Bristol Shines through the Storms in MLB Speedway Classic

When the checkered flag waved on the Major League Baseball (MLB) Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com at Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway, the single-game attendance record was in the rearview mirror. Bristol welcomed 91,032 fans into The Last Great Colosseum for a 4-2 victory by the Atlanta Braves over the Cincinnati Reds.

The matchup was so intriguing that Mother Nature extended it into a second day, as heavy rain on Saturday evening forced a delay late into Saturday night before a suspension into Sunday. The primetime rain-delay coverage on FOX outperformed all competitive primetime telecasts, with the first inning of gameplay on Saturday night drawing as many as 2.4 million viewers.

Tennessee natives were set to take the mound on both sides, with Chase Burns (Hendersonville) striking out two in a scoreless top of the first inning for the Reds. The Braves’ Spencer Strider — who was born in Ohio but grew up in Knoxville — was the planned starter, but Atlanta lifted Strider for a bullpen game with the uncertainty of the rain on the horizon. The Braves’ staff did the job, as right-hander Hurston Waldrep gave up just one earned run over 5.2 innings to earn the win.

“The MLB game at Bristol was more than just a record-breaking event. It was a statement about Tennessee’s readiness to embrace Major League Baseball,” said Music City Baseball Managing Director John Loar, who attended the festivities in person. “This moment reinforces what we’ve believed all along. With Nashville as a hub for sports and entertainment combined with strong support across the state, this is a place where the game can succeed and grow.”

The game also marked a Tennessee homecoming, regardless of which side was at the plate or on the mound. The state of Tennessee was well-represented with every pitch, as two of the four umpires — Will Little (home plate, Johnson City) and Junior Valentine (second base, Cosby) — hail from Tennessee. The pair had first umpired together years ago in Kentucky and reunited for this landmark moment as their home state made MLB history.

“The first game I ever umpired in my life was with Will Little,” Valentine said. “It was a cool moment for us to be able to do it. To get the opportunity to do something like this in front of my family in my home state was an awesome opportunity.”

“A lot of emotions today for various reasons,” Little added. “It means a lot to me and it means a lot for my family. I had a countless number of people here last night and returned today to finish it up.”

The record attendance and dominant television viewership are more points of momentum for the state of Tennessee as the Nashville Stars work to bring Major League Baseball to Music City.

The Stars join every fan who attended the game — and the millions more who watched on TV — in applauding the Braves, the Reds and Major League Baseball for orchestrating such a memorable game. We look forward to Major League Baseball being a regular event in The Volunteer State when the Stars take the field in Music City.