MLB is gearing up for one of the most ambitious events in recent memory. The Speedway Classic between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds was held at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
Already, 85,000 tickets have been sold before the game scheduled for August 2nd, according to Front Office Sports. The league is anticipating at least 90,000 spectators, making it the largest crowd to watch an MLB regular-season game.
Both teams have special uniforms prepared for the game. Each side will have its numbers emblazoned with the format of a race car driver. The Reds’ visors will feature checkered flags, while the Braves’ will feature flames.
Meanwhile, this will mark the first non-racing event held at the Bristol Motor Speedway. Furthermore, it will be the first MLB game held at a NASCAR track. Additionally, this move marks a milestone moment in more ways than just hosting a game at a famed speedway.
MLB and NASCAR have a longstanding connection
Throughout history, both MLB and NASCAR have found ways to merge, even if it was not immediately apparent to the untrained eye. Some of the biggest names in NASCAR are big-time MLB fans.
Driver Chase Elliott has expressed fandom for the Braves. The late Dale Earnhardt was also a fan of the Braves and was close friends with catcher Jody Davis.
In 2001, Dale Earnhardt Jr. famously won the Pepsi 400 in Daytona, months following the death of his father during the 500. He won it driving a specialized Chevy emblazoned with a paint scheme promoting that year’s MLB All-Star game.
Also, former Diamondbacks and Padres CEO Jeff Moorad owned a NASCAR team entitled Hall of Fame Racing. Plus, there is an overlap between baseball and racing fans that speaks volumes to the fervor surrounding this game.
It is destined to be a case of getting the best of both worlds.
Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture.
