Four things to know about the Bass Pro Shops Night Race

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BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — NASCAR heads to the first elimination race of the Playoffs when it makes a stop at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday.

Since the Bristol spring race, there have been numerous changes at the “Last Great Colosseum,” not just a touch-up here and there, but rather a complete makeover.

So, here are four things you need to know about Bristol:

1. Just over a month ago, Bristol Motor Speedway was a baseball diamond where the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the most attended game in Major League Baseball history. For some drivers, the joining of the sports could be good for both.
   
   “People coming here may have never even heard of Bristol, but they’re coming for the baseball game,” Trackhouse Chevy driver Ross Chastain said. “And Bristol season ticket holders might think, ‘You know what? I attended the football game, the dirt sprint car races, and several NASCAR races. I want to go see a baseball game here.'”

1. When the game was over, track officials had just over a month to replace a Goodyear building that stood for 15 years and some of the walls between Turns 1 and 2, as well as some of pit row. They got the job done with little time to spare, according to BMS President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell.
   
   “Major League Baseball had about 200 people here to start disassembling everything right when the game was over,” Caldwell said. “I mean, that night they were moving on Sunday, and then we brought in a crew of about 100, once (MLB’s) materials were out, and started rebuilding and working on the walls, and it’s really gone well.”

1. Tire wear will play a factor on the challenging half-mile surface in the Northeast Tennessee Hills.
   
   In the spring, teams faced a tire-management situation like they hadn’t seen on the concrete high-banks in quite some time. But this time around, Goodyear confirmed it will use a softer right-side tire compound. But some drivers still sound skeptical.
   
   “I think we have all chased after that one magical race that we had with really high tire wear and tried to recreate some of it,” Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, said. “It’s interesting how that racetrack creates really high tire wear at one point and then you come back the next day and don’t see any of it. It’s just weird.”

1. Driver Denny Hamlin has a chance to join NASCAR royalty if he makes it to victory lane on Saturday night in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. Hamlin would capture his 60th career win, which would put him 10th on the all-time win list, tied with Kevin Harvick.
   
   The Joe Gibbs driver said he “would love to get 60 or Bristol.”
   
   “That would be fantastic,” Hamlin said.
   
   If Hamlin finds victory Sunday, he will keep his championship hopes alive, something that has eluded him for 20 years.

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