One Friday, Start to Finish
Best time: Friday
If Friday is the only day you have, here is how to make it count: Bristol's music history in the morning, the Fan Zone by midday, and racing under the lights once the sun goes down.
Breakfast
Bristol Bagel & Bakery on State Street is an easy first stop for coffee and something to eat before the day gets moving.
Pro Tip: The Bristol Sign arches over State Street with its “A Good Place to Live” slogan, and it is the most photographed thing downtown. Worth the two-minute detour before you go.
- Birthplace of Country Music Museum
- Downtown Bristol
Mid-Morning
The Story Behind the Sound
Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Spend an hour here and you will understand why Bristol claims the title. The 1927 Bristol Sessions get the full treatment, exhibits and all.
Don't Miss: The interactive mixing booth, where you can hear how this corner of Appalachia shaped the sound well before Nashville entered the picture.
Lunch
Grab something quick downtown, or hold off and eat inside the Fan Zone. Before you point toward the track, stop mid-street for the photo everybody takes here. You will be standing on the state line itself.
From Noon On
The Rest of the Day Belongs to the Track
Location: Bristol Motor Speedway, The Last Great Colosseum.
Here is how the afternoon and evening break down:
Fan Zone Wrestling
The Fan Zone opens at noon, and live professional wrestling runs in the Guest Welcome Village from 12:45 to 5:30. It is free with Fan Zone access, with no separate ticket needed. WWE and NWA Hall of Famer Ricky Morton headlines a card that also features Kerry Morton and Bristol native Axton Ray, and fans can get photos with the wrestlers between matches.
Practice & Qualifying
Cup cars practice and qualify through the late afternoon, setting the field for Saturday's race.
Friday Night Race
The Food City 300 takes the green at 7:30 p.m., the third of nine Chase races in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. Bristol's half-mile makes for tight, physical racing from the drop of the green flag.
Post-Race: Stick around the Fan Zone stage for live music, then get some rest. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race, race three of ten in the Cup Series Chase, runs Saturday and closes with fireworks.
