Hosting a Major League Baseball game at a NASCAR track, located four hours from the nearest major league city, might seem unconventional, but that’s exactly what’s happening. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that on August 2, 2025, the Atlanta Braves will face the Cincinnati Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. The game will take place on a specially constructed field laid out across the infield and track of this historic NASCAR venue.
Jeremiah Yokult, MLB’s Vice President of Global Events, emphasized the uniqueness of the location during a Friday morning press conference. “Bristol Motor Speedway is like a modern coliseum,” Yokult said. “When we first visited this venue years ago, we realized it was the perfect setting for a large-scale event that would highlight what makes baseball so special by bringing it to the infield of a racetrack.”
Situated just south of the Virginia-Tennessee border, Bristol Motor Speedway is in a region relatively distant from any Major League Baseball team. The Braves and Reds are the closest teams, located 272 miles south and 302 miles northwest, respectively. The Washington Nationals are about 390 miles to the northeast. The site’s proximity to Nashville, a city vying for an MLB expansion team, adds to the significance of the event.
MLB has a history of organizing international showcase games, including regular visits to London and recent series in Mexico City and Seoul. However, the league has also increased its focus on domestic showcase games, such as the Field of Dreams game in Iowa and a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, honoring the legacy of Negro League players.
Unlike other venues, Bristol Motor Speedway isn’t a traditional baseball landmark or a significant part of the sport’s history. However, MLB is committed to reaching new audiences. “These special event games allow us to amplify baseball’s impact on local communities,” Yokult explained. “We can bring the excitement of Major League Baseball to places like Tennessee, where baseball is popular, but fans don’t often have the chance to experience it live.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee anticipates “hundreds of millions of dollars” in economic benefits from the event, which he described as “a major showcase for us.” The speedway’s massive seating capacity—up to 156,990 for events like the 2016 Virginia Tech-Tennessee football game—suggests that many fans will have the opportunity to attend. While it’s unclear exactly how many seats will be available for the baseball game, early designs indicate that some sections of the oval will not be used, with a smaller number of seats installed around the infield.
To meet major league field standards, some of the low walls around the track will be removed, and thousands of tons of gravel will be brought in to level the infield. The foul poles will be 330 feet from home plate down the lines, and center field will be 400 feet away.
In terms of scheduling, the game will count as a home game for the Reds and will be played after two games between the teams in Cincinnati. Both teams will have Sunday off to allow for a potential rescheduling due to weather. The event will also celebrate Bristol’s cultural significance as “the birthplace of country music,” making it a more diverse event compared to other MLB showcases, like the 2019 game in Omaha.
