NASCAR News: Bristol Speedway hopes to break MLB record (2nd Update)
It’s now official: The league said Monday that it has sold more than 85,000 tickets for the MLB Speedway Classic on Aug. 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway involving the Reds and Braves. That figure surpasses a regular-season record of 84,587 set in 1954 in Cleveland between that team and the Yankees.
With more than 85,000 tickets sold to date, the first American or National League game ever played in Tennessee – which will feature the Cincinnati Reds taking on the Atlanta Braves – will eclipse the previous paid attendance record of 84,587 set on September 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees. Fans have purchased tickets from all 50 United States, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and nine countries on four continents.
CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH: Before the Speedway Classic, the ceremonial first pitch will feature two Hall of Famers who spent the entirety of their careers representing the competing Clubs. Hall of Famer of the Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones will throw the ceremonial first pitch to Hall of Famer of the Cincinnati Reds Johnny Bench.
PREGAME PAGEANTRY: As part of the U.S. Navy’s upcoming 250th birthday in October, the U.S. Navy will be featured throughout pregame ceremonies.
- National Anthem: U.S. Navy MU1 Kathryn Dobyns
- Color Guard: U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard from Washington, DC
- Flyover: Four U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA-103 of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach
MLB HONORS NASCAR: The integration of NASCAR traditions and crossover elements will be featured throughout the game to further connect baseball to the venue and the most recognizable aspects of the sport. MLB will honor NASCAR with multiple activations, including a pregame player parade, taking inspiration from NASCAR-style driver introductions, racing-themed between-inning activations featuring fans of all ages and an on-field, NASCAR “Victory Lane” celebration for the winning team with a custom Speedway Classic trophy presentation.
MUSIC SPOTLIGHT: Fans can experience a full day of musical performances as Tim McGraw, Pitbull and Jake Owen will take the stage for their special pregame concert (presented by T-Mobile 5G Home Internet) before the Braves take on the Reds in the MLB Speedway Classic. But before stepping inside Tennessee’s famed Bristol Motor Speedway, Owen, along with country music artists Timothy Wayne, Reyna Roberts, and Adam Doleac, will perform in the Speedway Classic Fan Zone, a one-of-a-kind baseball fan festival that spans more than 220,000 square feet.
BUILDSUBMARINES.COM: As the presenting sponsor of the event, BuildSubmarines.com will honor four select skilled trade workers from three shipyards on-field at the end of the second inning. They will also invite David Gauldin, a department lead for the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, for the Ceremonial Flag Raising prior to the start of the game.
The MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com will be televised nationally by FOX Sports with first pitch at 7:15 p.m. (ET). For more information about the Speedway Classic and ticket purchase opportunities, please visit MLB.com/SpeedwayClassic and follow @MLB on social media.
July 16, 2025
Several baseball personalities were interviewed during MLB All-Star Game Media Day on Monday in Atlanta to get their thoughts on the upcoming MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com at Bristol Motor Speedway featuring the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds on August 2.
Atlanta Braves Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr.
“It’s my first time playing in a game like that. It’s so exciting to get to play in the game against Elly (de la Cruz, Reds) and we will have fun there. It’s a most special place to play.”
Cincinnati Reds Shortstop Elly de la Cruz
“I’m so excited to play there. I know there’s going to be a lot of people. I like playing in front of a lot of people, so I’m super-excited. It’s great to be a part of it.”
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale
“It’s going to be really cool. I went to the London series (2019) and I really enjoy these one-off type games. Having it at a motor speedway is pretty cool. My family is really into racing, so they are excited. But once the game gets going, it’s just baseball. You know, some of the ceremonious stuff is going to be before the game starts and the first inning, but once the game gets going, I think it will be like any other game. It’s the same game you’ve played all your life. Go out there and try to leave it all on the field.”
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott
“I grew up a NASCAR fan so I’m getting a little taste of my childhood right now. I think it’s going to be great for the game. I think it’s going to hit some areas where we don’t have influence. I think it’s good for both sports. I think it’s good for the players to get that extra exposure and it’s good for the MLB as well.”
Atlanta Braves First Baseman Matt Olson
“It should be an electric crowd. You know, I really like the field of dreams type games so it should be really cool. I’ve never been to a NASCAR race, so being able to see it and play a game at a racetrack will be fun.”
Atlanta Braves Manager Brian Snitker
“It’s a huge place, it will be interesting to see how they can configure a baseball field inside a NASCAR track. It’s something different that we don’t get to do a lot. It’s going to be fun. I know in those situations MLB always does a good job of making sure all of the things the teams need are available just like if we were at our home field. If we have to adjust, we will adjust. We are good at adjusting. I keep up with NASCAR. You could say I’m somewhat of a fan. I watch when I am around the house, and I have been to a few races – I’ve been to Atlanta Motor Speedway.”
ESPN Baseball Analyst Harold Reynolds
“I think it’s going to be phenomenal. Anytime you can get a large crowd like that and reach into an area that doesn’t have a Major League team, it’s going to be exciting. I’ve been to all of them. I’ve been to Iowa, to the cornfields. I’ve been to Rickwood, but this one here is going to be the biggest one of them all. It’s going to be a good time.”
University of Tennessee Baseball Head Coach Tony Vitello
“It should be astounding to see that many people watching one Major League Baseball game. It will grow the sport not just locally, but around the country. It’s growing in our state, because the population is going up, and baseball is getting better. The Smokies have always been in the state of Tennessee, but they’re growing because now their ballpark is in downtown Knoxville. It’s a pretty good time to be in our area for baseball, but this event is literally a global event.”
To purchase tickets please visit the MLB Speedway Classic website.
July 16, 2025
On August 2, 2025, the 146,000 seating capacity Bristol Motor Speedway will host the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds in a regular season Major League Baseball game, and it hopes to set a new MLB record.
Related Article: NASCAR Rumor: Braves and Reds to play game at Bristol
In a little less than 100 days, the Braves and Reds will play a game in the eighth-largest sports venue in the world. By comparison, the largest stadium in Major League Baseball, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, holds around 56,000 fans.
According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the largest crowd to ever see a Major League Baseball game was 115,300 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on March 29, 2008. However, that was an exhibition game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox. The largest attendance at a regular season MLB game was 86,563 when the Cleveland Indians played host to the New York Yankees at Municipal Stadium on Sept. 12, 1954.
Will the Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway set a new record? It certainly hopes so.
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