roots.

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

Steve Swift, Senior Vice President of Operations at Speedway Motorsports

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 removed and must now 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 explained that pouring concrete walls takes time, and then more time for them to cure properly.

As soon as the last release is launched, the last hit is connected, the teams do their thing, the post-game is taken care of, the protections will begin to be removed from the wall and they will work all night to basically start disassembling so that we can reassemble for the NASCAR race.

Steve Swift, Senior Vice President of Operations for Speedway Motorsports

Part of the gravel will be used in Bristol parking lots. Swift said they have found groups to 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 with respect to the reconstruction part. We just need to get it out of the way so we can put asphalt and concrete back.

Steve Swift, Senior Vice President of Operations at Speedway Motorsports

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’re definitely aiming for September 7th.

Steve Swift, Senior Vice President of Speedway Motorsports Operations

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 even think of.

Steve Swift, Senior Vice President of Speedway Motorsports Operations