Nascar Cup - Bristol
Bristol
Display & Timezone
Display & Timezone
Showing times for Europe/Athens
Timezone
Europe - Athens
11 - 13 Apr
Completed
Bristol Motor Speedway
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Track Info
Bristol Motor Speedway - Bristol, Tennessee, USA
The Last Great Colosseum - concrete half-mile cauldron - clockwise - 0.533 mi / 0.858 km oval with 4 turns, colossal grandstands and gladiatorial short-track energy
When was the track built?
Ground broke in January 1961 and the speedway opened that July. Bristol was asphalt through 1991, then switched to all-concrete for 1992. A major 2007 rebuild added a new concrete surface and variable, progressive banking; in 2012 the top groove was ground to tighten the racing line after fan feedback.
When was its first race?
The venue’s first race was the Volunteer 500 on July 30, 1961, won by Jack Smith. The Southeastern 500 followed that autumn as Bristol immediately became a staple on the NASCAR calendar.
What's the circuit like?
- Steep-banked stadium: 24-28° corners compact the field and create constant traffic - everything happens in front of you.
- Concrete rhythm: Long, heavy braking into tight apexes, rotate on concrete, then fire onto short, slightly banked straights - patience on entry, drive off exit.
- Evolving grooves: The 2007 progressive banking encouraged multi-lane racing; the 2012 grind narrowed the top to bring back bump-and-run theatre.
- Benchmark pace: Cup race-lap record 14.945 (2018) - modern poles regularly in the 15.0-15.3 s bracket, with a Next Gen best of 14.912 in 2025.
Lap records and benchmarks (by series)
- NASCAR Cup - race lap (concrete 0.533 mi): 0:14.945 - Kyle Larson, 2018 Food City 500.
- NASCAR Cup - qualifying reference: 0:14.912 - Alex Bowman, Apr 2025 pole - fastest Next Gen qualifying lap here.
- NASCAR Xfinity - race lap: 0:15.650 - Cole Custer, 2019.
- NASCAR Trucks - race lap: 0:15.350 - Christian Eckes, 2023.
- Temporary dirt era (2021-2023) - Cup race lap: 0:19.261 - Kyle Larson, 2022; Trucks 0:19.003 - Stewart Friesen, 2021.
Why go?
Bristol turns race craft into a fist fight. You’ll see root-and-move passes into Turns 1 and 3, leaders slicing lapped traffic every few laps and a soundscape that lives up to the colosseum nickname. Night races turn the bowl electric - and recent runs have delivered long green-flag strategy mixed with late restarts.
Where's the best place to watch?
- Frontstretch grandstands: Starts, restarts and pit road choreography with a panoramic view of both entries.
- Turn 1 braking zone: Classic bump-and-run territory - momentum off the bottom decides the drag to Turn 2.
- Turn 3 entry: Divebombs and crossovers set up the sprint to the stripe - perfect for photo finishes.
- High rows anywhere: The stadium bowl means even top-row seats see the entire lap at once.
Not just one series - headline events at Bristol
NASCAR Cup: Food City 500 (spring) and Bass Pro Shops Night Race (playoffs) anchor the calendar.
NASCAR Xfinity & Trucks: Food City 300 and UNOH 200 deliver elbows-out short-track fireworks.
Specials: 2020 hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race - and the speedway has even staged non-racing spectacles from dirt-showcases to a 2025 MLB exhibition conversion.
Hotels & Accommodation
Bristol
11 - 13 Apr
Completed
Bristol Motor Speedway
Track Info
Bristol Motor Speedway - Bristol, Tennessee, USA
The Last Great Colosseum - concrete half-mile cauldron - clockwise - 0.533 mi / 0.858 km oval with 4 turns, colossal grandstands and gladiatorial short-track energy
When was the track built?
Ground broke in January 1961 and the speedway opened that July. Bristol was asphalt through 1991, then switched to all-concrete for 1992. A major 2007 rebuild added a new concrete surface and variable, progressive banking; in 2012 the top groove was ground to tighten the racing line after fan feedback.
When was its first race?
The venue’s first race was the Volunteer 500 on July 30, 1961, won by Jack Smith. The Southeastern 500 followed that autumn as Bristol immediately became a staple on the NASCAR calendar.
What's the circuit like?
- Steep-banked stadium: 24-28° corners compact the field and create constant traffic - everything happens in front of you.
- Concrete rhythm: Long, heavy braking into tight apexes, rotate on concrete, then fire onto short, slightly banked straights - patience on entry, drive off exit.
- Evolving grooves: The 2007 progressive banking encouraged multi-lane racing; the 2012 grind narrowed the top to bring back bump-and-run theatre.
- Benchmark pace: Cup race-lap record 14.945 (2018) - modern poles regularly in the 15.0-15.3 s bracket, with a Next Gen best of 14.912 in 2025.
Lap records and benchmarks (by series)
- NASCAR Cup - race lap (concrete 0.533 mi): 0:14.945 - Kyle Larson, 2018 Food City 500.
- NASCAR Cup - qualifying reference: 0:14.912 - Alex Bowman, Apr 2025 pole - fastest Next Gen qualifying lap here.
- NASCAR Xfinity - race lap: 0:15.650 - Cole Custer, 2019.
- NASCAR Trucks - race lap: 0:15.350 - Christian Eckes, 2023.
- Temporary dirt era (2021-2023) - Cup race lap: 0:19.261 - Kyle Larson, 2022; Trucks 0:19.003 - Stewart Friesen, 2021.
Why go?
Bristol turns race craft into a fist fight. You’ll see root-and-move passes into Turns 1 and 3, leaders slicing lapped traffic every few laps and a soundscape that lives up to the colosseum nickname. Night races turn the bowl electric - and recent runs have delivered long green-flag strategy mixed with late restarts.
Where's the best place to watch?
- Frontstretch grandstands: Starts, restarts and pit road choreography with a panoramic view of both entries.
- Turn 1 braking zone: Classic bump-and-run territory - momentum off the bottom decides the drag to Turn 2.
- Turn 3 entry: Divebombs and crossovers set up the sprint to the stripe - perfect for photo finishes.
- High rows anywhere: The stadium bowl means even top-row seats see the entire lap at once.
Not just one series - headline events at Bristol
NASCAR Cup: Food City 500 (spring) and Bass Pro Shops Night Race (playoffs) anchor the calendar.
NASCAR Xfinity & Trucks: Food City 300 and UNOH 200 deliver elbows-out short-track fireworks.
Specials: 2020 hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race - and the speedway has even staged non-racing spectacles from dirt-showcases to a 2025 MLB exhibition conversion.
