What you need to know about tonight's MLB Speedway Classic

Bristol Motor Speedway, also billed as "Thunder Valley," is known for its speed. Tonight, there will be plenty of thunder and speed on display when the Braves and Reds duel in the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic at the famed 64-year-old racetrack.

This game will break MLB's all-time regular season attendance record. And leading up to the first pitch, country music icon Tim McGraw, Latin sensation Pitbull and award-winning country music star Jake Owen will get the party started with an epic concert from inside BMS.

Here is what you need to know about this one-of-a-kind event.

When is the game, and how can I watch it?

The 2025 MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com will take place tonight. First pitch between the Braves and Reds is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast nationally on FOX.

How can I get tickets to the game?

Tickets for the MLB Speedway Classic are on sale through Ticketmaster, starting at just $23. That doesn't include sales tax. There are also a limited number of premium seats available.

Is this a regular-season game?

Yes, and the Reds will be the home team. The MLB Speedway Classic will follow games between the Braves and Reds in Cincinnati on Thursday, July 31, and Friday, Aug. 1. Sunday will be held as an off-day for both teams, acting as a buffer in case of inclement weather.

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What other events are planned in conjunction with the game?

Bristol, a border city divided by the Tennessee and Virginia state lines, is known as the “birthplace of country music." In celebration of those roots, Grammy Award-winning artist Tim McGraw will headline a special pregame concert leading into the MLB Speedway Classic.

The concert will start approximately one hour before the first pitch and will include Grammy-winning global superstar Pitbull and country music artist Jake Owen. FOX plans to feature portions of the special performance during its pregame event coverage.

McGraw is a natural fit for this event because of his status as a country music legend as well as his personal connection to baseball. Tim's father, Tug McGraw, pitched for the Mets and Phillies during a 19-year MLB career and won World Series rings with both clubs.

Before Owen performs inside Bristol Motor Speedway, he will headline a full day of musical sets in the Speedway Classic Fan Zone, a 220,000-square-foot area outside BMS that will open at noon on gameday and include interactive games, a 110-foot Ferris Wheel, batting cages, pitching tunnels, regional food, exhibits, photo opportunities and more. Performances from country artists Timothy Wayne, Reyna Roberts and Adam Doleac are also planned.

Will there be a Play Ball event associated with the Speeway Classic?

Yes. MLB hosted more than 200 kids, ages 5-12, from the Bristol and Johnson City, Tenn., areas for a special Play Ball event on Friday. It featured a special appearance by three-time MLB All-Star Carlos Baerga with instruction led by MLB Youth Ambassador Coach Ballgame.

MLB also hosted a baseball-themed STEM education event designed to inspire and empower students through the intersection of science, technology, engineering and math that relates back to both baseball and racing themes.

Through these events, MLB provided hands-on opportunities to learn, play and connect with the game of baseball in meaningful ways at Bristol Motor Speedway and at TVA Credit Union Stadium, home of the summer collegiate Appalachian League’s Johnson City Doughboys.

What is the significance of Bristol Motor Speedway?

BMS has become an iconic racing venue since opening in 1961. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the speedway's half-mile track and high-banked turns have created some of the most thrilling, pulse-pounding moments in racing. Known as "the world's fastest half-mile," Bristol Motor Speedway hosts two NASCAR Cup Series events each year, including a night race that has been an annual tradition since 1978.

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What are the field dimensions?

For the MLB Speedway Classic, a baseball diamond will be built across the track and infield of the speedway, primarily situated between Turns 3 and 4 of the track. The dimensions will be 330 feet down each of the foul lines, 400 feet to center field, 375 feet to the right-field alley and 384 feet to the left-field alley.

Will they wear special uniforms for the game?

Yes. The Braves and Reds will don unique, racing-themed jerseys, hats and helmets to match the overall theme of the game. The jerseys and hats retain the basic look of the respective teams, but feature several tweaks to reflect the NASCAR vibe. These include numbers on the jersey backs designed after the numbers on race cars, with outlines, shadowing and italicized "movement" to represent a race car's forward motion.

Meanwhile, the hats will feature more racing symbolism, including flames on the bill of the Braves' hats and checkered flags on the bills of the Reds' hats. The batting helmets are modeled after racing helmets and will feature various racing-themed imagery.

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson will also be wearing gear inspired by the 2006 film "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

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Who are the starting pitchers?

The starting matchup will have some local flavor, as the Braves’ Spencer Strider and the Reds’ Chase Burns both grew up in Tennessee. Strider attended high school in Knoxville, which is around two hours from BMS. Burns was raised in Gallatin, Tenn., before moving to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee.

Strider (5-8, 3.71 ERA) has steadily distanced himself from last year’s elbow surgery and shown flashes of his dominant past. The big strikeout numbers aren’t back, but he has a 2.91 ERA over his past nine starts.

The No. 2 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, Burns (0-3, 6.26 ERA) will get a big stage to show his electric stuff in his home state. The 22-year-old, who has a 100 mph-plus fastball and an elite slider, has already faced premiere lineups from the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies and Dodgers among his six big league starts. He has struck out 10 batters in each of his last three games but is still seeking his first win.

What are the starting lineups?

Braves: This group was weakened by Ronald Acuña’s Jr.'s return to the injured list this week. But Michael Harris II's recent resurgence has helped this group perform better since the All-Star break.

Official

1. Jurickson Profar, LF
2. Matt Olson, 1B
3. Austin Riley, 3B
4. Drake Baldwin, DH
5. Sean Murphy, C
6. Michael Harris II, CF
7. Ozzie Albies, 2B
8. Eli White, RF
9. Nick Allen, SS

Reds: Scoring consistently has been an issue all season for the Reds, and only one player – Elly De La Cruz – has more than 11 home runs. But run prevention with improved defense – namely in the infield after the trade for Ke’Bryan Hayes – will be a key in this game and for the rest of 2025.

Official

1. TJ Friedl, CF
2. Matt McLain, 2B
3. Elly De La Cruz, SS
4. Austin Hays, DH
5. Gavin Lux, LF
6. Noelvi Marte, RF
7. Spencer Steer, 1B
8. Tyler Stephenson, C
9. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B

Is there anything else fans should know?

• This will be the first regular-season game in National League/American League history played in Tennessee.
• The game's ceremonial first pitch will feature two Hall of Famers who spent the entirety of their careers representing the competing clubs. Braves great Chipper Jones will throw the pitch to Reds legend Johnny Bench.
• The MLB Speedway Classic will represent a homecoming of sorts for a player on each team. Braves All-Star third baseman Austin Riley was born in Memphis, and Reds reliever Sam Moll is a native of Lakeland, Tenn.
• Tennessee is home to four current Minor League teams: the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), Triple-A Nashville Sounds (Brewers), Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) and Double-A Knoxville Smokies (Cubs).