BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 10, 2026) – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)’s Nobody Trashes Tennessee statewide litter prevention campaign has entered into a strategic partnership with Bristol Motor Speedway, naming TDOT the official Pole Day sponsor for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race weekend, scheduled for September 17–19, 2026, according to speedway officials. The TDOT/Nobody Trashes Tennessee Pole Day will be held on Friday afternoon, Sept. 18, just before the start of that night’s Food City 300 NASCAR O’Reilly Series race. TDOT/Nobody Trashes Tennessee Pole Day will include the official qualifying sessions to set the starting lineups for a pair of NASCAR crown jewel events — the Food City 300 NASCAR O’Reilly Series race and the Bass Pro Shops Night Race in the Cup Series.
As part of the multi-tiered agreement, NTT will receive a designated fan engagement space in the BMS Fan Zone at both the spring and fall NASCAR weekends. Through the partnership, NTT will use the platform to engage race fans in litter prevention and environmental responsibility efforts, helping turn awareness into action across Tennessee. The organization also will receive signage on BMS billboards and track walls, advertising opportunities, a presence on Colossus TV and social media engagements in the race’s promotion and throughout the race weekend.
In addition, NTT will become a season sponsor of Bristol Motor Speedway Kids Club, expanding litter prevention outreach to younger audiences. The campaign’s Tri-Star Ranger mascot, Trashsquatch, will be on location at Bristol Motor Speedway during race weekend to help engage fans and support partnership activities.
“This multi-layered sponsorship with Bristol Motor Speedway gives us a unique opportunity to connect with fans from across Tennessee and beyond while continuing to raise awareness about litter prevention and environmental responsibility,” said Steve Allen, TDOT director of local programs and community investments division. “Nobody Trashes Tennessee is our statewide litter prevention campaign, and partnerships like this help us bring that message to large audiences in memorable ways. We are especially excited to be part of race weekend by recognizing pole winners in both the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Cup Series, while continuing to share the message that keeping Tennessee clean is a responsibility we all share.”
The TDOT/Nobody Trashes Tennessee Pole Day qualifying sessions will be conducted by NASCAR under their official rules. TDOT is able to designate one flag waver for each qualifying session and will provide a custom trophy to each of the Pole Day winners.
TDOT/Nobody Trashes Tennessee Pole Day coverage will be provided by truTV, MAX and PRN Radio.
“We’re thrilled to welcome TDOT to Bristol Motor Speedway’s on-track action and amplify the Nobody Trashes Tennessee message,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “Fans will love all the exciting qualifying action for the Food City 300 and Bass Pro Shops Night Race, and we’re proud to support TDOT’s efforts to keep Tennessee beautiful.”
The racing action heats up at Bristol Motor Speedway September 17-19 for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race race weekend. The Craftsman Trucks hit the Bristol high banks for a Thursday double-header on the evening of Sept. 17 for the UNOH 250 presented by Ohio Logistics race (8 p.m., FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM Radio); the Bush’s Beans 200 ARCA Menards Series race kicks off the Thursday action by showcasing some of the rising stars of stock car racing; On Friday, Sept. 18, it will be action-packed with the Food City 300 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race (7:30 p.m., The CW, PRN Radio, Sirius XM Radio) and the TDOT/Nobody Trashes Tennessee Pole Day; The crown jewel Bass Pro Shops Night Race, which is the third of 10 in the Chase for the Championship, will thrill fans on Saturday, Sept. 19 under the lights (7:30 p.m., USA Network, PRN Radio, Sirius XM Radio) and bring the fun weekend to a triumphant finish.
In addition to cheering on their favorite drivers on the track, fans at Bristol Motor Speedway will definitely want to take advantage of so many activities to make a complete weekend of family fun. There will be great video entertainment provided by Colossus TV, the world’s largest center-hung video screen, plenty of music throughout the event, premium VIP experiences, tailgating, on-site camping, a pre-race track walk on the legendary oval, and other entertainment at the Food City Fan Zone Stage headlined by Trackside Live with Kenny Wallace and John Roberts, great food and beverages in the concession stands throughout the property, and so much more.
Fans can purchase tickets to the Bass Pro Shops Night Race weekend or any upcoming events at Bristol Motor Speedway by visiting the track’s website or by calling the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.
About the Tennessee Department of Transportation
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is the department of transportation for the State of Tennessee, with multimodal responsibilities in roadways, aviation, public transit, waterways, and railroads. It was established in 1915 as the Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works, and renamed the Tennessee Department of Transportation in 1972. The core agency mission of TDOT is to provide a safe and reliable transportation system for people, goods, and services that supports economic prosperity in Tennessee. Since 1998, TDOT has been ranked among the top five in the nation for quality highway infrastructure. It is primarily headquartered in downtown Nashville and operates four regional offices in Chattanooga, Jackson, Knoxville, and Nashville. For more information, please visit www.tn.gov/tdot.
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 tradition-rich Food City 500 weekend in April and the crown jewel Bass Pro Shops Night Race Chase weekend in September. 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 2025 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 Super Grip Thunder Valley Nationals, and the dragway can transform into the Thunder Valley Amphitheatre for music concerts. Opened in 1961 and acquired by Speedway Motorsports in 1996, BMS remains one of America’s most unique and versatile sports and entertainment destinations. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.
