The trouble with playing a regulation MLB game at Bristol Motor Speedway is that, well, the venue is what the name suggests: A motor speedway. It’s a race track.
It’s not the biggest racing surface in NASCAR, but it’s big enough to fit that regulation MLB playing surface, evidently.
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Construction of a field for the one-off game between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves August 2, probably wasn’t too big of a deal.
It does look cool, though, and MLB has started to show video and images of the field the Reds and Braves will play on.
According to Mike Wilson of the Knoxville News-Sentinel, nearly 20,000 tons of gravel was used to build the field at the iconic race track.
From Wilson’s June 24 story:
“The process included using 17,500 tons of gravel to level and create the field. It will require 340 tons of clay, which is expected to arrive soon. A synthetic turf playing surface that matches what is used at Rogers Centre, the Toronto Blue Jays’ ballpark, will be installed. Additional lighting will be installed on the roof of the facility.”
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Thing is, MLB is pretty good at making regulation fields where they didn’t previously exist. For instance, they even built one in Europe, at the London Stadium during years when MLB stages its London Series.
London Stadium was the centerpiece venue for the 2012 London Olympics and is now home to the English Premier League’s West Ham United.
ATLANTA, GA – MAY 06: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds during the MLB Speedway Classic uniform shoot at Truist Park on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Check out the field Reds, Braves will play on at Bristol Motor Speedway