Two of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball are taking to the ballfield this weekend—which we admit isn’t normally the sort of thing that gets our attention here at OnAllCylinders.
…Unless of course, the Diamond is set up in the infield of a famous race track.
Yup, MLB is calling this Titanic Struggle its “Speedway Classic”, presumably with the hopes to spark a series of annual games at major race tracks across the country.
And the venue for this inaugural match is none other than Bristol Motor Speedway.
Located in Bristol, Tennessee, the iconic track is one of the marquee stops on the NASCAR cup series—but is no stranger to non-motorsports events too, having hosted several football games and music concerts over the last several decades.
If you’re keeping track at home, this will be the first time a Major League Baseball game has been played at a race track, and it will be the first regular season MLB game ever played in Tennessee.
The pre-game festivities include a Fan Zone with a massive Ferris Wheel, MLB-branded NASCAR stock cars, and live music—no word yet on Enrico Pallazzo’s availability.
Both teams will wear special racing-inspired uniforms characterized with flamed and checked hats, plus motorsports-style numbers.
It you’re strictly a racing fan and new to the whole baseball thing, here’s a primer on the teams themselves so you can sound like a real sports buff as you watch the game with your friends:
- The Cincinnati Reds are recognized as the oldest professional baseball team in the world, with roots stretching back to 1869. The team has grabbed five World Series Championships—two notably in “The Big Red Machine” era that included All Stars like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Ken Griffey Sr., and all-time hits leader Pete Rose.
- Fun Fact: The first night game in MLB history was played in 1935 at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field—named for the same Powel Crosley who founded Crosley Motors.
- With prior stops in Milwaukee and Boston, the Atlanta Braves have four World Series titles and close to 20 National League Pennants. The Braves boast an impressive alumni roster of Hall of Famers like Warren Spahn, Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux—but perhaps none more famous than Hammerin’ Hank Aaron.
- Fun-er Fact: Though the Reds are the oldest team, thanks to some league shuffling in the 19th century, the Braves are considered the oldest continuously-operating team.
First Pitch for the inaugural Speedway Classic is set for 7:00 this Saturday, August 2. Tickets are still available, and the game will be nationally televised on your local Fox network affiliate.
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