NEW YORK — Buckle up. Major League Baseball is coming to “Thunder Valley.”
Commissioner Rob Manfred announced today that MLB will play a regular-season game in 2025 at the historic Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
The Braves will face the Reds on Aug. 2, in the MLB Speedway Classic. Manfred made the announcement at the speedway in a ceremony that included Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.
“Major League Baseball is excited to deliver a special game at Bristol Motor Speedway, a unique setting that sports fans will remember forever,” said Manfred. “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.”
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, 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.
“It’s only appropriate for the World’s Fastest Half-Mile to showcase this game where the talented athletes will be on display in a venue that’s reputation was built on speed and high performance.”
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. 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.
Introducing the Speedway Classic ’25! 🏁
The Braves and Reds will play a regular season game inside Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN on August 2, 2025 pic.twitter.com/gsWLGLKSmq
— MLB (@MLB) August 9, 2024
“We cannot wait for all of Reds Country to cheer on their Reds in this unique and historic setting.”
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 set up 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.”
Matthew Leach is an editor and reporter for MLB.com.
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