(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
Today officials from NASCAR and Bristol Motor Speedway announce that the UNOH 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and Bush’s Beans 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event will move from Wednesday, Aug. 15, to Thursday, Aug. 16 in 2018.
The schedule change packages an adrenaline-filled three consecutive nights of under-the-lights racing during the Aug. 16-18 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race week.
The Bush’s Beans 150 will kick off Thursday’s action with a 6:30 p.m. starting time and the UNOH 200 Camping World Truck Series race will be held Thursday at 8:30 p.m. and televised on FOX.
Qualifying for both events will take place earlier that afternoon, with the Modified Tour at 3:15 p.m. and Truck Series at 4:35 p.m., respectively.
Thursday’s racing serves as the lead-in to one of the most anticipated event weekends in all of NASCAR. The Xfinity Series Food City 300 will take the green flag Friday night to set the stage for Saturday’s tradition-rich Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, a 500-lap Monster Energy Cup Series event under the lights that has showcased some of the most intense on track battles in NASCAR history.
Details regarding all supporting events surrounding the date change will be announced at a later date.
What they’re saying about the schedule change:
NASCAR
“Moving the Camping World Truck Series race to Thursday allows for three consecutive nights of NASCAR action, making it easier for fans to attend each race of this can’t-miss weekend,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series general manager. “We appreciate the effort from our partners at Bristol Motor Speedway, FOX and the race teams in putting the fans’ interest first.”
University of Northwestern Ohio, sponsor of the UNOH 200
“We are excited that the UNOH 200 will serve as the anchor event for Thursday night’s racing action during Bristol Motor Speedway’s upcoming August weekend,” said Dr. Jeff Jarvis, president of UNOH. “We applaud NASCAR and Bristol Motor Speedway’s efforts to package the weekend schedule so that fans and everyone in the industry can maximize their time at the speedway. UNOH is proud to sponsor the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in what we believe is the most thrilling three nights of short track racing on the NASCAR circuit.”
Bush Brothers & Company, sponsor of the Bush’s® Beans 150
“Bush Brothers & Company is proud to work with our partners at Bristol Motor Speedway to make the best race experience in NASCAR even better,” Drew Everett, chairman of the board for Bush Brothers & Company. “We think this is a great opportunity for fans to see four exciting, short-track races in three days and we are excited that the Bush’s® Beans 150 will start it off on Thursday!”
Bristol Motor Speedway
“We’re blessed to work with so many quality partners who pulled together for the fans to make this schedule change happen,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager for Bristol Motor Speedway. “We have received a lot of feedback over the years suggesting this change and through a number of meetings with NASCAR, television and sponsor partners, we all agreed that this move was in the best interest of the fans. We’re looking forward to showcasing the best three consecutive summer nights of racing in all of motorsports this August.”
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I think this is a good decision – if I was a mod tour car owner, crew member, driver or fan going to Bristol I would rather take off 2 days from work instead of 3 (one less than if it was run on Thursday)
Finally!!!! Smart move. They use to do that parade on Thursday but the gap in action made no sense. Kudos for making the change on the fly. That said, I’m convinced it rains everytime any race is scheduled there. Rains every race weekend seems like.
There have been rain delays every time I’ve been there, to varying degrees. The last one was a doozy… massive lightning and people sheltering under the stands.
The place has always been empty every time I’ve been there, and that’s several times in the last few years. It’s not going help much. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the trucks run with the Mods a couple times, and/or maybe the xfinity cars. So as someone that has been there several times, I see no big deal as to Wed or Thur.
The bad news is that the local motels crank up the rates on Thurs. Race weekend is a huge windfall in that area. I get there Tues evening, regular motel rates. When the Mod race was on Wed, the motel rates were regular, on Thur the motel rates went sky high, like several times the normal rate. Glad I left the area right after the race on Wed night. The Mod owners are gonna get stuck with YUGE BIGLY motel bills because of this change to Thursday.
I was there in 2012. Good racing on Wednesday. Dead track on Thursday but still paid $400+ for the hotel. Good racing Friday and Saturday. Good for the fans to consolidate and save a day of hotel fees.
It’s real nice that every quote from these people are so excited about the trucks racing on Thursday night but no one mentions anything about the Modifieds! 🤬
Last year, the Mod Tour ran and then the trucks. Luckily, the rain waited until the truck race. I flew in the night before, and flew out the morning after. It was a one day event for the WMT. The problem is going to be our local Friday night Stafford boys getting back home to race. That race takes a toll on their bodies and now add precise logistics to get home sooner. No time to rest and recover.
all peep that saw race in dixie right hear. suggest you no go so far to get wet
My guess is something happened to that Thursday night parade\festival in town. Because realistically Food City as a sponsor is probably more important to the track than the Trucks or Modifieds.
2 hour window from green to post race trophy presentation. This is a clock race make no mistake about that. The trucks go as scheduled. Here’s hoping for no drops or red flags.
Well, several years ago, the Mod race was interrupted so the “other” race could be run on the prescribed TV time, and at the conclusion of that “other” race, the Modified race was resumed. Kinda sucked, made for a late night. Same thing happened at Loudon several years ago. I wish the Mod race was given more than a 2 hour window. Looks like there are lots of drivers/teams this year that will be new to Bristol, and that will lead to more yellows and reds. Maybe scheduling the Mod race for 6 pm instead of 6:30 pm would be better.
The Bristol race is fantastic… usually. Sometimes it can have many cautions and reds. But if any of you are thinking about it, I highly recommend it. The Modifieds on this track are breathtaking. The speed, the constant speed, is amazing.
If you have never been there, I highly recommend it. It is an amazing track, and a great match with the Modifieds.
Doug (aka: Sybil, WeldingWonders, et al.), because the crowds are so small, there is no line for tickets and concessions. You’d love it.
Would you recommend going to a movie that ends before the ending? Or..has another movie interrupt it 3/4 of the way thru? Long drive for a potential disappointment. Not good for Mod fans when the Tour is the warm up band.
Crazy, there’s risk to everything. The Mods have been subjected to racing interruptus at Loudon for years with the stupid competition caution, and interrupted for an xfinity race. Had to finish in the dark!!
When the Mods are in the mix with the trucks, xfinity and Cup, that’s where they fall. But the Mods on the concrete high banking are breathtaking. For me, the risk is worth the potential reward.
I am firmly in agreement with crazy’s post.However dareal makes a good case for going to Bristol,the only venue on the tour that the drivers say “fear is the only reason to lift”.So I will be going down to see the mods for my first time at Bristol.Gotta see the mods at this place.probably drive down Tuesday,stay over one night and get on the road for home after the race.Might have to pull over and catch a few zs but I don’t want to stay Thursday night.I’ll see how it works out.
dixie like trump. daril hate trump. dixie may hate daril. worried for daril. dont mention trump
art… great move. Definitely gotta see the Mods at Bristol. Since it will be your first time to Bristol, I highly recommend you get to the track early on raceday to see all that goes on, such as practice and qualifying. Check the schedule. The Mod race is on Thursday now, schedule changed. I usually drive down the day before the race. It has worked out fine. Don’t even think of finding a motel near the track, especially since the Mod race is closer to the other NASCAR races. Stay somewhere north of Bristol, as you approach on your way into the area, or in the Johnson City, TN area. Watch the weather forecast leading up to raceday and add that to your risk calculation. With the new race date, reschedule opportunities are nil. I bring a big cooler filled with hydration and provisions. It is hot and humid down there.
Like BBQ? There’s tons of it down there. I seek out independent BBQ places. I had a great experience at Ridgewood Barbecue on Elizabethton Hwy. Great food. But the cool thing was that a table of people somehow knew I was from out of town and invited me to join them at their table. It was a hoot. Great, friendly and generous people. They insisted on paying for my meal, refused any money from me.
Bring and wear ear protection. It is LOUD at Bristol. You never hear them lift. The bowl shape of the place seems to amplify the sound.
Do not worry about tickets. The place is empty, just walk up. General admission.
When the race is over, I head north, get out of the crowded Bristol area, and either find a motel or power nap at a rest area. The drive along I-78 & I-81 is quite nice.
The Great Smoky National Park is nearby if you want to stretch your trip out a bit. I’ve vacationed there a couple times. Very beautiful place. Then take the Blue Ridge Parkway north as long as you like, another gem of an experience. It parallels I-81 and you can leave it any time you want to head over to I-81.
So there you have it… the excitement of Modified racing at Bristol, and the peacefulness and platitude of the Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
dont forget unbrila maga hat and wee wee bottle art. drive safe.
20 hrs in car with wee wee bottle to see race at empte track no 1 cares in dixie and may only get wet or hedake from noise. good luck. don’t forget maga hat. racing better ware peeple like mods.
Thanks dareal I always like to see practice and qualifying although like NHMS theres probably no pit access.No problem with that.On hotels I was toying with the idea of going down last week to watch Preece and could have booked at the Speedway Inn right close by for $80.Probably a dump but no worries without the wife.Ricky how do you know about my pee cup?You been watching dude?
how could watch. dont know you. choice is wee wee bottle or diaper. diaper safe but need to save money for gas so wee wee bottle cheap. careful driving and wee wee at same time. dont forget maga hat.dixie love maga. dixie will love art.
art, I don’t think you want to be in the pits at Bristol. The place is shaped like a bowl, and you get pretty good elevation in the stands to see the whole track easily. Sit on either the front or back stretch, up as high as you want, and have a clear view of the entire track. I used to go in the pits at NHMS, until I realized how much I was missing. At NHMS, there’s a reason why there are so many people leaving the pits right before the race… to get in the stands to watch the race.
Don’t use a pee cup. Use Depends, like the astronauts do. Then you only have to stop for gas. A hose that runs through a floorboard freeze plug works just as well.
$80????? Wow!!!! At first I was surprised, then that makes sense… the place was pretty empty even for the xfinity and Cup races. Not the overwhelming demand for lodging as there once was. I’ll keep that in mind for August. A few years ago, a normally $70 room was like $275 on race weekend.
dareal,Your depends story reminds me of when I was a kid my Dad and Uncle had an old chevy 3 1/2 ton installation truck.They would get beer and chips for the ride home and to avoid the frequent stops a neighbor that worked at Republic Aviation took home a pilots relief tube assembly and they installed it in the cab.Back in the late 80s I went on service call at a Chevron gas station to repair a bay door.The owner came over to me and told me how he met my dad when he was a kid pumping gas.He said hey guys something is leaking from under the cab.They showed him the relief tube and he got a laugh out of it that he never forgot.The world has certainly changed Bigly.
Just a reminder, the Bristol race is on Thursday, August 16.