When historic Thunder Valley opens its gates in 2023, it will once again be one of the busiest drag strips in the country as it will continue to offer fans a wide variety of compelling events, headlined by the prestigious NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
In 2023, the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will move to June 9-11, one week ahead on the calendar, to the weekend before Father’s Day. The marquee event anchors an impressive season schedule that will showcase plenty of drag racing action. Among the highlights includes the return of the NHRA Junior Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals, the return of both Street Car Takeovers and the American Motorcycle Association event. There will also be two World Footbrake Challenge events, the Rad Torque Fall Fling, the DER Series and the popular Thunder Valley Street Fights.
“The 2023 season promises to continue Thunder Valley’s legacy as one of the best and busiest quarter-mile dragstrips in the nation,” said Jerry Caldwell, president of Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway. “We will offer a little bit of everything, from NHRA Jr. Dragsters, to 300 mph Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars, Street Cars and high-powered motorcycles, Bristol Dragway will have it all this year. All of the fun will be centered around the return of the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, which has moved to one week earlier this year, June 9-11. We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the fun.”
The season headlining event at Bristol Dragway is once again the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, where the best drivers in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will hit the strip as they battle for NHRA Wally trophies, season championship points and the coveted title of NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals winner.
All four NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series pro classes are scheduled to compete at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals again, including Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The race will also feature competition in the Fuel Tech Pro Mod Series and the Lucas Oil Series.
Every ticket is a pit pass at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, providing guests with unparalleled access to drivers and teams throughout the weekend. Single day tickets start at just $30 and kids (12-under) tickets are free for all three days in the main grandstand areas with a paid adult.
While the NHRA’s incredibly fast race cars are sure to put the peg in your thrill-meter to the maximum level, that event alone isn’t the only reason for a high-performance enthusiast to be super excited about what Bristol Dragway has in store in 2023.
For the fourth consecutive year, Bristol Dragway will host the Street Car Takeover on April 21 and Aug 4-5, as two of the 15 events in the Street Car Takeover 2023 season series. Street Car Takeover events offer a wide variety of classes, including Small Tire, Extreme Street, Daily Driver and a Heads Up FWD class, among others.
Also returning to Thunder Valley in 2023 is the powerful American V-Twin Motorcycles of the American Motorcycle Racing Association with an assortment of featured classes, including Top Fuel, Nitro Funny Bike, Pro Fuel, Pro Gas, Pro Mod, Modified, Outlaw Street and more. The third annual Thunder Valley Nitro Nationals & Rally will be held Aug. 11-13 as part of the circuit’s six-race U.S. tour.
The next generation of drag racers (ages 6 to 17) will once again take center stage at Bristol Dragway in July for one of their biggest events of the season. The region will welcome more than 500 young racers and their families for a week full of racing activities beginning July 7 with the Jr. Dragster Nationals presented by Mike Bos Chassis Craft, and culminating July 13-15 with the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Eastern Conference Finals.
During the latter half of the season, Bristol Dragway will be home to three of the most prolific bracket races in the USA, offering participants their chance to win some mega bucks and experience the famed strip in Northeast Tennessee.
The BTE World Footbrake Challenge XVII returns on June 29-July 2, while the BTE Labor Day 250K will be held Aug. 31-Sept. 3. Racers in both events will duel for the largest payouts in Thunder Valley history. These two races will feature some of the best sportsman and bracket racers in the country.
Long revered as one of the most popular bracket racing events in the country, the Rad Torque Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries returns to the Thunder Valley schedule for the 14th time, Sept. 25-30. The most successful Super Pro racers in the country will converge at Bristol Dragway for the special opportunity to win lucrative purses.
The DER Series, Bristol Dragway’s NHRA Summit Racing Series where local racers compete for the chance to race on the NHRA national stage, are scheduled for seven weekends, including May 5-7, May 19-21, May 26-28, June 23-25, July 21-23, Aug. 25-27 and Sept. 22-24.
The popular Thunder Valley Street Fights, where participants are able to run their registered street cars down the historic Bristol Dragway strip, will be held during six nights in 2023, including April 15, April 29, May 13, June 17, July 29 and Aug. 19.
Additional Bristol Dragway events are expected to be added to the schedule later in the year. To keep up with the latest information on Bristol Dragway events and to purchase tickets, please visit the Dragway section of the Bristol Motor Speedway website or call 423-BRISTOL.
2023 Bristol Dragway Schedule
April 15 Thunder Valley Street Fights
April 21 Street Car Takeover
April 29 Thunder Valley Street Fights
May 5-7 DER Series
May 13 Thunder Valley Street Fights
May 19-21 DER Series
May 26-28 DER Series
June 9-11 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals (NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series)
June 17 Thunder Valley Street Fights
June 23-25 DER Series
June 29-July 2 BTE World Footbrake Challenge
July 7-15 Junior Drag Week (Jr. Drag Racing Nationals and NHRA Jr. Drags Eastern Conference Finals)
July 21-23 DER Series
July 29 Thunder Valley Street Fights
Aug. 4-5 Street Car Takeover
Aug. 11-13 American Motorcycle Racing Association Thunder Valley Nitro Nationals & Rally
Aug. 19 Thunder Valley Street Fights
Aug. 25-27 DER Series
Aug. 31-Sept. 3 BTE World Footbrake Challenge Labor Day 250K
Sept. 22-24 DER Series
Sept. 25- Oct. 1 Rad Torque Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries
