Part rock concert. Part carnival. All spectacle. That describes the Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. And when the track is the third-to-last stop before the Chase begins on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the scene is especially surreal.
I've been to large-capacity sporting events at some historic venues before. The Kentucky Derby. The Rose Bowl. But race day at this .533 mile track surrounded by grandstands that climb high into the rural eastern Tennessee sky is truly something to see in person.
They call the place the "World's Fastest Half-Mile." And the tableau is a unique one. Wow! There's a couple of shirtless dudes with tattoos on their chest. Look! There's points leader Tony Stewart (who's a lot shorter in person) hopping off a golf cart heading to a driver's meeting. Check it out! There's NASCAR president Mike Helton, soaking in the late afternoon sun outside a hauler in the pits. RVs as far as the eye can see. People wearing gear of their favorite drivers. Lots of 88s. Not so many 24s. Of course, when you pack 160,000 people into BMS, you're bound to have differing opinions. Needless to say, you do.
And this place is loud. It didn't earn its nickname of Thunder Valley for nothing. If you do go (and seeing this thing in person is something even casual race fans should do), bring earplugs. Lots of 'em.
Blair Johnson is a video producer for Yahoo! Sports.
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