MLB Speedway Classic '25 coming to historic Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Buckle up. Major League Baseball is coming to “Thunder Valley.”
MLB announced Friday morning that the Braves and Reds will play a regular-season game in 2025 at the historic Bristol Motor Speedway in northeastern Tennessee on Saturday, Aug. 2, in the MLB Speedway Classic.
“Major League Baseball is excited to deliver a special game at Bristol Motor Speedway, a unique setting that sports fans will remember forever," said Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement. "The Reds and the Braves form an ideal matchup because of their dynamic talent and the proximity of their markets. We look forward to celebrating our game with a wide array of fans, both on and off the field throughout the weekend, and highlighting the rich traditions of sports, music and community in Tennessee and across the region."
The event featured legends from both baseball and NASCAR, plenty of local dignitaries, an asphalt diamond marking where the field will be located, mascots, hot dog vendors, and plenty more bridging the two sports. Oh, and also a few hot laps, as stock cars decked out in team logos sped around the track during and after the announcement.
It will be the first regular-season game in National League/American League history played in Tennessee, and continues a recent push by MLB to play games in unconventional, memorable settings. Other examples in recent years include MLB at Fort Bragg in 2016, MLB in Omaha in 2019, MLB at Field of Dreams in 2021, MLB at Rickwood Field earlier this year, and the annual Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa. Those games were, respectively, the first regular-season AL/NL games in North Carolina, Nebraska, Iowa and Alabama.
“On behalf of the team at Bristol Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports, we are thrilled to partner with Major League Baseball to bring the Speedway Classic to the ‘Home of Big Events’ on Aug. 2, 2025," said Jerry Caldwell, track president of Bristol Motor Speedway. "There is deep baseball history in Bristol and around this area, long acknowledged as the heart of the Appalachian League. In addition, Bristol’s location makes it the perfect ‘meet in the middle’ destination for a showdown between these two beloved clubs."
A baseball diamond will be built across the track and infield of the legendary speedway, putting baseball inside one of the largest standalone sports venues in the country. It will be primarily situated between Turns 3 and 4 of the track. The dimensions will be 330 feet down the lines, 400 to center field, 375 to the right-field alley and 384 feet to the left-field alley.
In racing configuration, the high-banked concrete track has a capacity of approximately 146,000. BMS has also hosted events including concerts and a college football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech in 2016.
And in fact, that game, the “Battle at Bristol,” was part of the inspiration for the Speedway Classic. Discussions about a possible game at the track date back to 2017, according to several key figures, though they only ramped up in the past few years.
“This has been years in the making,” said Caldwell. “This has been a long conversation with our friends at Major League Baseball. It’s been a wonderful collaboration to get to this undertaking. Bristol is the home of big events.”
The game will count as a Reds home game, and it will follow games in Cincinnati on Thursday, July 31, and Friday, Aug. 1. Sunday will be held as an off-day for both teams, as a buffer in case of inclement weather. FOX Sports will provide national coverage of the Speedway Classic, and ticket pre-sales will begin in September with public on-sale expected in December.
“The Reds are excited to be the home team for this unforgettable first at the Bristol Motor Speedway," Reds president and CEO Phil Castellini said. "Thank you to Major League Baseball for making this groundbreaking game happen. We cannot wait for all of Reds Country to cheer on their Reds in this unique and historic setting.”
Among those in attendance, beyond local political dignitaries, were baseball legends Eric Davis and Chipper Jones, current NASCAR stars Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain, and former NASCAR Cup champion Kevin Harvick. Elliott (Braves) and Chastain (Reds) donned team jerseys after taking a couple of laps around the track.
Of course, the game will not be the only event. There will be additional fan experiences surrounding the contest, most notably a heavy music component. Bristol, which straddles the Tennessee-Virginia state line in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, is known as the “birthplace of country music."
“There’s going to be entertainment and music tied into this event in a way that we’ve never been able to do,” said Jeremiah Yolkut, MLB vice president of global events, “because of the scale of the venue. If you walk around this venue and you see some of the photos, some of the acts that have come through here over the years and some of the great moments, music will be a big part of that. And we’re excited to be able to showcase that right alongside baseball.”
For baseball fans who might be unfamiliar with stock car racing, Bristol carries every bit the weight in NASCAR that Wrigley Field or Fenway Park does in baseball. It’s been the site of some of the sport’s most iconic moments, and the beloved bullring prides itself on delivering some of the most exciting action in sports. Now it will host baseball, with a one-of-a-kind field setup inside the facility known as “the world’s fastest half-mile.”
“It is an honor for our organization to be a part of Major League Baseball’s Speedway Classic," Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller said. "Bristol Motor Speedway is sure to offer one of the most exciting and memorable experiences in our game’s history. We look forward to seeing tens of thousands of fans from across Braves Country gather in Bristol next August to cheer on our team in this iconic venue.”
The size and dimensions of the track were striking to people who had never been there before.
“One of my favorite things to do,” Caldwell said, “is the privilege to bring people in and let them see this place for the first time. Because you’ll bring folks that have done it all. They’ve been all over the world, played in major events, and to be able to see the size of this place, it’s just massive, there’s nothing else like it in the world.”
Gov. Bill Lee, among others, made the point that although Tennessee does not have a Major League team, it is baseball country. The state prides itself on its baseball history and accomplishments. The University of Tennessee, located in nearby Knoxville, is the reigning Men’s College World Series champion for the first time in program history, and the list of Major League players from the state includes Mookie Betts, Evan Carter, Sonny Gray, Robbie Ray and Brent Rooker. The state is home to four current Minor League teams: the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), Triple-A Nashville Sounds (Brewers), Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) and Double-A Tennessee Smokies (Cubs).