2026 SPECIAL SESSION I

ENROLLED

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2042

Commending Bristol Motor Speedway.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, April 23, 2026

WHEREAS, for 65 years, Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted thrilling National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing events and served as a center of cultural life in Southwest Virginia; and

WHEREAS, established in 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was constructed on the site of a former dairy farm and featured a half-mile oval track with 22 degrees of banking and just over 18,000 seats; and

WHEREAS, Bristol Motor Speedway quickly became a favorite track for fans and drivers alike and was well known for its tight racing, high drama, and signature roar of the crowd echoing off the surrounding hills; and

WHEREAS, in 1969, Bristol Motor Speedway increased its banking to a steep 36 degrees, creating one of the fastest and most challenging tracks in motorsports; the facility has undergone numerous expansions and renovations over the years, ultimately transforming into a fully enclosed stadium-style venue with grandstands surrounding the track that can accommodate more than 150,000 spectators; and

WHEREAS, as one of the largest and loudest tracks in all of motorsports, Bristol Motor Speedway has earned the nickname “The Last Great Colosseum” and become a bucket-list destination for motorsports fans around the world; and

WHEREAS, Bristol Motor Speedway has been a fixture of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) since its inception and hosted countless NASCAR events in various racing formats; the track's September event, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, has become a crown jewel of the NASCAR calendar; and

WHEREAS, over the decades, Bristol Motor Speedway has produced countless legendary moments, from Darrell Waltrip's dominance in the 1980s and Dale Earnhardt's famous “bump-and-run” on Terry Labonte in 1999 to Kyle Busch sweeping all three national series races in a single weekend in 2010; and

WHEREAS, outside of motorsports, Bristol Motor Speedway has also hosted other major events, including the “Battle at Bristol,” the largest college football game ever played, with 156,990 fans in attendance for the matchup between the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the University of Tennessee in 2016; and

WHEREAS, in 2025, Bristol Motor Speedway also hosted the “Speedway Classic,” a matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds that broke the all-time regular season attendance for a Major League Baseball game with 91,032 fans in attendance; and

WHEREAS, in addition to being a major economic driver, Bristol Motor Speedway plays an important role in the region through its commitment to philanthropy and community outreach and support for Speedway Children's Charities, which provides grants to other nonprofit organizations in Virginia and Tennessee to ensure children are given the tools and support they need to build better, brighter, and healthier futures; and

WHEREAS, Speedway Children's Charities has distributed more than 20 million dollars to different organizations over the course of its history, directly impacting the lives of more than 64,000 children; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Bristol Motor Speedway hereby be commended on the occasion of its 65th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Bristol Motor Speedway as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the venue's contributions to stock car racing and unique role in local life in Southwest Virginia.