BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 19, 2025) – One of East Tennessee’s most successful country music artists, Rodney Atkins, will perform the pre-race concert on Sunday, April 13, before the green flag drops for the tradition-rich Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at iconic Bristol Motor Speedway.
Born in Knoxville and raised in Cumberland Gap, Atkins will be a perfect fit for the Food City 500 as well as the natural tie-in to the city that’s designated as the Birthplace of Country Music. One of the most recognized and powerful voices in Country Music, Atkins has eight top-five singles, more than 14 million records sold and over 4 billon on-demand global streams.
Atkins, who has charted at least one radio single on Country Radio in three different decades, will take the big stage in the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway at 12:45 p.m., and lead straight into BMS’ popular driver introductions. The start of the NASCAR Cup Series race is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
“I can’t wait to hit the Bristol Motor Speedway for the pre-race concert on April 13,” Atkins said. “NASCAR fans know how to rock, and there ain’t a better place to play than a track with this much history. Country music and Bristol go way back, so I know it’s gonna be one heck of a show with a crowd that’s ready to get loud. I’m fired up for this one!”
Ticketed guests are able to get closer to the music by adding on a Pre-Race Infield Experience upgrade to move to the front of the stage. To purchase this upgrade, please click here.
Atkins has many chart-topping hits from several certified platinum albums, including, “If You’re Going Through Hell,” “Watching You,” “These are my People,” “Cleaning this Gun,” and “Take a Back Road.”
“We are so blessed to have one of our own, Rodney Atkins, to perform the pre-race concert for the Food City 500 in April,” said Bristol Motor Speedway President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell. “Rodney is a lifelong proud East Tennessean who has done amazing things in the world of country music during the past three decades. You know all of his hit songs, so we hope you will join us to sing along as we welcome him to the Birthplace of Country Music to perform on Bristol Motor Speedway’s big stage.”
The highly-anticipated weekend opens with the WEATHER GUARD Truck Race, a 250-lap race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series under the lights on Friday, April 11 (7:30 p.m., FS1 and PRN Radio), and continues Saturday afternoon on April 12 with the SciAps 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race (5 p.m., The CW, PRN Radio). Bush’s Beans Practice and Bush’s Beans Qualifying will be held for all three series both Friday and Saturday. The weekend culminates Sunday afternoon with the running of the historic Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race (April 13, 3 p.m., FS1 and PRN Radio).
In addition to cheering on their favorite drivers on the track, Bristol Motor Speedway fans will definitely want to take advantage of so many activities to make a complete weekend of family fun. There will be great video entertainment provided by Colossus TV, the world’s largest center-hung video screen, premium VIP experiences, tailgating, on-site camping, concerts and other entertainment at the Food City Fan Zone Stage headlined by Trackside Live with Kenny Wallace and John Roberts, great food and beverages in the concession stands throughout the property, and so much more.
Single-day tickets for the Food City 500 weekend start as low as $69 for Sunday’s Food City 500 and $46 for Saturday’s SciAps 300 Xfinity Series race. To purchase tickets, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com or call the BMS ticket sales center at (866) 415-4158. You can also purchase tickets at your neighborhood Food City store until Wednesday, April 4.
About Bristol Motor Speedway
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events, including an upcoming Major League Baseball game. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2025, the venue will transform into a baseball stadium to host the MLB Speedway Classic featuring the Atlanta Braves vs. the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 2nd. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and from 2021-2023 the track converted to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Super Grip Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.
Source: Bristol Motor Speedway
