Seats in some of the more popular locations at Bristol Motor Speedway rapidly are becoming hard to come by with the IRWIN Tools Night Race quickly approaching.
While the Wallace Tower and The Pit Road Party Zone sections are full, the Allison Grandstand on the front stretch of the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, as well as several other popular sections, continue to fill with little more than five weeks remaining before NASCAR returns to the newly revamped .533-mile oval.
Bristol Motor Speedway general manager Jerry Caldwell, however, is quick to note there really are not just one or two preferred areas around the iconic track from which to watch a race.
“Obviously, the Wallace Tower and the Allison Grandstand are very popular with our fans, as is the Party Zone, but every race fan has an opinion about the best seat at BMS,” said Caldwell. “Some want to sit on the front stretch, others want the back stretch and certain fans wouldn’t give up their seats in the turns for anything.
“The fact is that at BMS there really isn’t a bad seat. Everybody is so close to the track, no matter where they’re sitting. The drivers will tell you that part of what makes the atmosphere here so electric is that the fans sit right up on the action.”
BMS officials in April announced a plan to mill out the progressive banking in the top groove of track. After a Goodyear tire test in mid-June with Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton, it was evident the process had narrowed the racing surface.
“If people liked the older track more than the new, they are going to like this,” said Burton. “This takes the top groove out and brings it back toward the old track. Taking the groove out moves the track closer to what it used to be. Taking the banking out is what is going to make the difference. You won’t run the top groove on a short track without more banking. There is no way you will run around the outside.”
Seats remain available for all three nights of racing in August. Race week Aug. 22 with a doubleheader, which features the Volunteer 200 Camping World Truck Series race and the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 Whelen Modified event. On tap Aug. 24 is the Food City 250 Nationwide Series race, followed by the IRWIN Tools Night Race Sprint Cup event Aug. 25.
Tickets for the IRWIN Tools Night race start at $75 $45 for the Food City 250. An August race weekend package, which includes a ticket to the IRWIN Tools Night Race and the Food City 250, starts at $110. A doubleheader ticket for Wednesday night’s Camping World Truck Series race and the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 is available for $30.
BMS PR
