Bristol Motor Speedway

Lore & Background

On January 17, 1961, local Tennessean recreational conglomerate businessman Larry Carrier announced his intentions of building a racetrack in Bristol, expanding his recreational conglomerate within the Tri-Cities, Tennessee, area. The track was constructed with no major issues, and opened in July of that same year for a speed record run. Carrier ran the track until 1977, when it was sold to businessmen Gary Baker and Lanny Hester. The duo's ownership was quickly bought out by Warner W. Hodgdon, who ran the facility until 1986 when Hodgdon suffered financial troubles. Carrier later regained control of the facility, owning it until 1996 when Bruton Smith bought control of it. Since Smith's purchase, BMS underwent major expansion, becoming one of the largest sporting facilities in the United States.

Reader's Guide

Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) in its current form is measured at 0.533 mi, with the track's turns ranging from 24 degrees to 28 degrees in banking. The straightaways are banked at four degrees at the bottom and progresses up to 8 degrees at the top. When the track was initially constructed, the track had 27 degrees of banking. Before 2007, the track marketed that the track's banking was 36 degrees; this was eventually later found to be incorrect, with the true banking being 30 degrees.

When the track is temporarily covered with dirt, the track uses a progressing banking system from 16 to 19 degrees. The track is also the only track left on the NASCAR schedule that utilizes two pit road lanes instead of one, combined pit road lane. At the time of the track's initial construction, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported the track had a capacity of 21,000, a press box, around 10,000 parking spaces, and shower rooms upon a 120-acre facility.

The track has since seen mass expansion during the ownerships of Larry Carrier and Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI). As of 2024, the facility features a capacity of 146,000, down from its peak of 162,000. The facility also features a 30-by-63 foot television screen that hangs over the middle of the track that is named Colossus TV. In 1964, plans for a drag strip were announced by then-track owner Larry Carrier and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) officials.

After a hasty construction process, the 1/4 mi dragstrip was completed by May 1965. The dragstrip has gone under renovations since the 1990s, including an $18 million renovation in 1997.

Did You Know?

• The track opened on July 23, 1961, for a paved half-mile speed record attempt by driver Tommy Morgan.
• The track's first NASCAR race was the 1961 Volunteer 500.
• The track hosted an NFL exhibition game between the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles in 1961.