Bristol Speedway

[stock car driver]

Thinking with dirt on it again, maybe late model and sprint car promoters are going to try and get a show there?

[kazual]

Sad, but the only thing capable of filling the stands at Bristol are NASCAR folks.

[non driving fool]

Sad, but the only thing capable of filling the stands at Bristol are NASCAR folks.

What a dumbass!!! Nascar doesn't even come close to filling the stands anymore.

[Dirt Clod]

kazual,

Explain your comment. Ever see attendance at the Bristol spring race? How about sparse. You'd think Bristol would try a sprint car or late model date (or both) to recoup some of the expense to put all the dirt down.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Thinking with dirt on it again, maybe late model and sprint car promoters are going to try and get a show there?

Saw this earlier and posted it. Thread was apparently deleted.
Read about 1/2 way down. Paragraph starts with "This is returning to are roots in racing"


Cup teams will compete on a dirt track for the first time in more than 50 years when the series races March 28 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the track announced.

The full Cup schedule is set to be released at 3:30 p.m. ET today.

“Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted many historic events over the years and we will be adding to that resume,” Jerry Caldwell, general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, said on Wednesday. “We can’t wait to see how the stars of NASCAR take to the dirt.”

MORE: 2021 Cup schedule features new tracks, bold changes
Said Austin Dillon of the race on dirt: “I’m super pumped. … I’m hoping it becomes a staple.”

Caldwell said the track will work with NASCAR on the race format for the dirt event.

“This is returning to our roots in racing,” Caldwell said. He noted that this concept has been talked about for “awhile.” He also said the track will “explore other options” on any other series that could race on dirt beyond NASCAR.

Caldwell said the change comes from feedback from fans. Marcus Smith, Speedway Motorsports President and CEO, said Wednesday that he pitched the idea of a dirt race at Bristol for the 2020 schedule.

Bristol hosted dirt races in 2000-01 with the World of Outlaws (see video below of 2001 race) and dirt late models. The track used 14,000 truckloads of dirt for the project.

The last Cup race on dirt was Sept. 30, 1970 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. Richard Petty won a 200-lap race on the half-mile track. He earned $1,000. Petty was among one of five Hall of Famers in the 23-car field that day. Bobby Isaac finished third, Bobby Allison placed sixth, Benny Parsons was 14th, Wendell Scott placed 20th.

The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series raced on dirt at Eldora Speedway from 2013-19. It was not held this year because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Bristol also will host a second race. That event again will be in the playoffs. The Sept. 18 race again will be an elimination race in the first round. The playoff race will be on the concrete track surface.

[ftfiowa]

some ?'s:
1. where do you stay hotel wise?(what cities,etc.)
2. how high up do you need to be to see whole track,best sections to sit in or not sit in,etc?
3. how much to park at track?
4. should we assume the format will be similar to eldoras' dirt derby except for prelims being on saturday night possibly?
5. better chance of lm's or sprints for support class?

[Rajflyboy]

I 5hought Bristol decided it was too much effort to bring dirt in , race and then clean it up? They got tired of it. Those dirt races were awesome.. many years ago.

[Jking24]

I 5hought Bristol decided it was too much effort to bring dirt in , race and then clean it up? They got tired of it. Those dirt races were awesome.. many years ago.

That was back when nascar wasn't struggling to maintain interest and removing seats to maintain attendance percentages worthy of prime television coverage

[ZERO25]

I 5hought Bristol decided it was too much effort to bring dirt in , race and then clean it up? They got tired of it. Those dirt races were awesome.. many years ago.

Marcus said they listened to the fans!

He proposed this idea last year but was turned down. And now, here it is!

And they wonder why?

[Patansplant]

Nascar died when Dale died. I'm not saying that just because I idolized the man. I'm saying it because that was a time when you might not be able to read the number on the side of the car, it was rubbed off. The cars could still be competitive with dents everywhere and parts missing. Maybe except for the super speedways. Todays Nascar cars are pathetic, if a fly hits it they can't drive them and be a contender. Nascar is clutching at straws with Bristol on dirt. It won't save them.

[champion24]

some ?'s:
1. where do you stay hotel wise?(what cities,etc.)
2. how high up do you need to be to see whole track,best sections to sit in or not sit in,etc?
3. how much to park at track?
4. should we assume the format will be similar to eldoras' dirt derby except for prelims being on saturday night possibly?
5. better chance of lm's or sprints for support class?

We'll try these. 1. Anywhere Gatlinburg/PF,Ashville, VA cities, etc. 2. Anywhere is good. Row 15+ for us. 3. Parking is free.
4 & 5. Format & other- TBD.

[3 wide]

Nascar died when Dale died. I'm not saying that just because I idolized the man. I'm saying it because that was a time when you might not be able to read the number on the side of the car, it was rubbed off. The cars could still be competitive with dents everywhere and parts missing. Maybe except for the super speedways. Todays Nascar cars are pathetic, if a fly hits it they can't drive them and be a contender. Nascar is clutching at straws with Bristol on dirt. It won't save them.

Your correct it want save them I watched a sprint race earlier in the year an they interviewed one of the drivers before the race and he said this will be a good race tonight because it is a non points race that is nascar problem like I have said on here many times do away with the points divide the money out over the races these cars can't run anywhere else anyway an shorten some of the tracks.

[ZERO25]

Surely they will have a dlm and sprint races as well?

[squaredup12]

They would be fools to not link up with Lucas or WOO and run Late Models and/or Sprints as prelim nights. If they don’t bring any Late Models to Bristol, I would think Bulls Gap should be all over getting a big money Lucas or WOO event in there the Wednesday or Thursday night before Bristol.

[kazual]

dirt clod and non driving fool

Aware the Bristol races are only a smattering of their former selves. But look at the crowd size for the previous dirt races. As a promoter which is the better hedge on your money? An event that drew maybe 10-15% capacity last time? Or knowing that you have a baseline of 40% attendance to start from? The upside potential is better with a NASCAR event, wish it wasn’t that way but fact. Look, I wouldn’t walk across the street to see a NASCAR race any more and wouldn’t expect a dirt NASCAR race to be much better. But a NASCAR race is an “event” with all the hoopla while a dirt late model event is just a race, doesn't have the same star power. Take a poll of 4m folks, they’d be 75% or higher preference for a late model race. But the few dozen or few hundred folks on these pages aren’t their target audience.