Academy Award-winning actor and producer will serve as a Grand Marshal Sept. 19, six days before Paramount Pictures’ Heart of the Beast opens exclusively in theatres
BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 8, 2026) – Brad Pitt is headed to The Last Great Colosseum.
The Academy Award-winning actor and producer will serve as a Grand Marshal alongside Johnny Morris for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Bristol Motor Speedway, bringing one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars to one of NASCAR’s most iconic nights.
Pitt, whose new Paramount Pictures film Heart of the Beast opens exclusively in theatres Sept. 25, will take part in Bristol’s famed pre-race ceremonies and help give the command to fire engines before the NASCAR Cup Series roars to life under the lights for the third race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase.
The appearance also brings together a distinctive Missouri connection. Pitt grew up in Springfield, Missouri — the same city where Johnny Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in 1972. From its Springfield roots, Bass Pro Shops has grown into one of America’s best-known outdoor brands, with a longstanding commitment to supporting America’s service members and their families.
In Heart of the Beast, Pitt stars as Special Forces officer James Belmont, who survives a harrowing plane crash with his combat dog, Odin, only to find the pair stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness and forced into a brutal fight for survival. Directed by David Ayer, the intense adventure thriller also stars J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe, with Pitt also serving as a producer. Heart of the Beast tickets are on sale now; log on to www.heartofthebeastmovie.com for more information.
The film’s themes of courage, loyalty and survival provide a fitting connection to a Bass Pro Shops Night Race weekend that traditionally uses one of NASCAR’s biggest stages to honor members of the United States military, veterans, first responders and community heroes.
“It’s pretty special to welcome our fellow Springfield, Missouri, native to Bristol for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race,” said Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. “So many people still remember Brad’s role in A River Runs Through It, a film that helped inspire a deeper appreciation for fly-fishing and the importance of conserving the rivers and wild places that make those experiences possible. This race is one of the most exciting nights in sports, and we’re proud to have Brad join us as we salute conservation and honor the brave veterans, first responders and the men and women who serve our country and communities.”
On the track, the stakes will be just as intense. The 500-lap Bass Pro Shops Night Race is the third race in NASCAR’s 10-race Chase for the Cup Series championship. With every position and every point carrying added weight on the road to the title, Bristol’s tight confines and relentless traffic are poised to turn up the pressure on the sport’s championship contenders.
Few venues magnify that pressure like Bristol’s 0.533-mile concrete oval. The steep high banks, close-quarters racing and thunderous roar of NASCAR engines under the lights create one of the most captivating atmospheres in motorsports — a place where momentum can change in an instant and tempers can flare just as quickly.
“There’s nothing quite like the Bass Pro Shops Night Race under the lights at Bristol, and having Brad Pitt join us makes an already special night even bigger,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “We’re excited to welcome Brad to The Last Great Colosseum where he can experience the unmatched energy of one of NASCAR’s most-storied crown jewel events.”
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 19. Fans can secure tickets and find complete race-weekend information at BristolMotorSpeedway.com.
ABOUT HEART OF THE BEAST
Paramount Pictures presents, in association with Domain Entertainment and Gulfstream Pictures, Heart of the Beast, a film by David Ayer starring Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe. After a harrowing plane crash, Special Forces officer James Belmont (Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin, find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements. The film explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they face their greatest battle yet. Heart of the Beast opens exclusively in theatres Sept. 25, 2026.
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 and the crown jewel Bass Pro Shops Night Race. 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, Bristol remains one of America’s most unique and versatile sports and entertainment destinations. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.
