Baseball under the lights of a NASCAR track? Never before seen, but it’s about to happen, and it promises to be wilder than anyone imagined. On August 2, 2025, Bristol Motor Speedway, the legendary half-mile bullring in Tennessee, will ditch its racing roots for a night and transform into a Major League Baseball field. The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds are set to take the stage for the first-ever regular-season MLB game in Tennessee, dubbed the MLB Speedway Classic. This won’t be just a game. It’s shaping up to be a full-on spectacle that already has fans buzzing from all corners.

To pull off this insane crossover, crews are transforming Bristol’s infield into a legit baseball stadium. They’re hauling in 18,000 tons of gravel, 340 tons of clay, and rolling out synthetic turf like you’d see at Rogers Centre, but with a way cooler vibe. Picture a diamond nestled between the steep banks of Turns 3 and 4, surrounded by towering grandstands, like a modern-day Colosseum with Spencer Strider and Chase Burns expected to throw heat instead of gladiators duking it out.

The crowd is expected to be unreal. Over 100,000 tickets have already been sold, with projections set to smash the MLB regular-season attendance record of 84,587 set in 1954. And fans aren’t just showing up for baseball. They’re in for a festival. A 110-foot Ferris wheel, batting cages, pitching tunnels, food trucks, and the Budweiser Clydesdales will add to the chaos. Tim McGraw, Pitbull, and Jake Owen are lined up to rock a pregame concert, blending Bristol’s country music roots with a party atmosphere. The Braves and Reds are leaning in, planning to sport NASCAR-inspired uniforms with flames and checkered flags that already have fans hyped.

On the field, it won’t be a gimmick. Strider, hoping to shake off a rough patch, is set to face Burns, a Tennessee kid with a 98 mph fastball and nasty slider. Both are expected to bring their A-game, making it a legit playoff-caliber showdown. The Speedway Classic isn’t just a stunt. It’s on track to be history, and Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s hometown hero and diehard Braves fan, can’t contain his excitement, inviting MLB fans to join the party and see Bristol’s magic.

Chase’s invitation for all to NASCAR

Chase Elliott was practically bouncing when he talked about the Speedway Classic with Frontstretch, saying, “Yeah, I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be fun. So I was watching SportsCenter this morning and they were talking about… talking to some of the players, and even Ozzy and some of those guys haven’t even seen it yet, so that’s kind of cool. I think it’ll be… yeah, should be a treat for everybody.”

As a Georgia native and lifelong Braves fan, Elliott’s been hyping the event since April, when he hit up MLB headquarters and called it a “big deal.” He’s not wrong. MLB players on SportsCenter were just as pumped, predicting a one-of-a-kind vibe, and Elliott’s stoked to see fans from both worlds soak it in.

He doubled down, adding, “Well, I don’t think that’s the hope in it, right, is to at least, yeah maybe attract some people that have never been to Bristol. Or I mean the race is only in what, about a month?. So yeah, I think once people lay their eyes on the facility and kind of how nice it is, I would have to imagine it would at least make you curious to maybe come back and see it, and hopefully that’s the case. You know, we… we can get some MLB fans to… come check us out.”

Elliott’s throwing out an open invite, hoping the Speedway Classic hooks baseball fans into checking out Bristol’s NASCAR action, like the Bass Pro Shops Night Race in September. He told MLB Network and ESPN that Braves fans and NASCAR fans “fit naturally together,” and this event could spark new crossover love. With over 100,000 fans expected to pack the stands, he’s betting the jaw-dropping venue will leave MLB diehards curious enough to return for a race.

Chase Stuck in a fatal four-way

While Elliott’s cheering for the Braves at Bristol, he’s also fighting tooth and nail in the NASCAR Cup Series, where the regular season championship is a four-way dogfight with just four races left.

Heading into Iowa Speedway, Elliott’s clinging to the points lead, but it’s tight. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron is breathing down his neck, just four points back after closing a 16-point gap at Indy. Kyle Larson, another Hendrick driver, is 15 points behind Elliott after a runner-up at the Brickyard 400, and Denny Hamlin, who skipped Mexico City but still nabbed third at Indy, is only 20 points off the lead.

It’s a pressure cooker. Elliott’s lead shrank fast, and with Larson and Hamlin within striking distance, every lap counts. Christopher Bell, sitting fifth, is 62 points back, too far to catch up unless something wild happens. Winning the regular season title brings bragging rights and playoff points, but with this kind of heat, staying consistent is Elliott’s biggest challenge. Iowa’s short track could shake things up, and Elliott, who’s already locked his playoff spot with a win at Atlanta’s Quaker State 400, knows one slip could cost him the crown. The Speedway Classic’s crossover buzz is electric, but Elliott’s got his own high-stakes race to run.