Bristol Motor Speedway’s current slogan is “racin’ the way it ought’a be” and it rings true every time the green flag flies for a NASCAR event at this rough and tumble, short-track style, stock car racing coliseum.

160,000 hardcore race fans seated around a .533-mile concrete bowl, what could be better?

The geniuses behind this mecca for motorsports fans were Carl Moore, Larry Carrier and R.G. Pope. The track’s website claims that the three men sketched ideas for the track on envelopes and brown paper bags. They may not have been formal with their plans but they sure did create a masterpiece.

The original track was exactly a half-mile and the turns were banked at 22 degrees. Seating capacity was only 18,000 back then when the track hosted weekly events prior to the first NASCAR event held on July 30, 1961.

42 cars started that historic race; only 19 managed to finish. Johnny Allen took the checkers in Jack Smith’s car after taking over as a relief driver for Smith during the event.

Since its inaugural event, Bristol has been continuously improved over the years. In 1969, the track was re-shaped into the .533-mile surface it is today and the turns were banked steeper. Seating capacity has been steadily increased over the years to the current 160,000 seats.

The track changed hands from the original trio of owners to Lanny Hester and Gary Baker in 1976. A few years later Hester sold his share to Warner Hodgdon who purchased the rest of the speedway the following year. In 1985, Hodgdon filed for bankruptcy and Carrier came back and bought the track once again. Eleven years later Carrier sold the track for $26 million to Bruton Smith’s Speedway Motorsports Inc.

In 2007, the track was re-surfaced to improve the worn-out conditions and Bristol Motor Speedway currently boasts 36-degree banking in the turns.

The exciting venue has seen many historical events since its birth. In 1979, Dale Earnhardt won his first Sprint Cup Series victory in only his 16th start. From 1981 to April of 1984, Darrell Waltrip won every Sprint Cup race at Bristol, 7 victories total, making him the winningest driver ever at Bristol and that record still stands.

In August of 2006, Mark Martin won the Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol making him the first driver to win in all three of NASCAR’s top series at that venue. The following year, the COT was debuted during the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway; Kyle Busch took the checkers for the last time on the original concrete surface and for the first time in the new car.

Each race at BMS is guaranteed to keep hardcore race fans glued to their seats. The track’s configuration creates hard racing which in turn makes for some hard wrecks. Sparks fly and tempers flare, especially during the night races, and it is always shakes up the point standings.

Bristol says it is “racin’ the way it ought’a be” and it never disappoints.

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