A historic night at Bristol Motor Speedway was marred by rain, forcing the suspension of the match between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning. The event, called Speedway Classic, which marked the first regular season game of MLB in Tennessee, was stopped due to inclement weather, before a record crowd. The game will resume on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The initial launch ceremony was attended by baseball legends such as Johnny Bench and Chipper Jones, along with NASCAR figures such as Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott. After a delay of more than two hours, the game was postponed with the Reds leading 1-0. The rain frustrated a long-planned event that combined baseball and NASCAR.
The weather conditions made the game difficult, with incidents such as a bat that slipped from TJ Friedl’s hands and grip problems for a pitcher. The Speedway Classic is part of MLB’s initiative to bring baseball to places where it is not played daily, following the success of previous events. The Reds pitcher, Andrew Abbott, showed up in Bristol wearing a NASCAR racing suit, demonstrating his enthusiasm for the event. Before the rain forced the suspension, fans enjoyed a wide range of entertainment, including a 110-foot Ferris wheel, food stalls, live music, and batting cages. The players were presented in vehicles, and the introductions were made between cars decorated with the teams’ colors. The first delay caused changes in the starting pitchers. Spencer Strider, who grew up near Knoxville, received a bigger ovation than Chase Burns.We are going to suspend tonight’s game. … We are optimistic about a better weather forecast for tomorrow.
Michael Hill, Senior Vice President of Field Operations at MLB
Honestly, my first thought: I can’t believe they did all this for a single game. Being able to set all this up, prepare a playing surface, place the stands to have the right view, is quite incredible.
Matt Olson, Braves first baseman
