Bristol Speedway Scrambles to Transform MLB Field Back into NASCAR Track
The Bristol Motor Speedway is officially on the clock.
Just moments after the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds cleared the infield, work began to tear down the MLB setup and return the legendary track to racing shape. NASCAR returns for a crucial playoff race on Sept. 13, and there’s a lot to do before then.
The Speedway Classic made history as the first MLB regular-season game in Tennessee, drawing a record 91,032 fans. But now, the priority shifts back to Bristol’s racing legacy.
“It is difficult, but it’s things that we like,” said Steve Swift, senior VP of operations at Speedway Motorsports. “It’s a challenge, and we like challenges.”
The transformation was no small feat. MLB brought in BaAM, an event production company, to build full-scale facilities: clubhouses with showers, training rooms, batting cages, and grandstands with media booths. To create the field, they used 17,500 tons of gravel to level the infield and topped it with 340 tons of Pennsylvania clay.
Read More: These 15 NASCAR Drivers Are Dominating the Track Right Now
Now, it’s time to tear it all down.
Pit walls, previously removed to make room for baseball, have to be rebuilt. Concrete walls require time not just to pour, but to cure. Swift says the crew began overnight disassembly the moment the final pitch was thrown.
Some of the leftover materials are being repurposed. Gravel will go into Bristol’s parking lots, while plywood and 2x4s from the grandstands will aid communities still rebuilding from Hurricane Helene.
“A lot of stuff is going to go to good use,” Swift explained. “We just need to clear it fast to get back to asphalt and concrete.”
With a buffer built into the construction timeline, the team is targeting Sept. 7 for completion.
“There might be some paint still drying when Goodyear haulers arrive,” Swift joked. “But we’ll be ready.”
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