Legendary Bristol Dragway is set to resume its role as one of the nation’s busiest dragstrips in 2024. The track that’s more commonly known in the high-performance world as Thunder Valley will offer a wide variety of compelling events, some new events and all of the action will be anchored by its tradition-rich 23rd annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
The Thunder Valley Nationals will once again be held the weekend before Father’s Day, June 7-9. The crown jewel event in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will once again provide a showcase of speed with 330 mph Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars, as well 200 mph Pro Stocks and Pro Stock Motorcycles and the wild and unpredictable Pro Mods.
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 grab your attention, 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 2024.
Two new major events are also adding some spice to the high horsepower calendar.
On May 3-5 the track will host the Bowtie Nationals, being billed as the largest Chevrolet event ever. The event will offer a little something for everyone. In addition to the Show-N-Shine Show there will be an Autocross, the Dyno Challenge and some all-Chevy drag racing.
In August the Professional Drag Racers Association will make their first visit to historic Bristol Dragway with the PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown, Aug. 22-24. Featuring 12 classes of high-horsepower divisions, including several wheel-standing doorslammer classes, with just about every competition combination covered, the race is one of eight stops in the PDRA’s season-long Million Dollar Tour.
Also returning to Thunder Valley in 2024 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 fourth annual Thunder Valley Nitro Nationals & Rally will be held Aug. 16-18 as part of the circuit’s U.S. tour.
The sport’s next generation of stars (ages 6 to 17) will continue to 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 12 with the Jr. Dragster Nationals presented by Mike Bos Chassis Craft, and culminating July 15-20 with the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Eastern Conference Finals.
During the latter half of the season, Bristol Dragway becomes home to four 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 XVIII returns on July 3-7, while the BTE Labor Day Footbrake Challenge will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 1. 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 15th time, Sept. 24-28. Organizers of that event added another weekend to the Bristol calendar in 2024, the JEG’s Summer Fling presented by Optima Batteries, which will be held Sept. 3-7. The most successful Super Pro racers in the country will converge at Bristol Dragway for those two special events for the 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 five weekends, including April 19-21, May 17-19, May 24-26, June 21-23 and July 26-28.
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 2024, including March 23, April 13, April 27, May 11, June 15, and Aug. 3.
“We are thrilled with the 2024 schedule for historic Bristol Dragway, one that offers a great variety of action for hot-rodding enthusiasts as well as some new events,” said Jerry Caldwell, president of Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway. “Our beloved Thunder Valley quarter-mile will once again be one of the busiest in the nation as we provide a calendar full of high-performance activities, including a first-time visit by the PDRA and a return for the Chevy brigade with the Bowtie Nationals. We will offer a little bit of everything, from NHRA Jr. Dragsters, to 330-mph Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars, lucrative sportsman races, powerful doorslammers and high-powered motorcycles. All of the fun will be centered around the return of the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, which will once again be held the weekend before Father’s Day, June 7-9. We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the fun.”
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.
2024 Bristol Dragway Schedule
March 23 Thunder Valley Street Fights
April 13 Thunder Valley Street Fights
April 19-21 DER Series
April 27 Thunder Valley Street Fights
May 3-5 Bowtie Nationals
May 11 Thunder Valley Street Fights
May 17-19 DER Series
May 24-26 DER Series
June 7-9 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals (NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series)
June 15 Thunder Valley Street Fights
June 21-23 DER Series
July 4-7 BTE World Footbrake Challenge
July 12-14 Junior Drag Week: Jr. Dragster Nationals presented by Mike Bos Chassis Craft
July 15-20 Junior Drag Week: NHRA Jr. Eastern Conference Finals
July 26-28 DER Series
Aug. 3 Thunder Valley Street Fights
Aug. 16-18 American Motorcycle Racing Association Thunder Valley Nitro Nationals & Rally
Aug. 22-24 Professional Drag Racers Association Series Thunder Valley Throwdown
Aug. 29-Sept. 1 BTE Labor Day Footbrake Challenge
Sept. 3-7 JEG’s Summer Fling presented by Optima Batteries
Sept. 24-28 Rad Torque Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries
