Bristol Motor Speedway: 7 things you probably didn’t know about NASCAR’s ‘Last Great Colosseum’

NASCAR is heading to the Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500, a 266-mile race on arguably one of the shortest tracks on the current calendar.

The Bristol Motor Speedway is also referred to as the 'Last Great Colosseum' because of its ancient Roman-like architecture, representing the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. In addition, the racing that takes place inside the arena is very close and provides some of the most amazing battles on the entire circuit.

The speedway was opened in 1961 and has been one of NASCAR's destinations since. The track is only 0.533 miles (0.858 km) in length, with four banked corners. Initially, it had a 27-degree banking, but modifications have been made lately. The short length of the track along with the banking provides close racing action for the drivers with a very little margin for error.

Here are some of the most interesting facts about the Bristol Motor Speedway:

#1 Bristol Motor Speedway hosts one of the loudest sporting events

The small arena with over 30 cars running in circles at the top of their power is enough for the audience to cover their ears for good.

A 2005 study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health concluded that the noise level at the Bristol Motor Speedway was well over 140 decibels. To put that into context, a music concert is measured around 115 - 120 decibels.

#2 NASCAR Dirt Race

Bristol is home to two annual NASCAR races; the Food City 500 and the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. The former saw a steep decline in the audience throughout the 2010s. The situation had become so dire that NASCAR introduced a dirt-surface race for the Food City 500 in 2020.

The idea, however, has now been scrapped as the 2024 event will be held on the concrete track. This was because of major criticism. Both Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher remained open about the issue of running stock cars on the surface.

#3 Bristol's Dragstrip

A dragstrip adjacent to the Raceway was constructed in 1965 and is still used. It is currently 0.4 km in length and has undergone multiple renovations.

#4 One of the shortest tracks on the calendar

The shortest track on the Cup Series calendar is the Martinsville Speedway at just 0.526 miles, followed by Bristol at just 0.533 miles (0.858 km). Kyle Larson holds the lap record of the Cup Series from the 2018 Food City 500. He completed the lap in just 14.945 seconds.

#5 Not just a race track

Although Bristol perfectly serves its purpose as a race track, it has also been used multiple times to hold up events other than racing. In 1961, the NFL held a match between Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles there. Other events, like the Battle at Bristol, also took place at the location.

#6 Evacuation Centre

The Bristol Motor Speedway has proved useful for citizens at the time of a disaster. It served as an evacuee center during multiple hurricanes, which include Hurricane Irma (2017), Hurricane Florence (2018), and Hurricane Dorian (2019).

#7 "Thunder Valley"

The Bristol Dragway, adjacent to the Raceway, has been constructed between two mountains. The insane sound that is created while racing has given it the nickname of "Thunder Valley."

The 'Last Great Colosseum' is not the only nickname given to the Bristol Motor Speedway. It is also called "Holy Grail of Short Tracks," and "World's Fastest Half-Mile."