A Baseball Field in a Racetrack? MLB’s Speedway Classic Makes History

Major League Baseball: A Baseball Field in a Racetrack? kulitis in english and scientific name

MLB’s Speedway Classic Makes History

Updated Aug. 2, 2025, 2:28 p.m. ET

A 110-foot Ferris wheel. Race cars adorned in MLB team colors. Food trucks. Live music. Pitching tunnels and batting cages. A chance for photos with the Commissioner’s Trophy. And of course, Clydesdales. Fans can also pick up merchandise to support the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, or simply commemorate this extraordinary event heirloom rice.

After about four years of planning, the MLB Speedway Classic is finally here! Scheduled for 7:15 p. swerte 99 loginm lazada australia. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app, this event will showcase a diamond constructed on the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway, famously known as the “Last Great Colosseum.”

“When you walk up to Bristol Motor Speedway, much like at many of our venues, you instantly know you’re at an iconic sports location,” said Jeremiah Yolkut, MLB’s senior vice president of global events. “You can feel it. You walk into Wrigley Field or Fenway Park, and you get that same energy. That’s what Bristol Motor Speedway represents for NASCAR.”

The MLB Speedway Classic was first announced nearly a year ago as part of Commissioner Rob Manfred’s initiative to bring MLB games to places where baseball isn’t regularly played. MLB previously held games at a film site in Iowa in both 2021 and 2022, with Alabama, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania also hosting. Now, it’s Tennessee’s turn, which has NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS teams but no MLB team. This game showcases the rich racing history of Bristol, which hosts two NASCAR races each year, alongside Tennessee’s vibrant culture.

“We quickly worked to create this magical moment and give fans, who don’t regularly get to see major league baseball, the opportunity to experience it right here in their backyard in Tennessee,” Yolkut shared.

The Reds, in pursuit of an NL wild-card spot, have split the first two games of this series against Atlanta. The deciding match will make history as the first MLB game to ever be played in the state of Tennessee, taking place before the largest crowd for an MLB regular-season game.

Reds outfielder Austin Hays expressed excitement, saying this game will be a fun experience. “I used to attend truck races and the [Daytona] 500, the Rolex,” Hays mentioned after the Reds’ 3-2 victory against Atlanta. “I went to high school near Daytona. It’s the only track I’ve ever visited, and it’s a pretty big track. I imagine standing on the infield will be similar, but this time it will be a baseball field.”

MLB chose not to sell every ticket available inside the speedway, which had an attendance of 156,990 for the Battle of Bristol college football game in 2016. Despite a racing capacity of 146,000, they expect to host 90,000 fans or more, even after blocking off certain sections.

On Monday, officials announced that over 85,000 tickets had been sold, surpassing the previous record of 84,587 set on September 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium played host to the New York Yankees. Sean Casey, a three-time All-Star now with the MLB Network, described this as a perfect collaboration between two superpowers. “NASCAR and baseball have already made a crossover in the Atlanta and Cincinnati markets, and this event will introduce fans to the other sport,” he stated.

“It’s such a unique situation,” Casey added after broadcasting from the field. “Kudos to Commissioner Rob Manfred of Major League Baseball, as well as NASCAR and Bristol Motor Speedway for putting this event together because it’s going to be one of a kind.”

As fans prepare to enter Bristol, the pre-game schedule includes a concert featuring Jake Owen, alongside stars Tim McGraw and Pitbull. Attendees will also enjoy a Navy flyover and witness Hall of Famers Chipper Jones from Atlanta and Johnny Bench from the Reds as they perform the ceremonial first pitch.

Hunter Greear from Charleston, South Carolina, purchased his tickets with three friends a year ago. They arrived on Thursday, set up camp, and have been enjoying the weekend. Greear admitted they were unsure of what to expect regarding MLB setting up a baseball field inside a racetrack. “We had an idea,” Greear said. “But everything leading up to the game has exceeded our expectations. shopee category list”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Do you think this innovative event will change the way baseball fans experience the game?