BRISTOL, Tenn. (Aug. 20, 2025) – Bristol Motor Speedway will crank up the stock car horsepower two times in 2026 to reach maximum tripleheader performance as the iconic Tennessee high-banked concrete oval will welcome back a pair of three-day NASCAR weekends, it was announced today by race officials.
The World’s Fastest Half-Mile will host its traditional NASCAR spring weekend with the headlining Food City 500 Cup Series race April 10-12. In September, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race weekend will be held one week later than this year, on Sept. 17-19, and the popular race will again serve as the NASCAR Round of 16 Playoff elimination race.
Both weekends also will showcase the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The Bristol spring weekend will open with the 250-lap Craftsman Trucks race on April 10 and be followed by the Xfinity Series 300-lap event on April 11. In September, the Craftsman Trucks will feature Playoff action Thursday, Sept. 17 under the lights in the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics. The NASCAR Xfinity Series will again hold its Playoff opener at Bristol as the Food City 300 will take center stage Friday night, Sept. 18.
“At Bristol there’s nothing we love more than the opportunity to exceed expectations,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “By hosting three of NASCAR’s marquee series two times in 2026 — that’s plenty of chances to create more epic finishes and continue Bristol’s legacy as a track that creates legends. The Food City 500 in April is one of the first true short track gut-checks of the year, and our Bass Pro Shops Night Race Playoff weekend in September is where championship dreams either take flight or get shattered. The Last Great Colosseum isn’t for the faint of heart — and we are thrilled to see what 2026 brings.”
Bristol Motor Speedway continues to offer one of the best values in all of sports and entertainment. Tickets for children 12 and under are just $10 for the Food City 500 in April and the Bass Pro Shops Night Race in September. Kids tickets are free with a paid adult for all NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series races. To purchase tickets to any of the scheduled races, weekend packages, parking and camping, fans should visit the Bristol Motor Speedway website, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.
About Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, known as The Last Great Colosseum, sits in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line. The 0.533-mile concrete oval, with 28-degree banking, hosts two major NASCAR Cup Series weekends each year. The venue has staged iconic moments such as the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol football game between the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech (NCAA-record 156,990 fans), the MLB Speedway Classic between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds (MLB regular-season record crowd of 91,032), the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race, the rebirth of NASCAR Cup Series racing on dirt from 2021–2023 and sold-out concerts for Morgan Wallen and Kenny Chesney. Fans enjoy Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided screen video board. The adjacent Bristol Dragway is the home to the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, and the dragway can transform into the Thunder Valley Amphitheatre for concerts. Opened in 1961 and acquired by Speedway Motorsports in 1996, Bristol remains one of America’s most unique and versatile sports and entertainment destinations. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.
