A baseball field has been set up inside a racetrack, making history for Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Speedway Classic. The game between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves took place on Saturday night in the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway, also known as “The Last Great Colosseum.”
The speedway, which hosts two NASCAR races each year, was big enough to accommodate not one, but two baseball diamonds. Cincinnati manager Terry Francona praised the track’s design, saying it felt like a big iconic sports location.
For MLB, the event marked its first game in Tennessee and its push to bring baseball to new locations. The speedway’s unique setup featured a fan zone with a Ferris wheel, live music, and racing-themed food trucks.
The game was attended by more than 85,000 people, setting a new paid attendance record for an MLB regular-season game at the track. The event also included a pre-game concert, flyover by Navy jets, and a ceremonial first pitch by Hall of Famers Chipper Jones and Johnny Bench.
Fans like Braves first baseman Matt Olson were amazed by the setup, saying it was “incredibly cool.” Others, like Josh Woods, a lifelong Reds fan, hoped to see a well-hit ball into the stands. The game’s unusual setting added to its historic significance, making it a memorable event for baseball enthusiasts and racing fans alike.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/mlb-speedway-classic-reds-braves-bristol-b25ba29f19121d9859ba485df4038510