play

Cincinnati Reds take the field before game against Atlanta Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway

Cincinnati Reds take their first reps on the Speedway Classic field at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.

Artificial turf from the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway was donated to East Tennessee State University.The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds played on the donated AstroTurf in August.The Speedway Classic set an MLB attendance record and was the first regular-season game in Tennessee.

The artificial playing surface that was used for the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway was donated to East Tennessee State where it is being installed on the school’s baseball field at Thomas Stadium.

The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds played on the 124,000 square feet of Diamond Series AstroTurf in August. The Braves won 4-2 in the game organized by a partnership between MLB and Bristol Motor Speedway.

“We are very grateful for the new turf,” ETSU baseball coach Joe Pennucci said in a release on Aug. 2. “It’s going to be a fantastic addition to Thomas Stadium. Having a game at BMS is going to be a wild experience, and to have a small part in it is a cool opportunity for everyone involved.”

The Speedway Classic marked the first regular-season baseball game played in the state of Tennessee and set MLB’s all-time attendance record at 91,032.

This turf is the same type used by the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre and was donated as part of the MLB Together initiative, with installation taking place after the event. 

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.