1992 Budweiser 500

[doozer]

is on ESPN Classic right now. the track doesn't even look like Bristol. there's people siiting in the grass on a hill at the beginning of the front straight.

when was the first night race there? and when did they begin the expansion of that place? anybody have a link or old pictures of what the place used to look like.

 

[tidwell]

I actually managed to find something useful on NASCAR.com. Mark down this date.

The speedway was sold after the 1976 season to Lanny Hester and Gary Baker. In the spring of 1978, the track name was changed to Bristol International Raceway. In August of that year, the first night race was held on the oval.

In Aug. 1992, BMS became the first fully concrete speedway to host a Cup event.

On Jan. 22, 1996, Larry Carrier sold the speedway to Bruton Smith at a purchase price of $26 million. At the time of the sale, the facility seated 71,000.

On May 28, 1996 the track's name was officially changed to Bristol Motor Speedway. By August of that year, 15,000 seats had been added bringing the seating capacity to 86,000.

For the August 1998 Goody's 500 the speedway featured more than 131,000 grandstand seats and 100 skyboxes. On Aug. 26, 2002 work began on the most ambitious construction project since Speedway Motorsports, Inc., purchased BMS in 1996. The new backstretch increased the venue's seating capacity to more than 160,000.

NASCAR.com : races : tracks : Bristol Motor Speedway

 

[TennFan]

Thanks for the update. Bristol was a small track years ago. It really has grown over the years. I pass it on the way home to Elizabethton.

 

[dantheman617]

I love Bristol..i grew up right outside of the track...its amazing to see how it once was, to where it is today..i watched that race on TV tonight..i was there. I remember it vaguely. I was only 8 yrs old at the time...