The 2023 dirt racing season at Bristol Motor Speedway will get underway on Saturday, April 1 with the Bristol Dirt Showcase, a powerful doubleheader of Late Model dirt racing action, track officials announced today.
The Steel Block Bandit Late Model Series and the American All-Star Series will share the spotlight during the event and take to the clay high-banks of dirt-transformed Bristol Motor Speedway for a full day of Late Model racing action. It will be the season-opening race for the American All-Stars and the second race of the season for the Steel Block Bandits.
The Steel Block Bandits are a premier 17-race dirt Touring Series for Steel Block Late Models that competes across seven states including the Carolinas, Virginia and Tennessee. North Carolina racer Dustin Mitchell is the defending series champ in the Steel Block Bandits and Virginia’s Tyler Bare was the season runner-up.
The 29-race American All-Stars Series holds feature races at 18 tracks, primarily in the Southeast and Midwest with cars that compete utilizing 604 Late Model crate engines that can be purchased directly from Chevrolet dealerships. Knoxville, Tennessee’s Hayden Cardwell is the defending series champion.
At the Bristol Dirt Showcase both series will be competing for a purse that offers a $5,000 winner’s share.
“We are looking forward to having these two new Late Model dirt racing circuits test their drivers on Bristol’s dirt-covered high banks,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “This will be the first time this year that fans can come out and check out the Bristol dirt layout for 2023 and we are expecting thrilling races in both series.”
Pit passes for the Bristol Dirt Showcase can be purchased at BMS ticket windows on April 1. Pit passes are $40 for adults and $20 for kids 12 and under. In addition to infield access, Pit pass holders also will be able to access a designated section of grandstand.
The weekend following the Bristol Dirt Showcase, BMS will welcome the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to town for the much-anticipated Food City Dirt Race weekend, April 7-9. The two NASCAR Series will go back to their roots with Saturday night’s Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt (8 p.m. FS1 and MRN Radio) and Bush’s Beans Qualifying (FS1) and Sunday night’s primetime NASCAR Cup Series Food City Dirt Race (7 p.m., FOX and PRN Radio). On Friday, teams in both the Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series will be able to fine-tune their machines during Bush’s Beans Practice Day.
