Bristol Magazine, Spring 2014, Volume 7, Issue 3 by Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

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Battle At Bristol... NASCAR & Celebrities React

Winter Wonderland

Feel The Thunder

Another Great Season of Ford Speedway In Lights

Bristol Dragway 2014 Season Preview

Chow Down... Enter Fredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Contest on Page 6 Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

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Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best-Selling Brand.

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*Based on 2013 CY sales to date.

Spring 2014

Contents

FEATURES

8 3

Jerry’s Letter Spring and More...

Season Tickets Your Best Value

Chow Down... Great TriCities Resturants

iBelong Profile 2013 Vegas Winners

Staff Profile Meet Bump & Run...

“It’s Bristol Baby” First Time to Lifetime

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

Contents

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151 Speedway Blvd. Bristol, Tenn. 37620 P.O. Box 3966 Bristol, Tenn., 37625

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Chairman/CEO...........................O. Bruton Smith EVP/General Manager................... Jerry Caldwell VP/General Counsel....................... Julie Bennett VP/Consumer Group...................Logan McCabe VP/Finance........................................... Fred King VP/Ops. & Development................ Scott Hatcher VP/Safety & Asset Management........Dede Hash VP/Ticketing Operations................. Evelyn Hicks VP/Corporate Sales......................... Greg Harvey VP/Tickets and Guest Relations........... Ben Trout VP/Events.......................................Tanyua Kerns Sr. Dir. Operations...............................Billy Kerns Sr. Dir. Brand Management.............Drew Bedard Dir. Ticket Sales............................. Landon Owen COMMUNICATIONS VP/Communications..................... Kevin Triplett Manager/Communications.........Lynsey Wilson BRISTOL MAGAZINE Magazine Editor...........................Drew Bedard Copy Editor................................Lynsey Wilson Graphics/Design........................Patrick Savage Bristol Motor Speedway is a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports, LLC. Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company owns and operates the following premiere speedways: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiary, and manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars through its 600 Racing subsidiary. The Company also owns Performance Racing Network (PRN), which broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to more than 725 radio stations nationwide including Sirius and NASCAR. com. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.gospeedway.com.

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Spring 2014

Send your suggestions to: Drew Bedard dbedard@bristolmotorspeedway.com

Jerry’s Letter

Preparing For Another Great Year

Spring renews excitement. It renews promise. It brings us the anticipation of a new season and our racing family coming home once more. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that your New Year’s resolutions are still very much intact. We are coming off another banner year for our Ford Speedway In Lights winter celebration with more than 150,000 people enjoying our four-mile course decked with more than 2 million lights. To all who attended, let me be the first to say thank you, as your dollars go directly to helping children in our area lead better lives. For that, we are all grateful. Before we get into our exciting spring event plans, fall and winter saw another exciting story gain momentum. The announcement of the Battle at Bristol, College Football’s Biggest Game ever between the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech in 2016, has been a huge success with ticket reservations exceeding our wildest expectations. You can read more about the Battle at Bristol inside this issue, but for now, let’s talk some racing as the stars and cars of NASCAR are just about ready to bring their loud engines and battle-ready gladiators to the Last Great Colosseum for what is sure to be another epic showdown on the high banks. March race week begins on Friday, March 14th with Ford Fan Friday Qualifying and Food City Race Night, and there is no better way to kick-off the year’s first short-track event. Nationwide and Sprint Cup practice and Food City 500 qualifying lead into NASCAR’s best Fan Fest held right here at BMS. Action continues Saturday with the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes and K&N Series Pitt Lite 125 NASCAR doubleheader. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and offer Friday’s qualifying day tickets for just $5 and an action-packed racing doubleheader ticket for as low as $35. We hope you are as pleased with the entertainment and value as we are to offer it to you. And of course, our March classic returns as our partners at Food City sign on for their 22nd season at BMS with the running of the March 16th Food City 500. NASCAR stars Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Jeff Gordon and more will battle for our prestigious trophy and that sought-after early season victory. You don’t won’t want to miss it! My advice? Get here early for March race week and stay late. Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia are ready to roll out the red carpet and we hope you leave proud to call Bristol your home track. One last important thing, we are here for you. Our Chairman, Bruton Smith, reminds us all the time that we work for the race fans, so please let us know how we can assist you in planning your trip. Safe travels and get ready for a great time! Sincerely,

Jerry Caldwell

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

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Spring 2014

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Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

CONTEST

Restaurant Review

Food In the Tri-Cities

By: Fred King

When You’re Hungry… Where Do You Go for Food in the Tri-Cities Can you believe that in a matter of weeks we’ll be getting down to business again at Bristol? They say that as you get older, time really gets away from you, and I believe it. Boy, I’m old. It seems like it’s been just a matter of days since the checkered flag came down on the IRWIN Tools Night Race, and now we’re in the midst of sprucing up the facility for your annual Saint Patrick’s Day party at Bristol. With this issue I thought I’d share some ideas on where you can go to get that favorite style of food that you pretty much can’t live without for more than a week… the cookin’ you just can’t reproduce on that big ole green egg thing-a-ma-gig at your campsite. For this exercise, I’m going to concentrate on Bristol/Bluff City and Johnson City locations since it’s pretty much a straight shot one way or the other on Highway 11E. If it’s Italian your mouth is watering for, I’d suggest either Giovanni’s in Blountville or Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Johnson City. My favorite Italian dish is the spicy chicken shrimp pasta at Giovanni’s. If you like Chinese, then for my money there is really only one place to go in the Tri-Cities, and it is one of the newest restaurants in the area, and that’s Ming’s in Johnson City. I love their crispy honey walnut shrimp and their fried pork dumplings are really the best I’ve had anywhere. Here’s a bonus for you. You know how it is that after eating Chinese, you’re hungry in about ten minutes…well, take a left when walking out and there’s a Buffalo Wild Wings about 100 yards away. For “real” barbeque, there are superb choices in both Bluff City and Johnson City, both of which are pretty much institutions in the area. Dixie Barbeque in Johnson City offers every conceivable sauce for its pulled pork barbeque, while Bluff City’s Ridgewood Barbeque specializes in tomato based beef and pork barbeque. Ridgewood has had the distinction of being featured in articles appearing in People and Southern Living magazines. For those of you who enjoy the Mexican food group, I recommend Poblanos in Johnson City. Pablanos is the only area Mexican

Spring 2014

restaurant (that I know of) that will prepare fresh guacamole to your specifications, at your table. They also have some of the best margaritas in town, my favorite being the humongous Monster Margarita. Oh yeah, the food is really, really good too. Order the chile rellenos, which gives you the opportunity to please your Mom by eating your greens while filling up on beef and cheese. As you probably know by now my editor, Drew Bedard, just won’t let me ramble on forever and I’m quickly approaching my allotted “word count”, so here are some quick hits. If you want great “fish camp” style seafood try Fishtails in Bristol, for high end seafood there’s a Bonefish Grill in Johnson City. If it’s steaks you’re hankering for, then head to Peerless in Johnson City, and for sports eateries (you know wings, burgers, beer, tvs ….) I recommend 620 State Street in Bristol or One12 Downtown in Johnson City. Ok, he’s screaming at me to stop typing, but before I go I want to remind you that I’m still taking entries for this year’s “Heck yeah, I want to chow down with my hero, Fred” contest. We’ve been doing this for over a decade and it gets better each year.

To Enter Contest Send me an email at fred@bristolmotorspeedway.com telling me why you want to chow down with me Thursday evening of the August IRWIN Tools Night Race. Sometime around the first week in August, I will draw three names, and those lucky fans (and a guest of their choosing) will join me and my wife for dinner on Thursday of the August race week. We’ll pick you up in my personal limo and take you to dinner at one of the area’s finest restaurants. Now here’s the capper, you and your guest will also receive infield pit passes for Saturday afternoon of the big race, and a gift bag loaded with BMS gear worth over $250. You’ll meet new friends, have a great time, and start out the best week of the year on high note. See you in March, and have a safe trip.

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Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

SPEEDWAY IN LIGHTS

Event Review

A WInter Wonderland

Spring 2014

SPEEDWAY IN LIGHTS

Event Review

A Winter Wonderland

Thousands of Guests Celebrate the Season at Bristol Motor Speedway By: Lynsey Wilson

With lights strung from the scoring tower with care and grandstands decked with Christmas cheer, Bristol Motor Speedway celebrated the holidays with thousands of guests during its 17th season of Ford Speedway In Lights powered by TVA. The enchanted holiday wonderland, along with the Speedway’s companion winter events – Johnson Controls Ice Rink and HVAC Chill Hill – convert the iconic half-mile round track and legendary straight strip into a can’t-miss tradition for many families. “Our staff and Speedway Children’s Charities volunteers begin working to transform our facilities almost immediately after clean-up from the August NASCAR race weekend is complete,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager for Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway. “We truly enjoy creating an event that mirrors the spirit of the season - not only by benefitting those children in our area who need it but also providing a place families can come together and celebrate the holidays.”

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

SPEEDWAY IN LIGHTS

Event Review

A Winter Wonderland

Ford Speedway In Lights powered by TVA Two million twinkling bulbs dazzled visitors to this year’s holiday light show at Bristol Motor Speedway which added a 2016 Battle at Bristol tribute to its more than 200 glittering displays. A mustsee holiday tradition for thousands of families, each year the more than four-mile route transports guests through an enchanted winter wonderland featuring sparkling favorites such as the Ripley’s Aquarium Sea of Illumination, dueling dragsters and Dinosaur Village. Open for nearly seven weeks, the 17th annual light display also allowed visitors to take their vehicles for a trip down the Thunder Valley straight strip and a spin around the World’s Fastest Half Mile. Those choosing to make a pit stop at the infield Christmas Village were afforded the best view of another guest favorite, SUBWAY® Symphony In Lights, a display of more than 300,000 synchronized LED lights covering the Darrell Waltrip Grandstand as well as of the brand new, lighted Battle at Bristol display. Along with the traditional carnival rides, food vendors and fire pits, visitors to the infield also participated in the interactive Battle at Bristol Fan Zone which allowed fans of the gridiron to test their throwing arm at the football toss, run routes around inflatable players stationed on a small-scale replica of the 2016 field or take pictures behind photo cutouts of players and cheerleaders from their favorite team. The South’s largest holiday light display is the largest fundraiser for the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities and remained open from Friday, Nov. 15 – Saturday, Jan. 4. Runners and walkers received a sneak peek at the 2013 route prior to its official opening during the Sunday, Nov. 10 SUBWAY® 5K Run/Walk presented by Fleet Feet Sports. More than 2,800 participants traversed this year’s 3.1 mile course which culminated on the backstretch of the Last Great Colosseum.

Spring 2014

SPEEDWAY IN LIGHTS

Event Review

A Winter Wonderland

Johnson Controls Ice Rink & HVAC Chill Hill Twinkling lights were not the only option Bristol Motor Speedway offered for those seeking some holiday spirit in 2013. The only indoor ice rink within a 90-minute driving radius of BMS, the Johnson Controls Ice Rink, is one of the Speedway’s most popular non-motorsports related activities. Attracting thousands of skaters each year, the rink also featured Wednesday’s Electric 94.9 College Night which gave free skate rentals to all guests with a valid college ID and hosted a Tacky Christmas Sweater Night that offered free rentals to all those who arrived in the season’s most cringe-worthy designs. As the Ice Rink wrapped up its tenth season at BMS, another popular attraction – HVAC Chill Hill – notched its fourth season as part of the track’s winter festivities. A 300-ft. snowless slide, riders rocketed down the hill on inflated tubes, landing just outside of Turn 1. Comprised of two parallel runs, riders raced their friends to the bottom as many times as they could manage inside the 50-minute time frame. Proceeds from all winter events at Bristol Motor Speedway benefit the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities which raises funds throughout the year in support of local children’s

organizations throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. In 2013, the Bristol Chapter distributed a record-setting $742,000 to 87 agencies throughout the region. “We were truly blessed to assist 87 organizations in 2013,” said Executive Director of the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities Claudia Byrd. “I can’t say enough about those who volunteer and support our efforts. It’s simply amazing. Each year the need in our region grows, and we add more events which means asking our volunteers for more time. They continually step up to the plate, and without all of the caring individuals who support our events we couldn’t do the things we do or raise the funds to help as many kids. “ Since its inception in 1997, the Bristol chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities has raised more than $7.5 million in funds. Along with its popular winter events, SCC also hosts other events throughout the year including the Sharky 500, golf tournaments held prior to the NHRA event in June and during the August NASCAR race week, the Ultimate Bristol Experience Online Auction and Cars at the Colossesum.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

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Spring 2014

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

BRISTOL KIDS CLUB

Staff Profile

Meet Bump & Run

DETAILS Birthday: Father’s Day 2011 during the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals Hometown: Bristol, Tenn. Length: I am taller if you count the tail Weight: Heavier around race time, I can’t help myself. Favorites Food: Anything, have you seen what people throw away? Snack: Pie, LOVE pie Drink: Pepsi TV Show: I love reruns, except the old Daniel Boone show. That Fess Parker headgear gives me the willies. Movie: “Over the Hedge” Character: Pepe Le Pew is a scream Song: “Rocky Raccoon” by The Beatles Book: Anything scratch and sniff Saying: “One man’s trash is a raccoon’s treasure.” Colors: Red, White and Blue Ice Cream: Butter Pecan, two of my favorite ingredients Car: Mustang Driver: Danica. One word, like Cher

During event weekends at Bristol Motor Speedway, a common question buzzing around is “who are those “rascally raccoons” wandering around and getting into everything?” Well, it is none other than our mascots, Bump and Run. Still there are more questions to be answered about these two critters. Where did they come from? How did they get here? Are they related?

A great deal of discussion occurred during the process of deciding what mascot, or mascots, would best represent us at Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway. With much deliberation and research, it was decided raccoons would be a great fit at our facility nestled in the mountains of East Tennessee. Now, not only is the raccoon the state wild animal of Tennessee but it is also the official animal and mascot of Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway. Brother and sister, Bump and Run

Spring 2014

Staff Profile

Meet Bump & Run

BRISTOL KIDS CLUB

DETAILS Birthday: Father’s Day 2011 during the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals Hometown: Bristol, Tenn. Length: A little shorter than Bump Weight: Never ask a female that question FAVORITES Food: Fruits and vegetables Snack: Marshmallows Drink: Diet Mountain Dew TV Show: Home Improvement shows. I adore what they do to some of those homes. Wonder if they do dumpsters? Movie: “Pocahontas” by Disney. Character: Love that Meeko from Pocahontas. Wonder if he is single? Song: “You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd” by Roger Miller. I’ll bet you can’t either. At least I don’t see how. Book: Southern Living Cookbooks; I would love to have the chance to prepare food properly. Saying: There’s racing… Then there’s Bristol Colors: Pink made their debut in 2013 after being “residents” on BMS property for nearly two years. First noticed as kits about 18 months prior to their “adoption” during the summer of 2011, they are offspring of two other inhabitants of the property affectionately named Thunder and Valley by BMS personnel. Despite being the younger sibling by about two minutes, Run often finds herself in a position of helping the mischievous Bump out of a mess in which he has inserted himself yet again. Not that Run is completely above playing her own practical jokes. She just is more subtle about it.

They often play tricks on members of the BMS crew as they prepare the facility for another race weekend. Bump and Run both enjoy following employees, walking in pace with their steps, stopping when the employees stop so they will not know they are being followed. Bump tends to be more daring, venturing further from home than Run but guests are likely to see either of them anywhere on Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway property.

Ice Cream: Moose Tracks, since I found out there aren’t actually any moose in it. Car: Ford F-150. They are not just for men. Driver: Kasey Kahne, no wait, Jeff Gordon, no wait, Dale Jr., no … Carl Edwards, shoot all of them.

Look for them; say hello and have your picture made with Bump and Run.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

SEASON TICKETS

Ticket Options

Your Best Value

Spring 2014

SEASON TICKETS

Ticket Options

Your Best Value

2014 Season Tickets... Our Best Value By Drew Bedard

As our fans know, Season Tickets at Bristol Motor Speedway (the iBelong program) are second to none as far as value is concerned... We make our best efforts to enhance your season ticket purchase so that attending races at Bristol Motor Speedway continues to be a “no-brainer” decision year after year.

incredible savings at Food City. Every iBelong Member Card also is a Food City Value Card, potentially saving you hundreds at the cash register and gas pump.

Many of your friends and family ask, “why do you continue to get season tickets to Bristol?” Here are just a few reasons you can share with them:

NEW - Free Food City Fuel Bucks - New for 2014! We have teamed up with our great partners at Food City to provide our season-ticket holders with an amazing value, one that will sure help your travel budget. Each season-ticket holders’ iBelong card will be loaded with two (2) Food City Gas-N-Go Fuel buck stops which saves you $0.15 per gallon on up to 20 gallons of gas! Fueling that RV or vehicle just got a whole lot easier, all thanks to Food City!

Las Vegas Trip - Brenda Rettig, whose adventure is spelled out on page 31, was selected to be Bristol’s guest at the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet - a trip awarded to an eligible season ticket holder every year. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Video documenting Brenda’s experience may be viewed by going to YouTube.com/ThunderValley. Savings on Tickets – Our season ticket holders save a great deal of money on race tickets -- $66 to be exact. That’s enough to get your half-price Pre-Race SuperPass ($40 for iBelong members) plus plenty of hot dogs and Pepsi at the concession stand. Or anything else you might want to buy. Experiences - Like the half-price SuperPass, we offer amazing experiences for our iBelong Members. Some come with a minimal added cost but most are free including the iBelong reception in August, iBelong Ice Cream Social and many more. We create more experiences for our season-ticket holders than any other sports facility in the country, hands down. Coupons and Savings - iBelong Members have the benefit of getting exclusive coupons to places like Mellow Mushroom, Ole Smoky and many more area establishments not to mention

Value, as defined by Webster’s, is a fair return or equivalent in goods, services or money for something exchanged. For your hard-earned dollars, our Bristol team delivers back to you, our loyal customer and guest, value far surpassing the money spent. All told, our iBelong program nets Season Ticket holders more than $300 in total savings.

Savings and Values = More Than $300! With Season Tickets starting at $160, there is no better time than now to experience Bristol, the Last Great Colosseum, and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of this amazing American landmark nestled in the Tennessee hills. So, when your friends ask again, “why do you buy Season Tickets to Bristol,” simply hand them this magazine and say, “because of this, and a whole lot more.”

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

2014 SPRING RACE WEEK

Race Preview

The Last Great Colosseum

Spring 2014

2014 SPRING RACE WEEK

Race Preview

The Last Great Colosseum

By Kevin Triplett

As exciting and re-energizing as change can be, sometimes anxiousness finds its way into the mix. Not the “looking-forward-to-something” kind of anxiousness, but the true kind. The type that sometimes brings with it a knot in the stomach. Because, with all of the opportunity that comes with change, come expectations as well. So, accompanying the “freshness” of the new car smell is anxiety over scratching the finish. Enter Bristol Motor Speedway, the Last Great Colosseum, a mixing bowl in which hope and consternation are thrown in together and stirred. Hope springs eternal, but concern increases with potential pitfalls. For several NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers arriving at the Last Great Colosseum in March with new teams, wearing new uniforms and piloting new cars – there comes new hope as well and maybe an edge on some of the competition.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

2014 SPRING RACE WEEK

Race Preview

The Last Great Colosseum

With all of the dread that comes along with a race at Bristol, with drivers and crews wanting to come out with as little damage to cars and point standings as possible, those who have found the secret look forward to the challenges that come with racing at BMS.

a decade, until it was grabbed by Kyle Busch in March of 2013. From 2008-11, he finished in the top 10 six times in seven Cup races, earned a Truck Series pole and won two NASCAR Whelen Modified races at BMS.

As difficult and demanding as 500 laps at Bristol can be, for crew chiefs who have discovered the right setup and drivers who know the right line, the March 16 Food City 500, the first short-track race of the 2014 NASCAR season, can be as welcoming as an old pair of shoes. It solidifies changes that were made in the off-season and begins the process of distancing themselves from the competition on that long road to November and the Cup Series title.

However, since that time, Newman only has one top-10 in four Sprint Cup races at BMS. He is another driver hoping his recent fortunes at Bristol change with the Food City 500.

Newman’s situation is similar and the irony of his new ride is not lost, in that his departure at Stewart-Haas opened the door for Harvick, while Newman’s new home is up the road in Welcome, N.C., at Richard Childress Racing – Harvick’s team address for nearly 15 years.

In the three NASCAR national series, Carl Edwards (Roush), Brad Keselowski (Penske) and Joey Logano (Penske) have eight wins combined at Bristol and all showed strength last year before circumstances eliminated them from contention.

The last Cup winner at Bristol Motor Speedway, Matt Kenseth, captured the IRWIN Tools Night Race in August on his way to a second-place finish in the season standings. A six-time winner at BMS, three times each in the Cup and Nationwide Series, Kenseth Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman all have visited victory hopes recent history is on his side. lane at Bristol Motor Speedway in one NASCAR series or another Only four times since 1990 has the Cup winner in the Night Race and all return this spring after turning the page on a new chapter in returned to back it up with a victory the following spring. But it has their careers. happened twice in the last three years: Kyle Busch in 2010/11 and Brad Keselowski in 2011/12. Harvick lays claim to being one of the most successful drivers in Bristol Motor Speedway history with seven wins overall (one Cup, Continuing the trend would suit Kenseth just fine. After posting five Nationwide and one Truck) – all but one coming with Richard six consecutive top 10s at BMS, Kenseth struggled with runs of Childress Racing. But after scoring 11 top-10 finishes in his first 15 25th and 35th before bouncing back to lead 149 laps and take the Cup races at BMS, The Last Great Colosseum has proven to be checkered flag last August. a higher hurdle in recent years with just one top-10 in his last 10 tries. He arrives in Bristol this spring in the No. 4 machine, fielded by Stewart-Haas, hoping the change of rides translates to a change The strongest contenders from the Ford camp all have win notches in their Bristol belts as well. from recent results.

Newman owned the Sprint Cup qualifying record at Bristol for nearly

Spring 2014

2014 SPRING RACE WEEK

Race Preview

The Last Great Colosseum

Visit bristolmotorspeedway.com/videos/

Logano was battling Jeff Gordon for the lead in the Food City 500 last March before crossing swords with former teammate Denny Hamlin ended Logano’s chances. Edwards led 119 laps in the IRWIN Tools Night Race in August before engine problems ended his night.

‘Bristol is an environment unlike no other... It’s amazing. It is... the Last Great Colosseum… I love racing at Bristol.’ - Carl Edwards Still, Edwards looks forward to returning to Bristol. “Bristol is an environment unlike no other,” Edwards said. “It’s amazing. It is, I guess, the Last Great Colosseum. … I love racing at Bristol. We’ve won the truck race, the Nationwide race, the Night race a couple of times. I mean, it’s a blast. I love that place. There’s nothing like driving a car down into the corner at Bristol battling for position. It’s wild.” But those are veterans. The 2014 season brings the Bristol Sprint Cup debut of Austin Dillon and the return of the famed No. 3 to the high banks in NASCAR’s top division for the first time since Dale Earnhardt finished fourth in the August Night Race in 2000. “Bristol treated me well (in 2013),” said Dillon, the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide champ. “We had a good car the last race, very close to having something to win and compete with so next year is going to be fun and always challenging.”

Backing up a moment. The action starts Thursday, March 13 with practice and qualifying for the PittLite 125 NASCAR K&N event. Sponsored by new partner United Mining Equipment, in just two years the season kickoff for the K&N series has proven an incredible display of talent by future stars of NASCAR. The first event in 2011 was highlighted by a thrilling door-to-door duel between eventual winner Nelson Piquet, Jr. and Cory Lajoie that had fans on their feet before mechanical issues sent Lajoie to the pits. Ryan Blaney, another up-and-comer, charged through the field to finish second. The 2013 season-opening event was dominated by Dylan Kwasniewski who closed the season by winning the series title. Other drivers in the K&N field, in one or both of the first races include: Chase Elliott, Ben Kennedy, Kyle Larson, Travis Pastrana, Darrell Wallace, Jr. as well as many others. Friday brings Ford Fan Friday, one of the most loaded days of activity, on and off the track, in racing. More than three-and-a-half hours of Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series practice are squeezed in before Cup qualifying; and fans may see it all for just five bucks. Following qualifying, Food City Family Race Night takes place in the BMS hospitality area behind Turn 4 between BMS and Bristol Dragway. Driver appearances, food and music all mean fun for fans and admission is free. Saturday, March 15, NASCAR Sprint Cup practice starts at 9 a.m. followed by Nationwide Series qualifying, final Sprint Cup practice and the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes Nationwide race. As quickly as possible after the end of the JFGC 300, the second-half of the racing doubleheader takes place with the PittLite 125 K&N race.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

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REMINDER: Since the Tennessee Legislature passed the “Non-smokers Protection Act” in 2007, Bristol Motor Speedway has been a non-smoking facility inside the grandstand area as well as in restrooms and on suite level. While it is an outdoor arena and our guests choose their seats when they make a purchase, no one can choose who sits beside, in front or behind them. We ask smokers to please be courteous and respectful of their fellow race fans and BMS policies and take advantage of smoking on the concourse areas where it is permitted. If there are issues with guests adhering to this policy, please text Bristol, your location and your concerns to 69050. We want everyone’s experience at Bristol Motor Speedway to be a positive memory and appreciate your help with this.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

Spring 2014

FEEL THE THUNDER Dragway Preview

Dragway Preview

FEEL THE THUNDER

FORD NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS ANCHOR 2014 BRISTOL DRAGWAY SCHEDULE NOPI NATIONALS RETURNS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2005 By: Lynsey Wilson

Stacked with ground-shaking, blood-pulsing power, this year’s Bristol Dragway schedule ensures fans visiting Thunder Valley in 2014 experience exactly how the iconic quarter-mile earned its nickname. Anchored by the Father’s Day weekend Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals and popular Roadrunner Markets Street Fight series, longtime fans may also notice the return of the NOPI Nationals to this year’s line-up as well as the expansion of big money bracket racing with the new five-day K&N Spring Fling presented by Sparco.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

Dragway Preview

FEEL THE THUNDER

1 ‘Our 2013 season was one of the strongest we’ve had in Thunder Valley, and we look forward to continuing that momentum in 2014.’ - Jerry Caldwell “Our 2013 season was one of the strongest we’ve had in Thunder Valley, and we look forward to continuing that momentum in 2014,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice-president and general manager of Bristol Dragway. “There is no doubt that Bristol Dragway is one of the premier facilities in drag racing, and we are committed to providing our fans with second-to-none hospitality as well as an exciting list of events. We know they won’t be disappointed with their 2014 visits to our unique venue. “We like to say we have something for everyone in Thunder Valley,” continued Caldwell. “Each season we make a point to include a broad range of events in the schedule, and it’s no different in 2014. The calendar includes many of our traditional events such as Monster Truck Madness and Thunder Valley Mayhem. We’re also brining back some fan-favorites like NOPI, and of course the Dragway’s flagship NHRA event. A trip to the Thunder Valley Nationals has become tradition for so many families, and we’re glad we are able to continue celebrating Father’s Day with them.” 1 One of the most popular stops on the NHRA calendar, the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area

Spring 2014

Ford Dealers offers drag racing fans an experience unparalleled in motorsports. Fueled by thunderous engines and extreme speeds, the event’s electric atmosphere ignites in 2014 with the addition of Top Fuel Harleys to the weekend schedule. Including two-wheel action in an already thrilling event highlighted by flaming headers and blazing exhausts in Friday’s qualifying runs under the Thunder Valley lights and 2013 Funny Car Champion John Force defending last season’s victory makes this a must-see for any drag racing fan. 2 For those fans seeking to test their own skills on the legendary straight strip Bristol Dragway also returns its popular Roadrunner Markets Street Fight series, allowing anyone with a street-legal ride to pilot their machine down the quarter-mile. Comprised of 17 events, the season opener is scheduled for Saturday, March 29 with the majority of events taking place on Thursday evenings and a few select Saturdays in 2014. 3 Local racers can also test their mettle in the DER Bracket Racing Series which hosts its sixth season in Thunder Valley. Slated for nine weekends of competition in 2014, the popular grassroots racing series features competition in categories ranging from Super Pro to Junior Dragsters. Bracket racers can also score big at this year’s five-day K&N Spring Fling presented by Sparco. The big money event attracted more than 500 dragsters and door cars to Thunder Valley last year, and its newly expanded format offers this year’s participants five chances to win big with three $20,000 races and two $15,000 races. Scheduled for the week of May 13, Spring Fling

Dragway Preview

competitors speed to the 1000’ foot mark - a distance chosen by event creators Peter Biondo and Kyle Siepel as a compromise between the quarter-mile track preferred by Northern racers and the eighth-mile distance favored by their Southern counterparts. Attendees are also treated to a Racer Appreciation Barbecue and more than $30,000 in product giveaways. Big money is again up for grabs at Bristol Dragway during the eighth annual BTE World Footbrake Challenge, set to roll July 4-6. Footbrake competitions prohibit drivers from using electronic equipment to help achieve a perfect start. Those still able to hit their marks could take home a hefty $10,000 purse if they are first across the stripe in Thunder Valley. Veteran racers give way to junior dragsters July 21-26 as racing’s up-and-comers cut their teeth on the historic straight-strip during the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals presented by Viperizer. Drivers ranging in age from eight to 17 compete in both index and bracket races at the NHRA event and tune-up their half-scale dragsters prior to the event during the Huddleston Performance Jr. Dragster Nationals presented by Mike Bos Chasis Craft scheduled July 18-20, just ahead of the NHRA weekend. The events attract more than 500 racers from all states east of the Mississippi and provide a perfect opportunity for straight-track fans to cheer the sport’s future stars. Thunder Valley also ensures fans of every manufacturer have an opportunity to support and show-off their favorite classics. Ford Fun Weekend and Mopar Thunder team back up in 2014 for a doubleheader event on Aug. 29 – 30, and Bristol’s Super Chevy Show is slated for Sept. 26 – 28.

Home to one of the largest Super Chevy Shows in the country, Bristol Dragway concludes its weekend of bowtie action with Beef O’ Brady’s Thunder Valley Mayhem presented by Thompson Metal Services. Motocross, Megasaurus and mayhem invade the quarter-mile as some of the world’s fastest machines take center-stage for a can’t-miss weekend event sure to entertain the entire family. 4 Another family favorite, Thompson Metal Monster Truck Madness presented by Beef O’Brady’s, creates car-crushing carnage at BMS on Friday, July 26. Featuring some of the biggest names in the business, these extreme machines rumble through the Speedway infield vying for the title of racing champion before producing pandemonium in their high-flying, metal-mashing freestyle performances. 5 The NOPI Nationals Supershow returns to the Bristol Dragway schedule for the first time since 2005. Attracting imports, tuners, modifieds and more to its May 30 – June 1 event, the weekend features drifting exhibitions, drag racing and a multidivision car show. Boasting a diverse range of events, the 2014 Bristol Dragway schedule offers an array of experiences guaranteed to entertain even the most casual motorsports fan. Tickets for the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals are on sale now with weekend packages starting at just $79 and free Sunday admission for children 12 and under with the purchase of an adult entry for the same day. Cost for NHRA event tickets increase Saturday, June 7 so call (855) 5805525 or visit www.bristoldragway.com to save on your purchase and to learn more about upcoming events in Thunder Valley.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

FEEL THE THUNDER

CHAMPIONS WEEK iBelong Profile

Viva Las Vegas

Spring 2014

iBelong Profile

Viva Las Vegas

VIVA LAS VEGAS:

Longtime Season Ticketholders Hosted at NASCAR’s Champions Week By Lynsey Wilson

In early November, Cincinnati-resident Brenda Rettig learned she was selected as the 2013 contest winner earning her roundtrip airfare, three nights lodging at the Wynn Las Vegas, passes to the Fan Pre-Event Reception, access to the red carpet, passes to the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards™ and passes to NASCAR After the Lap™. “I think we were all a little speechless when we first found out,” said Rettig, who chose her father and brother to accompany her on the trip. “It was such an incredible experience. It’s amazing how Bristol treats its season-ticket holders.”

‘It was such an incredible experience. It’s amazing how Bristol treats its season-ticket holders.’ - Brenda Rettig The trip started with a seat at NASCAR’s NMPA Myers Brothers Award Luncheon where drivers, crew chiefs, sponsors and other dignitaries received awards for their role in supporting the sport’s success throughout 2013. Most notably, recipients of the Most Popular Driver Award and Myers Brothers Award are honored at the luncheon. The trio witnessed Dale Earnhardt Jr. accept the Most Popular Driver Award for a record-setting 11th consecutive season and a humbled Tony Stewart receive the Myers Brothers Award, a lifetime achievement

CHAMPIONS WEEK

The brightest stars of NASCAR’s 2013 season shimmered on the red carpet during this year’s Champion’s Week as the sport hosted its annual post-season celebration in Las Vegas. Events ranged from burnouts down the Boulevard to star-studded arrivals at the annual awards banquet and thanks to the Speedway’s “Be-Bristol’s-Guest-inVegas” contest three longtime Bristol Motor Speedway season-ticket holders had the opportunity to experience every moment.

award presented each year to an individual or company whose contributions have made a significant impact on the sport. From there, Brenda and her family lined Las Vegas Boulevard to watch the season’s top-13 drivers parade their machines down the Strip and celebrate the year’s success with finish-line burnouts in front of the famed Miracle Mile Shops. Seats at fan-favorite NASCAR’s After the Lap event, a drivertell-all infamous for good-natured ribbing among competitors and the occasional display of a driver’s best dance moves, capped the family’s first day in Vegas. Dressed to impress, Friday night found Brenda, her father and brother strolling the NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Red Carpet mingling with Chase contenders, celebrity attendees and other well-known industry figureheads. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to be this close to the drivers and interact with them as much as we’re able to,” said Rettig prior to entering the banquet. Hosted by Jay Mohr, the 2013 Awards Banquet featured musical performances by John Mellencamp, Dierks Bentley and Sara Bareilles along with award presentations by stars such as actress and designer Alyssa Milano, comedian and actor Rob Riggle and Michael Rooker, better known to racing fans as Days of Thunder’s Rowdy Burns.

The black-tie affair both recognized the top10 finishers for their 2013 achievements and subjected some to derision for their antics as Jay Mohr verified that Danica Patrick, who attended with boyfriend and Sunoco Rookie of the Year Ricky Stenhouse Jr., was comfortable being positioned so close to the front and quipped that he received breaking news of a 13th month – JeffGordonary – added to the 2014 calendar. (Gordon, who finished sixth in the final standings, was a late addition to the traditional 12-car Chase field). But the evening’s primary honoree, sixtime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, brought some levity to the otherwise light-hearted evening, using his acceptance speech to recognize those who helped him reach this most-recent career milestone and pay tribute to Nelson Mandela by closing with a quote from the late South African leader who used sports as a tool to unite his war-torn country. “Sport has the power to change the world, it has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does,” Johnson said. “And that’s NASCAR.” To see more of Brenda’s Champions Week experience or learn how you can be Bristol’s guest in 2014, visit www. bristolmotorspeedway.com.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

Spring 2014

NASCAR REACTS Battle At Bristol

Battle At Bristol

NASCAR REACTS

NASCAR Reacts to the 2016 Battle at Bristol By Lynsey Wilson

On Monday, October 14, 2013, Bristol Motor Speedway announced its plans to host the largest game in college football history, pitting the Hokies of Virginia Tech against the University of Tennessee Volunteers in an interstate match-up expected to draw upwards of 150,000 attendees. Scheduled for Sept. 10, 2016, the aptly titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Battle at Bristolâ&#x20AC;? is projected to set the NCAA record for highest single-game attendance, topping the previous two largest-attended games which drew 117,000 and 115,000 respectively. Just a few weeks after its 2016 August NASCAR event, the legendary short track transforms into a world-class college football venue and many of motorsports biggest stars hope to be in the stands for the historic event.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

Battle At Bristol

NASCAR REACTS

“It’s definitely one of the coolest atmospheres you can play a game in with the way Bristol’s built,” said 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion Austin Dillon. “Hopefully I’m in the stands somewhere watching the game. I’m definitely gonna put it on my calendar.” Joey Logano, 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Matt Crafton, 2012 Sprint Cup Series Champion and five-time Bristol winner Kurt Busch all hope to join Dillon in the stands.

“I’ve always thought there should be a college football game there,” said Busch. “It’s going to be intense, probably an all-time record with the amount of attendance that they’ll push in there. I’ll be there.” Others echoed Busch’s expectations of an intense atmosphere surrounding a football game inside the Last Great Colosseum.

“The football game there I think will be neat,” said Chad Knaus, crew chief of the No. 48. “I went to a Gamecocks vs. Clemson game. 90,000 people in the stands, a lot of energy, and I know the kind of energy you can get at Bristol. When you put those college fans in there, boy that’s going to be fantastic.” Knaus’s car owner agreed.

“That’s going to be an unbelievable deal,” said Rick Hendrick. “I think it’s a tremendous idea, and the track is laid out perfectly for that. I’m a huge fan of Bristol and also a college football fan. When you get Tennessee in there, you’ll have standing room only.” Layout of the racetrack-turned-football stadium is also a hot topic among NASCAR’s elite.

Spring 2014

Battle At Bristol

NASCAR REACTS

“I heard about [the game], and that’s awesome,” said four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and five-time Bristol winner Jeff Gordon. “I know there’s challenges about how to get the field down in the infield, but from a facility standpoint – you know, I always say Bristol is our college football stadium so I think it only makes sense that they put a college football game there.” While schematics and seating charts are still being finalized, many aspects of the facility conversion plan are already determined. Removal of the infield scoring tower takes place prior to the August 2016 NASCAR event, making way for an unobstructed field of play. An estimated 8,500 tons of rock, hauled into the stadium in approximately 400 truckloads, build the field base. The base rock will be 3-ft. to 6-ft. deep in the middle of the infield, tapering to 1½-ft. on the sidelines, to create the proper sloping effect for drainage.

“Bristol is a great venue,” said six-time Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson. “I’m interested to see how everything is going to lay out in there, but it’s going to be awesome.”

“It’s going to be pretty exciting,” said perennial Most Popular Driver award winner Dale Earnhardt, Jr. “I think that fans will really enjoy the stadium and the race track. The seating there is just perfect, probably just like a football coliseum. [I’m] so excited to see how everybody responds to that, if they enjoy it and if it’s something that happens every year.” BMS season ticket holders are eligible to reserve two Battle at Bristol tickets for every three season tickets they currently hold. For more information on purchasing tickets, call (855) 773-5324. To see more NASCAR reaction to college football’s biggest game ever and become a Battle at Bristol insider visit www.battleatbristol.com.

To Reserve Tickets, Call 855-773-5324 Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

Sponsor Spotlight

FIRST TENNESSEE BANK

First Tennessee has been a proud sponsor of Bristol Motor Speedway since 1998.

Spring 2014

Sponsor Spotlight

A Tennessee tradition together on the track

One of Tennessee’s great institutions is Bristol Motor Speedway. For more than 50 years, Tennesseans and other race fans from around the country have flocked to the famous half-mile oval in Bristol to witness some of the most exciting races ever run. Past winners include some of the most legendary drivers in the history of stock car racing. Names like Allison, Petty, Waltrip and Earnhardt all have lifted the trophy at Bristol Motor Speedway. And the best of today’s drivers still consider Bristol one of NASCAR’s most prestigious stops. It’s a history that’s steeped in tradition and second to none in the state of Tennessee. It’s also why First Tennessee Bank, our state’s only Tennessee-based bank, is proud to be the Official Bank of Bristol Motor Speedway. First Tennessee, which will celebrate its 150th year of serving Tennesseans this year, supports a wide range of community institutions and civic organizations across the state. But its unique partnership with Bristol Motor Speedway gives the bank’s brand strong exposure with Tennesseans from every corner of the state. That’s because the race draws fans – whether on television or in person – from every county in the state. The relationship began in 1998, and it has been a successful arrangement from the very beginning, according to Newt Raff, former First Tennessee President, Northeast Tennessee.

“The partnership between First Tennessee and Bristol Motor Speedway is a natural fit,” said Raff. “When you create a partnership between the speedway dubbed as the ‘fans’ favorite track’ and the most successful financial services institution across the state of Tennessee, you develop a winwin situation for everyone, including the NASCAR fans.” First Tennessee’s sponsorship with Bristol Motor Speedway includes many of the things you see at the track: signage around the facility, prominence in promotional materials, as well as a luxury suite experience for customers to enjoy the race. First Tennessee even sponsored a car in the 2003 race.

One of the key perks of sponsoring Bristol Motor Speedway is the access it affords First Tennessee to races and the experience(s) they can offer their own customers. For First Tennessee, it’s a valuable part of its customer relationship building process. According to Gerald Hallenbeck, Northeast Market President for First Tennessee, it’s an experience and a connection that keeps getting better and better. “The Bristol Motor Speedway team is amazing to work with,” said Hallenbeck. “They always come up with new ideas to expand the race experience for their fans and sponsors.”

However, one of the special parts of the relationship is First Tennessee’s opportunity to support the charities that are important to Bristol Motor Speedway and its fans.

Hallenbeck said First Tennessee has also found some unexpected value in working with the Bristol Motor Speedway management team.

In fact, since 2004, First Tennessee Bank and the First Tennessee Foundation have given a combined total of $13,400 to Speedway Children’s Charities and $10,000 to the Jeff Byrd Memorial Foundation.

“Our bank prides itself on great customer service and teamwork,” he said. “It has been a privilege to observe and learn how the Bristol Motor Speedway team constantly goes above and beyond expectations in their quest to improve the “BMS Experience.” They are a great partner, and we look forward to working with them for years to come.”

“We consider it a privilege to work with Bristol Motor Speedway in supporting the invaluable work of organizations like Speedway Children’s Charities,” said First Tennessee Vice President, Brand Manager, Paula Beale. “We believe strongly in the power of institutions like First Tennessee and Bristol Motor Speedway to make a lasting impact on the communities we serve.”

First Tennessee sponsored the number 77 car in the 2003 Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

No doubt this successful partnership will enjoy many more checkered flags together as they bring banking excellence and an exciting NASCAR experience together to serve Tennessee race fans from Memphis to Bristol and everywhere in between.

First Tennessee is among the sponsors with a place on the familiar banked track walls at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

FIRST TENNESSEE BANK

FIRST TENNESSEE AND BMS

Battle At Bristol

PREVIEW

BATTLE AT BRISTOL PREVIEW

The Battle for Bragging Rights among many subplots heading towards the 2016 gridiron clash at The Last Great Colosseum By Landon Owen

Decades in making. Once in a lifetime. Must see. Bucket list. Biggest ever.

I can only imagine what they have up their sleeves for this game!”

centered around the biggest football game EVER!”

Whatever your pleasure in adjectives, I like to sum it up with three little words:

Just imagine all the peripheral entertainment going on around the game itself. The tailgating will be legendary, sure – that much we know – but what else do you think could appear? I’m not giving any hints, so you’ll have to use your imagination for the time being!

One thing is for sure, it will be an experience like none other.

Hokies. Vols. BRISTOL!!! In what will no doubt go down as the most attended college football game in history, the Battle at Bristol will go so far beyond being just a football game. If you’ve been to Bristol for a race sometime in the last fifty-plus years, you know that the sensory experience goes beyond racing. The same will be said for Bristol’s first foray into college football. “Bristol Motor Speedway is known for exceeding expectations,” proclaims iBelong Member and Hokie fan Jennifer Berry from Abingdon, Virginia. “As a season ticket holder to their NASCAR events, I walk away after each race thinking, ‘there is no way they can get any bigger or better.’ However, they always do, never ceasing to amaze me.

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One fan with a pretty good imagination is iBelong Member, Volunteer fan and Sevierville, Tennessee native Drew Miller. “BMS is not just a racetrack, Bristol is an experience. From the time you pull around on to Volunteer Blvd and get that first glimpse of the Colosseum. But what excites me most about having the game is knowing that I have friends who have NO affiliation with either team that are planning to come for race week and either staying over or coming back for the game. It will be like having an extended "family reunion"

Huntington, West Virginia resident, college football fan and long-time iBelong Member Chandos Peak says, "We have seen football games played in baseball stadiums and basketball played in football stadiums, but never football inside a race track. I think it will be awesome. This will be a special game day experience for fans and players." I asked Jennifer (the Hokie) and Drew (the Volunteer), what they were looking forward to most about the Battle itself. Upon hearing their responses, I felt obliged to include them in their near entirety. “December 31, 2009. I got in a car with three of my good friends from college and rode down to Atlanta. This wasn't just any trip for any old football game; this was UT

Battle At Bristol

PREVIEW vs. VT in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl! I graduated from ETSU, so while I was a student there, I was definitely in the minority when it came to football. Most of my friends were all Tennessee fans. Being from Virginia, I was proud to support The Hokies! My three friends were decked out head to toe in Orange and White – we even had tickets in the UT section. I made sure not to talk too much (trash) because I knew that would be a long ride home had we lost. Of course, we were able to pull off a pretty amazing victory. Once the news came out about the Battle at Bristol you can only guess what the topic of conversation has been. They want a rematch. We have already started making plans. The only thing different this time is we don't have to drive to Atlanta and we will be experiencing something historical. I feel it's important that this game is being played in Bristol. If you're from this region, you’re either a Hokie or a Volunteer and most likely a NASCAR fan, so what better place than Bristol Motor Speedway to have this game?!”

“I have been coming to Bristol since I was 16 years old and have not missed a race weekend in 17 years. Without a doubt, BMS is very special to me and the Volunteers are as dear to me as anything else I know. Combining the two is just an unreal feeling. Since the very first time I went to BMS I have always imagined a game being held there. Knowing that Mr. Smith has wanted it for years, I knew if given the chance it would happen. More than once I have sat in there wondering what it would feel like hearing Rocky Top echo through Thunder Valley! We got a touch of that last August, but nothing like it will be on game day at BMS! It is hard to say what I'm looking forward to the most, but if I had to say one thing, it would be being in attendance when the BIG ORANGE gets a win in front of the largest audience in the history of College Football!” It sounds like the Battle has already begun… and I’m not just talking about the battle of words!

The demand for tickets to this game is already hard to fathom. We’re still about two and a half years away and we have already seen a tremendous amount of BMS iBelong Members secure their tickets with a deposit through the BMS ticket office. The University of Tennessee took deposits for so many tickets that they had to shut off sales just one month after the initial press conference. Virginia Tech made their initial allotment available to their top customers soon and tickets are going fast. If you are a season ticket holder or iBelong Member and would like to secure your tickets today, you may do so by calling 855773-5324 and speaking with a customer service representative. You may purchase three Battle at Bristol tickets for every two season tickets you own. If you are not an iBelong Member, what more can I do to tell you that now is the perfect time to hop on the bandwagon!

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

It’s Bristol Baby

First-Time Fans A Bristol Focus

First-Time Fans a Bristol Focus

FAN FOCUS

By Ben Trout

Do you ever reflect on your first trip to Bristol? The emotions it generated? The towering grandstands appearing on the horizon as you drove along Highway 11E? The view of the legendary oval when you first walked through the portal? The great race you saw? The friends you made? Sure, it may sound cliché, but there really is nothing quite like that first time, and here at Bristol we are continuing to see a rise in the number of first-timers attending our events. For those of you who are seasoned Bristol veterans, we hope you join us in welcoming first-time fans to “The Last Great Colosseum.” The upcoming Food City 500 weekend will mark the third consecutive event for our “Bristol Motor Speedway First-Time Guest” program. This program is geared toward welcoming our “rookie” guests and providing them with the information needed to make the most of their initial experience, and most importantly, offering a genuine good-hearted “thank you” for choosing Bristol. To facilitate this, we encourage all first-timers to visit any of our Guest Services Kiosks located throughout BMS property, our Guest Relations Office located on the first floor of the Bruton Smith Building or Guest Welcome Village, located within our Corporate Display/Guest Midway Area behind the Allisons Grandstand. At any of these locations, our first-time guests will receive an

Spring 2014

informational welcome packet with a special card, lanyard and welcome guide. First-time guests also may complete a first-time guest registration and they will receive a commemorative certificate via mail following the event. Above all, our first-time guests can interact with our event staff, ask questions and provide feedback – all of which is used to improve upon all we do here at Bristol to enhance the fan experience. Let’s face it… There are few things more precious in life than the feeling you get when sharing something special. From marriages to the arrival of a newborn, to graduations; we all have personal happenings that shape our lives and are a joy to share with others. Knowing the vast majority of you receiving this magazine and reading this article are season ticket holders, at one time or another you likely have brought someone to Bristol for the first time, and no doubt that was a special moment to share. Now is a great time to encourage others to make that Bristol pilgrimage. It’s a great time to introduce someone to Bristol. It’s a great time to share the “Bristol Experience” again. For more information, visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/fans/ first_timers/

2014 SPRING WEEK FAN SCHEDULE Thursday, March 13, 2014 Noon

Spectator Gates Open (Gate 10 Only)

Noon

1:15 PM

PittLite 125 NKNS-E Practice

1:45 PM

3:00 PM

PittLite 125 NKNS-E Final Practice

8:30 PM

11:00 PM

Speedway Children’s Charities Laps for Kids

Ford Fan Friday Friday, March 14, 2014

**Hot Pass in Effect** (Entire Infield Area) All Day Noon

Spectator Gates Open

Noon

1:30 PM

Food City 500 NSCS Practice

1:40 PM

2:30 PM

Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes NNS Practice

3:00 PM

4:25 PM

Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes NNS Final Practice

9:00 PM

Food City Race Night (Hospitality Area)

4:35 PM 4:00 PM

Ford Fan Friday NSCS Pole Qualifying

6:30 PM 6:30 PM

NNS Garage Closes 11:00 PM

Speedway Children’s Charities Rides

Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes & PittLite 125 Saturday, March 15, 2014

**Hot Pass in Effect** (Entire Infield Area) All Day 9:00 AM 9:00 AM

Spectator Gates Open 9:50 AM

10:05 AM

Food City 500 NSCS Practice Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes 300 NNS Qualifying

11:30 AM

Noon

1:00 PM

TV Exhibition Run Food City NSCS Final Practice

1:30 PM

Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes NNS Driver Introductions

2:00 PM

Start of the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes NNS Race

4:30 PM

PittLite 125 NKNS-E Drivers Introduction

4:45 PM

Start of the NKNS-E Race (125 Laps, 66.63 Miles)

Food City 500 Sunday, March 16, 2014

9:00 AM 9:00 AM

Spectator Gates Open 10:45 AM

Hospitality Track Tours

11:00 AM

“Hot Pass in Effect” (Entire Infield Area)

12:30 PM

Food City 500 NSCS Driver Introductions

1:00 PM

Reserve Early! 800.356.1676 or 865.453.4400

Start of the Food City 500 NSCS Race Tentative, Subject to change

www.dixiestampede.com FOLLOW US

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

Speedway Section Title

PARKING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS GUESTS ADVANCE APPLICATION FOR ADA PARKING LOTS ENABLES SPECIAL NEEDS GUESTS TO PARK CARS NEAR THEIR SEATS

2014 ADVANCE HANDICAP PERMIT APPLICATION

Bristol Motor Speedway asks guests using stateissued ADA placards to apply for a Bristol-issued pass to help these visitors park closer to their seats. Anyone planning to use state-issued placards should send copies of the permit and the supporting documentation in advance, along with an application form, so that the BMS Events Department can send advance passes for the appropriate parking lots. The documentation required (registration card, receipt, staterecognized disabilities ID card, driver’s license, or original approved application forms) is the same reviewed by law enforcement officials at the entrances to handicap lots. Additional documentation is required to obtain accessible parking and this documentation varies by state. Individuals with temporary disabilities should submit medical documentation with an application to receive the BMS-issued permit.

Space is limited in the South (B-side) Lot closest to the Earnhardt, Yarborough, Johnson and Petty grandstands and terraces, and spaces in this lot will be allocated first to guests with seats in these grandstands, and second, on a first-apply, first-served basis. In the South Lot, only 400 spaces are available for Truck and Nationwide Series events and 600 spaces are available for Sprint Cup events. The number increases for the Cup races because after the Nationwide Series race, BMS opens Nationwide Series competitor spaces for special needs requests.

of the vehicle using the permit. Transferring a BMS-issued permit to another person should be considered the same violation of Tennessee law as fraudulently using a state-issued placard, and anyone doing so may face the same penalties. State-issued placards will be admitted at the Dragway Entrance only. Law enforcement officials will check documentation to ensure that the person to whom the permit is issued is in the vehicle.

In the North (A-side) Lot, cars with BMS-issued passes will park closer to the grandstand than cars using state-issued placards.

Please note that these permit procedures do not apply to reserved seat wheelchair guests. Reserved wheelchair seating and parking guests should contact Beverly Buster at 423-989-6902.

After applications have been received, notification will be sent to the applicant confirming or denying the request. Passes will be mailed approximately one month before the race.

For all other handicap parking questions, contact Alice Dawson/Crystal Miller at 423-989-6941 or alice@bristolmotorspeedway.com or crystal@ bristolmotorspeedway.com.

Law enforcement officials will check the permits at the South and Dragway Entrances to ensure that the name on the BMS-issued permit matches a photo ID of the occupant

If you applied for parking in 2013, you must apply again for 2014 parking. If you applied for parking in 2013, you must apply again for 2014 parking.

2014 Advance Special Needs Parking Permit Application Deadline for application: Two Months Before Each Race or Once Annually (User must have state-issued disabilities placard to apply for this permit)

Full Name___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (as it appears on documentation and photo ID)

Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RLY A E L State Issued Plate/Placard Permit Number_______________________________________________________________________________ TC N I R EP S Email Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ A E PL City, State, ZIP_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

SEAT LOCATIONS (please fill out seat information per event)

Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chip 300_______________________________________________________ Acct #____________________________ (March - Saturday Nationwide)

Grandstand

Section

Row

Seat

Food City 500______________________________________________________________________ Acct #____________________________ (March - Sunday Sprint Cup)

Grandstand

Section

Row

Seat

UNOH 200_________________________________________________________________________ Acct #____________________________ (August - Wednesday Truck/Modified)

Grandstand

Section

Row

Seat

Food City 250______________________________________________________________________ Acct #____________________________ (August - Friday Nationwide)

Grandstand

Section

Row

Seat

IRWIN Tools Night Race_____________________________________________________________ Acct #____________________________ (August - Saturday Sprint Cup)

Grandstand

Section

Row

Seat

Note: Seat Location and Ticket Account Number are required. Ticket holder and parking permit user may or may not be the same person. Parking will be assigned by seat location. Send this COMPLETED form, PLUS a photo copy of the state-issued permit, PLUS a copy of supporting documentation (registration card, receipt, handicap ID card, driver’s license, or original approved application forms) to obtain or use the permit TO: ATT: Alice/Crystal, BMS Events Dept., PO Box 3966, Bristol, TN, 37625; or fax to 423-764-0002. Retain a copy of completed application for your records.

Signature of permit user ____________________________________________________________________________ Downloadable applications are available at www.bristolmotorspeedway.com

Spring 2014

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OFFICIAL SOFT DRINK OF JEFF GORDON

UNCOVER THE WORLD OF

A ZERO-CALORIE COLA IN DISGUISE ™ | PEPSIMAX.COM/DISGUISE PEPSI MAX, the Pepsi Globe and A ZERO-CALORIE COLA IN DISGUISE are trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc. © 2014 Jeff Gordon, Inc. The name, likeness and signature of Jeff Gordon and the likeness of the #24 Pepsi Max Chevrolet SS are used with the permission of Jeff Gordon, Inc.

Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway

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For Major

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Impact

a Little Bit

Goes a Long Way

IRWIN Impact Performance Series Screwdriving Bits: Built for Impact Drivers While most screwdriving bits are simply compatible with impact drills and drivers, IRWIN ® Impact Performance Series™ fastener drive bits are engineered for impact tools. These forged bits fit fasteners precisely, so they won’t strip, and they’re manufactured with heavy-duty, cold-forged, high-grade steel, so they’ll withstand extremely high torque output. Plus, a black oxide finish resists corrosion, and a 1/4" quick-change shank fits all types of impact and rotary drivers. With three times longer life than traditional insert bits, IRWIN’s Impact Performance Series screwdriving bits will stand up to the most rigorous use and unforgiving jobsite conditions imaginable. When you need tools that work as hard as you do, IRWIN delivers.

Spring 2014