Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway at a glance
- Location
- Bristol, Tennessee
- Type
- oval
- Length
- 0.533 mi (0.858 km)
- Turns
- 4
- Direction
- counter-clockwise
- Banking
- 24-28° in the turns, 4-8° on the straights
- Surface
- concrete
- Opened
- 1961
- Owner
- Speedway Motorsports
- Capacity
- 146,000
- Address
- 151 Speedway Blvd
- Phone
- +1-423-989-6933
- Website
- bristolmotorspeedway.com
Track map and layout
Bristol is a tight, steeply banked concrete half-mile often called 'The Last Great Colosseum' for the way its high grandstands wrap almost the entire bowl and put fans right on top of the action. At barely over half a mile with 24-to-28-degree banking, cars run nose-to-tail at high speed in a small space, producing constant contact, tempers and cautions rather than the long green-flag runs of bigger tracks. The concrete surface, laid in 1992 after years of asphalt repaving problems, holds rubber differently than asphalt and has been reconfigured several times (including a brief progressive-banking era in the 2000s and a temporary dirt covering for 2021-2023 Cup and Truck races) to keep the racing from becoming single-groove.
Named corners and sections
- Turn 3. Where the tightest, highest-banked exit sets up much of Bristol's bump-and-run contact between competitors.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete oval | 0.533 mi | Standard configuration used for Cup, Xfinity and Truck races |
| Dirt-covered oval | 0.533 mi | Clay surface laid over the concrete for the Bristol Dirt Race, run 2021-2023 |
Events and race weekends
Bristol hosts two NASCAR Cup Series weekends a year: the Food City 500 in the spring and the Bass Pro Shops Night Race under the lights in September, historically one of the loudest and most anticipated dates on the schedule. Both weekends carry supporting Xfinity and Truck Series races, and the speedway also hosts NASCAR All-Star Race weekends in some seasons. From 2021 to 2023 the track ran a headline Cup and Truck race on a dirt surface laid over the concrete before returning to its standard configuration.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food City 500 | NASCAR Cup | April | Spring short-track race |
| Bass Pro Shops Night Race | NASCAR Cup | September | Signature night race under the lights |
Getting there and parking
Tri-Cities Regional Airport is the closest commercial airport, roughly 20 minutes from the speedway, while Knoxville and Charlotte offer more flight options a couple of hours away by car. The track sits just off Interstate 81, making it a straightforward drive from the wider Tennessee/Virginia region.
- Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) · about 20 min drive
Parking
On-site parking runs roughly $25-100 depending on the event, with free parking available about a mile away and shuttle service to the gates; ADA permit holders park free.
Arrive well before green flag for the Night Race, Bristol's most heavily attended event, and expect lots near the track to fill early.
Hotels and camping near Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia has a modest hotel supply for a track of this size, so nearby Kingsport, Johnson City and Abingdon, Virginia pick up much of the overflow during race weekends. Booking well ahead is important for the September Night Race, historically Bristol's biggest draw.
Where to look
Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City, Tennessee, plus Abingdon, Virginia.
Camping
Onsite camping is a core part of the Bristol experience, with campgrounds positioned close to the track for walk-up access to the grandstands.
RV
Five dedicated onsite RV campgrounds (Medallion, Dragstrip, Landing, Creekside Luxury RV Park and Bronze) offer sites from electric-only to full hookups, accommodating RVs up to 50 feet with 24-hour security and shuttle service.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Bristol does not run a regular public HPDE program on the concrete oval, but the speedway complex includes Bristol Dragway next door for drag racing events open to competitors and spectators. Track tours and behind-the-scenes access are offered around select event weekends; contact the speedway directly for current availability.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup qualifying (concrete) | 0:14.945 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet Camaro | 2018 |
| NASCAR Truck qualifying | 0:15.350 | Christian Eckes | Toyota Tundra | 2023 |
Spectator guide
Bristol's steeply stacked grandstands rise so high above the half-mile bowl that almost every seat has a clear view of the entire track, a big part of its reputation as one of the most fan-friendly venues in NASCAR. The Colossus TV video board, one of the largest in sports, hangs over the infield and is visible from most seating areas.
Seating
Grandstands ring most of the bowl and are generally named for corporate sponsors that change by season; upper rows in the frontstretch stands give a full view of both straights and all four turns.
Best places to watch
Seats high in the frontstretch stands see the whole bowl at once, including the Colossus TV screen; turn seats put fans closest to the bump-and-run action in Turns 3 and 4.
Bag policy
Bags up to 18 x 18 x 14 inches and soft-sided coolers up to 14 x 14 x 14 inches are allowed; hard or foam coolers, glass or ceramic containers and umbrellas are not. There is no clear-bag requirement.
Weather
- Mar: Cool and variable, highs in the 50s-60s°F with a chance of rain for the Food City 500
- Sep: Warm evenings, highs in the 70s-80s°F for the Night Race
History of Bristol Motor Speedway
A short track built for spectacle
Bristol Motor Speedway opened in July 1961 as a half-mile paved oval built by Larry Carrier and partners, quickly earning a reputation for tight, physical racing in a small footprint. Ownership changed hands several times over the following decades, with Carrier regaining control before Speedway Motorsports acquired the track in January 1996 and began the expansion that turned it into one of NASCAR's largest venues by seating capacity despite its tiny lap length.
Concrete and colosseum
After years of battling asphalt surfaces that repaved unevenly under Bristol's heat and grade, the track switched to concrete in 1992, a surface it has run ever since. Grandstand construction pushed capacity toward a peak of roughly 162,000 in the early 2000s, and the track's steep, wraparound seating bowl earned it the nickname 'The Last Great Colosseum.' Progressive banking installed in 2007 briefly changed the racing character before the track reverted closer to its earlier configuration in 2012 to restore multi-groove racing.
Bristol Dirt and beyond
In a widely watched experiment, Speedway Motorsports covered the concrete with red clay for the 2021-2023 Bristol Dirt Race, hosting a NASCAR Cup points race on dirt for the first time in decades. The dirt configuration was removed after the 2023 event and the track returned to its standard concrete surface for the 2024 season. Today Bristol anchors its two Cup weekends, the Food City 500 and the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, as fixtures fans plan their year around, and the speedway continues to experiment with schedule and format to keep the short-track racing it is famous for as unpredictable as ever.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Bristol Motor Speedway?+
Bristol is a 0.533-mile concrete oval, one of the shortest tracks on the NASCAR Cup schedule.
Is Bristol Motor Speedway still dirt?+
No. The dirt surface used for the Bristol Dirt Race from 2021 to 2023 was removed, and the track has raced on its standard concrete surface since 2024.
How steep is the banking at Bristol?+
The turns are banked between 24 and 28 degrees, among the steepest of any NASCAR short track.
What is the seating capacity of Bristol Motor Speedway?+
Bristol currently seats roughly 146,000, down from a peak of around 162,000 in the early 2000s.
When is the Bristol Night Race?+
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race runs under the lights in September as part of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Can I camp at Bristol Motor Speedway?+
Yes, the speedway operates five onsite RV campgrounds close to the track, ranging from electric-only to full-hookup sites.
Other tracks nearby
- Charlotte Motor Speedway · 119 mi · road course & oval
- Martinsville Speedway · 134 mi · oval
- Carolina Motorsports Park · 168 mi · road course
- Virginia International Raceway (VIR) · 169 mi · road course
- Atlanta Motorsports Park · 180 mi · road course
- Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta · 186 mi · road course
Facts checked against 6 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.