Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:151 Speedway Blvd
Bristol, Tennessee
Our Sports Superfan Says:
One of the most popular and historic speedways in the United States is tucked into the Appalachian Mountains. Bristol Motor Speedway's high-banked turns and ultra-short track have given racing fans more than 45 years of intense action. Currently, the track hosts six races each year, in addition to holding drag racing competitions on an adjacent strip.
The track itself is only .533 miles long, resulting in cars being wrapped around nearly half the track when a race starts. This, combined with the 24-30-degree banked turns, means that although racing usually is at a lower speed than at other tracks, it is very congested, and requires the utmost driving skill to avoid a major wreck. Opening in 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted numerous races in many different types of auto racing. Now, the main track is the home of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series races, the Food City 500 and Sharpie 500, in addition to hosting two Busch (minor league) Series events, a truck race, and a minor stock car event.
Bristol Motor Speedway is also noteworthy for having hosted the first ever race with NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow," in March, 2007. The trial run was successful in 2007 and all races will be run with the CoT from 2008 and forward.
Major renovations throughout the years have increased the seating capacity at BMS to 165,000, making it the largest stadium in the world. However, tickets at Bristol are still very tough to come by, and are arguably the hardest to get in NASCAR. Tours of the track are available daily, except during racing season. If you go between May and August, reservations are required for the tours.
Bristol is located in the northeastern corner of Tennessee, near that state's borders with Virginia and North Carolina. It is about two hours away from Knoxville, Tennesee.