Bristol Motor Speedway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bristol Motor Speedway

The Last Great Colosseum
Oval (1961–present)
Location	151 Speedway Boulevard, Bristol, Tennessee, 37620
Time zone	UTC−5 (UTC−4 DST)
Coordinates	36°30′56″N 82°15′25″W / 36.5156°N 82.2569°W / 36.5156; -82.2569
Owner	Speedway Motorsports (January 1996–present) Larry Carrier (July 1961–October 1977, January 1986–December 1995)
Operator	Speedway Motorsports (January 1996–present)
Broke ground	January 25, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-01-25)
Opened	July 23, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-07-23)
Construction cost	$600,000 USD
Former names	Bristol International Raceway (1978–1996) Bristol International Speedway (1961–1978)
Major events	Current: NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 (1961–present) Bass Pro Shops Night Race (1961–present) NASCAR All-Star Race (2020)
Oval (1961–present)
Surface	Concrete
Length	0.533 mi (0.858 km)
Turns	4
Banking	Turns: 24–28°, 5–9° Frontstretch, 4–8° Backstretch
Race lap record	0:14.945 ( Kyle Larson, Chevrolet SS, 2018, NASCAR Cup)
Temporary Dirt Oval (2020–present)
Surface	Clay
Length	0.533 mi (0.858 km)
Turns	4
Banking	Turns: 22–24° Straights: 9°
Race lap record	0:19.003 ( Stewart Friesen, Toyota Tundra NASCAR, 2021, NASCAR Truck)

Bristol Motor Speedway is a famous race track in Bristol, Tennessee. It's known as "The Last Great Colosseum" because of its huge size and how it looks like an ancient stadium. The track is a short oval, about half a mile long (0.858 km).

Since it opened in 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted many exciting events. These include thrilling NASCAR races, college football games, and sprint car races. The track has been owned by Speedway Motorsports since 1996. It's a very popular spot for racing fans!

What is Bristol Motor Speedway Like?

How the Track is Built

The Bristol Motor Speedway track is 0.533 miles (0.858 km) long. It has four turns that are steeply banked, meaning they are tilted. The turns tilt from 24 to 30 degrees, which helps cars go fast around the corners. The straight parts of the track are also tilted, but less steeply, from 4 to 9 degrees.

When the track first opened, the turns were banked at 27 degrees. For a while, people thought the banking was 36 degrees, but it was actually 30 degrees. Sometimes, the track is covered with dirt for special dirt races. When it's a dirt track, the banking is between 16 and 19 degrees. Bristol is also unique because it's the only NASCAR track with two separate pit road lanes for cars to stop for service.

Cool Features and Amenities

When Bristol Motor Speedway first opened, it could hold 21,000 fans. It also had a press box and lots of parking. Over the years, the track has grown a lot!

Today, the speedway can hold 146,000 people. That's a huge crowd! It also has a giant TV screen called "Colossus TV." This screen is 30 by 63 feet and hangs over the middle of the track. It lets everyone see the race action up close.

The Drag Strip Next Door

In 1964, plans were made to build a drag strip next to the main track. This drag strip is a quarter-mile (0.4 km) long. It was finished quickly and opened in May 1965. The drag strip has been updated many times since the 1990s to keep it modern for drag racing events.

History of the Track

Building the Speedway

In 1960, a businessman named Larry Carrier wanted to build a race track in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee area. He first planned to build it in Piney Flats, but that idea didn't work out. So, he chose a different spot that used to be a dairy farm.

Larry Carrier and his partners drew their ideas for the track on paper bags! On January 17, 1961, they announced plans for a 20,000-seat track. They also said the track would host two big NASCAR races every year. Construction started a few days later, on January 25.

People in Tennessee were very excited about the new track. The governor even declared a "Volunteer 500" week. Everyone thought it was great to have such a cool track nearby.

The Early Years of Racing

The track officially opened on July 23, 1961, with a speed record attempt. Two days later, NASCAR activities began. The track quickly became popular in the local media. One newspaper called it the "best" and "fastest" half-mile track in the world.

In October 1964, there were talks about building a drag strip. This project was officially announced in December. The drag strip was finished by May 1965. In 1969, the main track was repaved and changed. The banking in the turns became steeper, which made cars go even faster.

New Owners and Changes

In 1977, Larry Carrier sold the track to Lanny Hester and Gary Baker for $1 million. They renamed it "Bristol International Raceway." They also made some improvements and brought back the longer 500-lap NASCAR races. They even held the first night race in 1978, which was very popular.

Later, in 1981, Gary Baker bought out Hester's share. Then, a businessman named Warner W. Hodgdon bought part of the track. He planned to make the track even bigger, holding 50,000 fans. He also bought the drag strip. However, Hodgdon faced some problems, and the track was almost put up for auction. Luckily, Larry Carrier stepped in to help keep the events going.

Larry Carrier Returns

In 1986, Larry Carrier bought the track back for $4.5–5 million. He sold the drag strip to help pay for it. Carrier then made more improvements, like adding new grandstands.

Throughout the 1980s, Bristol Motor Speedway became super popular. Races often sold out months in advance! The track grew to 50,000 seats and brought in lots of money for the local area. There were also plans to host big concerts.

The track was repaved several times in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Drivers sometimes complained that the surface was too rough. In 1992, Carrier decided to pave the track with concrete instead of asphalt, which was a big change.

Bruton Smith Takes Over

In 1996, a famous motorsports owner named Bruton Smith bought Bristol Motor Speedway for $26 million. Many local fans worried that Smith might move the NASCAR races to bigger tracks. But Smith promised to keep the races and make the track even better.

He quickly started making big changes. The track was renamed "Bristol Motor Speedway." Smith invested millions of dollars in renovations. By 1997, Bristol Motor Speedway became the largest sports arena in Tennessee! They kept adding more seats, and by 2000, the track could hold 147,000 fans.

Track Updates and Dirt Racing

In 2002, the track added a new tunnel for fans to get to the infield. In 2006-2007, the track was repaved again with a new "variable-banking" system. This meant the turns had different banking angles. Some fans and drivers felt this change made the racing less exciting.

In 2010, the track's long streak of selling out NASCAR races ended. To try and make racing more exciting, the track added a special traction compound called PJ1 TrackBite in 2016. This helped create more racing lanes.

In 2020, Bristol tried something new: they covered the concrete track with dirt for a NASCAR Cup Series race! This was the first time a Cup Series race was run on dirt since 1970. However, after three years, many drivers and fans thought the dirt races had too many problems. So, for 2024, the track went back to its concrete surface for the spring race, bringing back a "retro" feel.

Exciting Events at Bristol

Racing Events

NASCAR Races

Bristol Motor Speedway hosts two major NASCAR Cup Series races every year. The first is the Food City 500, which started in 1961. It's usually held in late March or early April. For a while, attendance for this race went down, which led to the temporary dirt race idea. But now it's back on concrete!

The Bristol night race in 2013. The night race was first run in 1978, and has become an annual tradition since.

The second big race is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. This race first ran in 1961 and became a night race in 1978. It's now a very popular tradition. This race is part of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Bristol also hosts races for other NASCAR series, like the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Truck Series.

Other Races

Since 2022, a popular YouTuber named Cleetus McFarland has hosted a car festival called "Cleetus and Cars" at Bristol. It includes different types of races and is a big hit with fans.

American Football Games

The Battle at Bristol between the Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech Hokies on September 10, 2016.

Bristol Motor Speedway has also been used for American football games! In 1961, it hosted a game between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2016, the track hosted a huge college football game called the Battle at Bristol. The Tennessee Volunteers played against the Virginia Tech Hokies. It was a massive event with a record-breaking crowd! A week later, another college football game was played there.

Other Uses of the Track

Bristol Motor Speedway has helped the community in many ways.

• In 2002, it became a temporary high school when a local school had to close.
• It has hosted medical clinics to help people get healthcare.
• The track has served as a safe place for people to go during hurricanes.
• It was also used as a COVID-19 vaccine distribution center.

The track has even hosted other unique events. In 1968, a political rally was held there. In 2021, the famous YouTuber MrBeast hosted a game of tag at the track with a big cash prize!

Lap Records

Here are some of the fastest official race lap records at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Images for kids

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  Oval (1961–present)

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  Bristol Motor Speedway logo

See also

In Spanish: Bristol Motor Speedway para niños