Bristol Motor Speedway

Track Info

Location	Bristol, Tennessee
Type	Short Track (Concrete Oval)
Length	0.533 miles (0.858 km)
Banking	26-30 degrees in turns, 6-10 degrees on straights
Surface	Concrete
Capacity	~146,000
Opened	1961

Track Characteristics

Bristol Motor Speedway is often called "The Last Great Colosseum" and for good reason. The half-mile concrete bowl with its steep 26-30 degree banking packs more intensity per lap than any other track in NASCAR. The high walls rise up around the track like a stadium, trapping the sound of 40 cars echoing off the concrete in a deafening roar that gives the track its "Thunder Valley" nickname.

The racing at Bristol is defined by close-quarters combat. With 40 cars on a half-mile track, contact is not just inevitable but expected. The steep banking allows cars to carry surprising speed through the corners, but the tight confines mean there is nowhere to hide. Drivers who can use their bumper effectively without crossing the line into outright wrecking tend to thrive at Bristol.

The concrete surface underwent a grinding process that changed the racing character. The bottom lane became dominant, which was controversial among fans who missed the multi-groove, bump-and-run racing that defined Bristol for decades. NASCAR has worked with the track to apply traction compound to the upper grooves to restore two-lane racing.

Getting There

Nearest Airport	Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) in Blountville, TN - approximately 15 miles northeast. Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 120 miles southwest.
Nearest City	Bristol, TN. The track straddles the Tennessee-Virginia border, with the cities of Bristol on both sides of the state line.

Series That Race Here

• NASCAR Cup Series - Two races per year (spring night race and fall playoff race)
• NASCAR Xfinity Series
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

2026 NASCAR Event Info

Spring Race	Food City 500
Spring Date	March 15, 2026
Fall Race	Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Playoff Round of 16)
Fall Date	September 19, 2026
TV	FOX (spring) / USA Network (fall)

Track Records

Qualifying Record	Jeff Gordon - 128.709 mph (2003)
Race Record	Charlie Glotzbach - 101.074 mph (1971)

Notable Past Races

• 1999 Night Race: Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte waged an epic battle on the final lap, with Earnhardt spinning Labonte to take the win. When asked about the move, Earnhardt famously said, "I didn't mean to turn him. I meant to rattle his cage."
• 2002: Jeff Gordon swept both Bristol races, cementing his status as one of the best short-track racers of his era.
• 2017 Night Race: Kyle Larson held off a furious challenge from Martin Truex Jr. in one of the most exciting Bristol finishes in recent memory.
• 2020: Kevin Harvick won the All-Star Race, which was moved to Bristol due to the pandemic, showcasing the track under unusual circumstances.

Track Facts

• Bristol Motor Speedway has the largest seating capacity of any sports venue in Tennessee, holding approximately 146,000 fans in the steep grandstands that tower over the half-mile oval.
• The track hosted "Battle at Bristol" in 2016, a college football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech that drew over 156,000 fans, setting the record for the largest-ever college football crowd.
• Bristol's Night Race in August/September has been one of the toughest tickets in all of sports for decades, with a waiting list that once stretched for years.
• The track was originally called Bristol International Raceway when it opened in 1961 as a half-mile dirt track before being paved later that year.

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