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        Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway

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        Directions

        The Bristol Motor Speedway is about 8 miles southwest of the town of Bristol, which sits on the Tennessee/Virginia border. The closest freeway is I-81North/South, which runs mostly east/west, a few miles north of the Speedway. For many towns, however, freeway access isn't the easiest, so please see the details below. There's plenty of signage to direct you to your particular parking location; look for grey Bristol Motor Speedway signs. 


        From the Northeast on I-81: 
        Take Exit 3 to merge onto I-381 South towards Bristol. Continue onto Commonwealth Ave., which will bring you into the state of Tennessee. This changes to TN-34 South/US-11East/Volunteer Pkwy. You'll follow this for about 7 miles. Make a left on Speedway Blvd., and the venue will be on your right. 


        From the Southwest on I-81: 
        Take Exit 69/TN-394 towards Blountville/Bristol. Make a right at the end of the exit. You'll stay on TN-394-E for about 5.5 miles. Then go left to merge on to TN-34 N/US-11E N/US-19 N. After a mile, make a right on Speedway Blvd. The venue will be on your right. 


        From Asheville, NC:
        Take I-26 North through Johnson City to Tennessee Exit 19 (Hwy. 381/State of Franklin Rd.).  Turn right and stay in the left lane. Go north on US-11E/19W across the first Boone Lake bridge (DeVault Bridge) and continue north on US-11E/19 across the second Boone Lake bridge (Charlie Worley Bridge) into Bristol. After crossing the Charlie Worley Bridge, get in the right lane. Get off at the Hwy. 394 interchange (a right-side exit); turn right onto eastbound Hwy. 394 and stay in the right lane. Continue on Hwy. 394 until you reach the Speedway. 


        From Charlotte, NC:
        From Charlotte or Statesville, follow I-77 North to Wythe County, Virginia, and exit onto southbound I-81. From there, follow the directions for arriving on I-81 from the northeast, above. 


        From Gatlinburg area and Knoxville, TN:
        Take I-40 East. Take Exit 421 (a left-side exit) which will merge you onto I-81. From there follow the directions above for approach from the south. 


        From Greeneville, TN,  and Jonesborough/Johnson City, TN:
        Take US-11E North into Johnson City. Make a left on Hwy. 381/State of Franklin Rd. Continue on northbound State of Franklin, until you pass I-26. Get in the left lane. Take the left ramp to northbound US 11E/19W. Continue through Bluff City, and across the second Boone Lake bridge (Charlie Worley Bridge) into Bristol. After the bridge, get in the right lane, and turn right onto Hwy. 394. Continue until you arrive at the BMS. 


        From Wytheville, VA, and From Roanoke/Blacksburg, VA, and Other Points Northeast: 
        Head south on I-81, and follow the directions from above. 


        From Boone and points Southeast:
        A quick note on Boone: looking at a map indicates US-421, which connects Bristol and Boone, is the shortest way. However, it crosses over Holston and Iron Mountains, and tight switchbacks and steep grades make it a much longer route, and difficult for vehicles over 35' long. The best way to get to BMS from Boone is to take US-421 to Mountain City, Tennessee, where you'll pick up Tennessee State 91 to Damascus, VA. In Damascus, take westbound US-58 towards Abingdon, VA. On the north side of town, you'll get on I-81 South. From there, follow the directions above for approaching from the northeast.

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        Parking

        There are 2 off-site parking fields that provide free parking and have shuttle service to the speedway. They're both off Hwy. 394. 


        On the west side, there's the Speedway lot. It's on the corner of Hwy. 394 and White Top Rd. The shuttle bus pick-up and drop-off is on the shoulder of Hwy. 394.


        On the east side, there's the Whitetop Creek lot. (Despite the name, this does not connect to White Top Rd.) It's at the southern of Sportsway Dr., southeast of the speedway. You can get to it via the Copperhead Entrance intersection. The shuttle bus pick-up/drop-off is at the intersection of Hwy. 394 and Sportsway Dr. It's about a third of a mile walk to the shuttle stop from the parking lot. 


        Please note that after big races, namely the Nationwide and Pedestrian Cup races, the pedestrian hold period of 1 hour means all motorists on the Speedway Campus and some adjoining roads (including Hwy. 11E and Hwy. 394) are stopped, to allow the huge flow of people on foot to dissipate. If you're parked at the outside lots, you'll use part, if not all, of this time to get back to your car. 

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        Transportation

        Bristol Motor Speedway has a large campus, and options are in place to make traversing it easy. 


        Bus
        The BMS bus fleet serves the campgrounds and parking lots on Hwy. 394. The route links a stop near White Top Rd., Copperhead Rd., and the main shuttle hub by the Bristol Dragway Tower. You can get a bus at all 3 stops before, during an after an event. 


        Trams
        The primary tram route circles the speedway itself, with 5 stops: Gate 7, Gate 5, Gate 13, the Hospitality Area, and the All-American Campground Bridge. This route doesn't operate after races due to heavy pedestrian traffic. 


        The express tram offers a ride up the hill from guest services (by the North Entrance) to Gate 7. This also doesn't operate post-race. 


        There's also a tram from the shuttle hub by the Dragway tower to Copperhead Rd., but it doesn't go out on the highway to the bus stop. 


        Carts
        Carts operate specific routes. The easiest way to get on a cart is to go to a queue at a guest services location, or get one at the shuttle tent. Near turn 1, a cart services the lower parking lot. 


        During peak pedestrian flow, carts run directly to guest services locations to serve those waiting patiently for a ride. Think of like it a taxi stand to take you to your car. 


        Please note carts do not operate until 1 hour after the race is over. 

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        Directions to Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway

        The Bristol Motor Speedway is about 8 miles southwest of the town of Bristol, which sits on the Tennessee/Virginia border. The closest freeway is I-81North/South, which runs mostly east/west, a few miles north of the Speedway. For many towns, however, freeway access isn't the easiest, so please see the details below. There's plenty of signage to direct you to your particular parking location; look for grey Bristol Motor Speedway signs. 


        From the Northeast on I-81: 
        Take Exit 3 to merge onto I-381 South towards Bristol. Continue onto Commonwealth Ave., which will bring you into the state of Tennessee. This changes to TN-34 South/US-11East/Volunteer Pkwy. You'll follow this for about 7 miles. Make a left on Speedway Blvd., and the venue will be on your right. 


        From the Southwest on I-81: 
        Take Exit 69/TN-394 towards Blountville/Bristol. Make a right at the end of the exit. You'll stay on TN-394-E for about 5.5 miles. Then go left to merge on to TN-34 N/US-11E N/US-19 N. After a mile, make a right on Speedway Blvd. The venue will be on your right. 


        From Asheville, NC:
        Take I-26 North through Johnson City to Tennessee Exit 19 (Hwy. 381/State of Franklin Rd.).  Turn right and stay in the left lane. Go north on US-11E/19W across the first Boone Lake bridge (DeVault Bridge) and continue north on US-11E/19 across the second Boone Lake bridge (Charlie Worley Bridge) into Bristol. After crossing the Charlie Worley Bridge, get in the right lane. Get off at the Hwy. 394 interchange (a right-side exit); turn right onto eastbound Hwy. 394 and stay in the right lane. Continue on Hwy. 394 until you reach the Speedway. 


        From Charlotte, NC:
        From Charlotte or Statesville, follow I-77 North to Wythe County, Virginia, and exit onto southbound I-81. From there, follow the directions for arriving on I-81 from the northeast, above. 


        From Gatlinburg area and Knoxville, TN:
        Take I-40 East. Take Exit 421 (a left-side exit) which will merge you onto I-81. From there follow the directions above for approach from the south. 


        From Greeneville, TN,  and Jonesborough/Johnson City, TN:
        Take US-11E North into Johnson City. Make a left on Hwy. 381/State of Franklin Rd. Continue on northbound State of Franklin, until you pass I-26. Get in the left lane. Take the left ramp to northbound US 11E/19W. Continue through Bluff City, and across the second Boone Lake bridge (Charlie Worley Bridge) into Bristol. After the bridge, get in the right lane, and turn right onto Hwy. 394. Continue until you arrive at the BMS. 


        From Wytheville, VA, and From Roanoke/Blacksburg, VA, and Other Points Northeast: 
        Head south on I-81, and follow the directions from above. 


        From Boone and points Southeast:
        A quick note on Boone: looking at a map indicates US-421, which connects Bristol and Boone, is the shortest way. However, it crosses over Holston and Iron Mountains, and tight switchbacks and steep grades make it a much longer route, and difficult for vehicles over 35' long. The best way to get to BMS from Boone is to take US-421 to Mountain City, Tennessee, where you'll pick up Tennessee State 91 to Damascus, VA. In Damascus, take westbound US-58 towards Abingdon, VA. On the north side of town, you'll get on I-81 South. From there, follow the directions above for approaching from the northeast.

        Parking near Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway

        There are 2 off-site parking fields that provide free parking and have shuttle service to the speedway. They're both off Hwy. 394. 


        On the west side, there's the Speedway lot. It's on the corner of Hwy. 394 and White Top Rd. The shuttle bus pick-up and drop-off is on the shoulder of Hwy. 394.


        On the east side, there's the Whitetop Creek lot. (Despite the name, this does not connect to White Top Rd.) It's at the southern of Sportsway Dr., southeast of the speedway. You can get to it via the Copperhead Entrance intersection. The shuttle bus pick-up/drop-off is at the intersection of Hwy. 394 and Sportsway Dr. It's about a third of a mile walk to the shuttle stop from the parking lot. 


        Please note that after big races, namely the Nationwide and Pedestrian Cup races, the pedestrian hold period of 1 hour means all motorists on the Speedway Campus and some adjoining roads (including Hwy. 11E and Hwy. 394) are stopped, to allow the huge flow of people on foot to dissipate. If you're parked at the outside lots, you'll use part, if not all, of this time to get back to your car. 

        Transportation to Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway

        Bristol Motor Speedway has a large campus, and options are in place to make traversing it easy. 


        Bus
        The BMS bus fleet serves the campgrounds and parking lots on Hwy. 394. The route links a stop near White Top Rd., Copperhead Rd., and the main shuttle hub by the Bristol Dragway Tower. You can get a bus at all 3 stops before, during an after an event. 


        Trams
        The primary tram route circles the speedway itself, with 5 stops: Gate 7, Gate 5, Gate 13, the Hospitality Area, and the All-American Campground Bridge. This route doesn't operate after races due to heavy pedestrian traffic. 


        The express tram offers a ride up the hill from guest services (by the North Entrance) to Gate 7. This also doesn't operate post-race. 


        There's also a tram from the shuttle hub by the Dragway tower to Copperhead Rd., but it doesn't go out on the highway to the bus stop. 


        Carts
        Carts operate specific routes. The easiest way to get on a cart is to go to a queue at a guest services location, or get one at the shuttle tent. Near turn 1, a cart services the lower parking lot. 


        During peak pedestrian flow, carts run directly to guest services locations to serve those waiting patiently for a ride. Think of like it a taxi stand to take you to your car. 


        Please note carts do not operate until 1 hour after the race is over.