MLB Speedway Classic just got BIGGER!

socialmedia4903
Aug 2
6 min read

Bristol Motor Speedway, also billed as "Thunder Valley," is known for its speed. Tonight, there will be plenty of thunder and speed on display when the Braves and Reds duel in the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic at the famed 64-year-old racetrack.

This game will break MLB's all-time regular-season attendance record. With more than 85,000 tickets sold to date, the game will eclipse the previous record of 84,587, which was set on September 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees. Leading up to the first pitch, country music icon Tim McGraw, Latin sensation Pitbull, and award-winning country music star Jake Owen will get the party started with an epic concert from inside BMS.

Speedway Classic '25, • TONIGHT, 7 ET on FOX • All you need to know about the Speedway Classic • Purchase tickets for Speedway Classic • Tim McGraw to perform a special pregame concert • New racing-themed uniforms revealed for Speedway Classic • Delicious Speedway Classic food offerings • MLB games held at venues outside traditional MLB parks • Creating a raceway baseball diamond? Tons of gravel are essential • Dale Jr.'s famous baseball car returns for Speedway Classic

Here is what you need to know about this one-of-a-kind event.

When is the game, and how can I watch it?

The Braves and Reds will face off tonight in the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic. The first pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET, and the game will be aired nationwide on FOX.

How can I get tickets to the game?

Tickets for the MLB Speedway Classic are on sale through Ticketmaster, starting at just $23. That doesn't include sales tax. There are also a limited number of premium seats available.

Is this a regular-season game?

Yes, and the Reds will be the home team. The MLB Speedway Classic will follow games between the Braves and Reds in Cincinnati on Thursday, July 31, and Friday, Aug. 1. Sunday will be held as an off day for both teams, acting as a buffer in case of inclement weather.

What other events are planned in conjunction with the game?

Bristol, a border city divided by the Tennessee and Virginia state lines, is known as the "Birthplace of Country Music." In celebration of those roots, Grammy Award-winning artist Tim McGraw will headline a special pregame concert leading into the MLB Speedway Classic.

The concert, featuring Grammy-winning global superstar Pitbull and country music artist Jake Owen, is set to begin about an hour before the first pitch. FOX intends to showcase segments of this special performance during its pregame event coverage.

McGraw is perfectly suited for this event due to his legendary status in country music and his personal ties to baseball. Tim's father, Tug McGraw, was a pitcher for the Mets and Phillies over a 19-year MLB career, earning World Series rings with both teams.

Prior to Owen's performance inside Bristol Motor Speedway, he will lead a full day of musical acts in the Speedway Classic Fan Zone. This 220,000-square-foot area located outside BMS will open at noon on game day and feature interactive games, a 110-foot Ferris wheel, batting cages, pitching tunnels, regional cuisine, exhibits, photo opportunities, and more. The event will also include performances by country artists Timothy Wayne, Reyna Roberts, and Adam Doleac.

Will there be a Play Ball event associated with the Speedway Classic?

Indeed, MLB organized a special Play Ball event on Friday, welcoming over 200 children, ages 5-12, from the Bristol and Johnson City, Tenn., regions. The event included a special appearance by three-time MLB All-Star Carlos Baerga, with instruction provided by MLB Youth Ambassador Coach Ballgame.

MLB organized a STEM education event centered around baseball, aiming to inspire and empower students by connecting science, technology, engineering, and math with themes from both baseball and racing.

Through these events, MLB provided hands-on opportunities to learn, play, and connect with the game of baseball in meaningful ways at Bristol Motor Speedway and at TVA Credit Union Stadium, home of the summer collegiate Appalachian League’s Johnson City Doughboys.

What is the significance of Bristol Motor Speedway?

BMS has become an iconic racing venue since opening in 1961. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the speedway's half-mile track and high-banked turns have created some of the most thrilling, pulse-pounding moments in racing. Known as "the world's fastest half-mile," Bristol Motor Speedway hosts two NASCAR Cup Series events each year, including a night race that has been an annual tradition since 1978.

What are the field dimensions?

For the MLB Speedway Classic, a baseball diamond will be built across the track and infield of the speedway, primarily situated between Turns 3 and 4 of the track. The dimensions will be 330 feet down each of the foul lines, 400 feet to center field, 375 feet to the right-field alley, and 384 feet to the left-field alley.

Will they wear special uniforms for the game?

Yes, the Braves and Reds will don unique, racing-themed jerseys, hats, and helmets to match the overall theme of the game. The jerseys and hats retain the basic look of the respective teams but feature several tweaks to reflect the NASCAR vibe. These include numbers on the jersey backs designed after the numbers on race cars, with outlines, shadowing, and italicized "movement" to represent a race car's forward motion.

Meanwhile, the hats will feature more racing symbolism, including flames on the bill of the Braves' hats and checkered flags on the bills of the Reds' hats. The batting helmets are modeled after racing helmets and will feature various racing-themed imagery.

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson will also be wearing gear inspired by the 2006 film "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

Who are the starting pitchers?

The initial matchup will feature a local touch, with the Braves' Spencer Strider and the Reds' Chase Burns both hailing from Tennessee. Strider went to high school in Knoxville, approximately two hours away from BMS. Burns grew up in Gallatin, Tenn., before relocating to Knoxville to study at the University of Tennessee.

Strider (5-8, 3.71 ERA) has steadily distanced himself from last year’s elbow surgery and shown flashes of his dominant past. The big strikeout numbers aren’t back, but he has a 2.91 ERA over his past nine starts.

The No. 2 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, Burns (0-3, 6.26 ERA) will get a big stage to show his electric stuff in his home state. The 22-year-old, who has a 100 mph-plus fastball and an elite slider, has already faced premier lineups from the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, and Dodgers among his six big league starts. He has struck out 10 batters in each of his last three games but is still seeking his first win.

What are the starting lineups?

Braves: This group was weakened by Ronald Acuña’s Jr.'s return to the injured list this week. But Michael Harris II's recent resurgence has helped this group perform better since the All-Star break.

Jurickson Profar, LF
Matt Olson, 1B
Austin Riley, 3B
Drake Baldwin, DH
Sean Murphy, C
Michael Harris II, CF
Ozzie Albies, 2B
Eli White, RF
Nick Allen, SS

Reds: Scoring consistently has been an issue all season for the Reds, and only one player – Elly De La Cruz – has more than 11 home runs. But run prevention with improved defense – namely in the infield after the trade for Ke’Bryan Hayes – will be a key in this game and for the rest of 2025.

TJ Friedl, CF
Matt McLain, 2B
Elly De La Cruz, SS
Austin Hays, DH
Gavin Lux, LF
Noelvi Marte, RF
Spencer Steer, 1B
Tyler Stephenson, C
Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B

Is there anything else fans should know?

This will be the first regular-season game in National League/American League history played in Tennessee.
The game's ceremonial first pitch will feature two Hall of Famers who spent the entirety of their careers representing the competing clubs. Braves great Chipper Jones will throw the pitch to Reds legend Johnny Bench.
The MLB Speedway Classic will represent a homecoming of sorts for a player on each team. Braves All-Star third baseman Austin Riley was born in Memphis, and Reds reliever Sam Moll is a native of Lakeland, Tenn.
Tennessee is home to four current Minor League teams: the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), Triple-A Nashville Sounds (Brewers), Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) and Double-A Knoxville Smokies (Cubs).