Bristol: Like Moths to a Flame

For many, the ultimate reason to go to Bristol is to visit the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway.

Opened in 1960, the NASCAR short track sits in a coliseum that vastly compounds the sound and feel of a race on a primal level for the 150,000 fans in attendance.

The facility hosted a historic college football clash in 2016 when the University of Tennessee played Virginia Tech in the “Battle at Bristol” to shatter the attendance record for a college football game.

Ben Trout, the facility’s vice president for customer service and guest events, says the speedway is one of those locations that draws travelers like a moth to a flame.

“We are a destination track. We’re a lot different than other tracks because our track is truly a stadium,” he said.

“We have the second smallest racing track in NASCAR,” Trout said, but the design of the coliseum “allows us to host a variety of events,” from Monster Truck competitions to top-name concerts.

Each year before Christmas the staff opens a holiday event called Speedway in Lights, a self-driven course featuring displays of more than five miles of Christmas lights arranged throughout the facility, including on the infield property of the speedway and the track of the adjoining Bristol Dragway.

The dragway, with a seating capacity of 25,000, is known as Thunder Valley. “It’s nestled between the hills, and the sound that resonates creates quite an experience in and of itself,” Trout said.

Trout said many people are surprised at the year-round activities at the race facility, including a museum and tours.

Tours occur daily except during major speedway and dragway events. Tours begin on the first floor of the O. Bruton Smith Building at the speedway property, located just off Hwy. 11E/Volunteer Parkway outside of Bristol.

Each Monday through Saturday, tours begin on the hour starting at 9 a.m., with the final tour of the day starting at 4 p.m. 

Sunday tours run on the hour from 1-4 p.m., though are not offered from November through January.

— By Jonathan Austin