The historic Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee is set to switch from hosting Major League Baseball’s (MLB) event to a NASCAR playoff race on September 13. The venue, which hosted the first-ever MLB regular-season game in Tennessee earlier this year, had to undergo a significant transformation to accommodate baseball.
According to Steve Swift, senior vice president of operations at Speedway Motorsports, the process took a toll on the track’s infrastructure. “Pouring concrete walls takes time – and then more time to cure properly,” he said. The infield required 17,500 tons of gravel to be leveled and 340 tons of Pennsylvania clay for the playing surface.
To minimize disruption, the team is working closely with local organizations to repurpose some of the materials used during the MLB event. Some of the gravel will be used in the parking lots, while 2x4s and plywood from the grandstands will be donated to help those affected by Hurricane Helene.
The renovation process has a target completion date of September 7, despite some paint still drying when the NASCAR teams arrive. The successful hosting of MLB’s event and now the potential for NHL games in Bristol demonstrate that the track can accommodate large-scale events beyond racing.
Source: https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/story/_/id/45898481/bristol-races-get-nascar-shape-mlb-speedway-classic