As the area prepares for the onslaught of race fans and RV's, the folks at Food City are gearing up for the annual Food City Family Race Night. Food City has hosted the hugely popular events, which have contributed over $500,000 in proceeds to area non-profits for over twenty years. The Thursday night event paves the way for a weekend of action-packed Nationwide and Sprint Cup racing at one of NASCAR's most popular venues.
Bristol Race Night festivities will take place Thursday, August 21st on State Street, downtown Bristol, VA/TN. The action will get underway at 1:00 p.m. and continue until 9:00 p.m. Fans can expect a fun-filled evening jam-packed with driver autograph sessions, show cars, simulators, souvenir trailers, entertainment and a smorgasbord of free food samples.
"Food City is committed to giving back to the community. Our NASCAR sponsorship enables us to host our annual Food City Family Race Night events, which provide an inexpensive evening of excitement for the entire family," says Tom Hembree, senior vice president of marketing for Food City.
A number of drivers will be on hand from all four series, including the Craftsman Truck Series and Hooter's Pro Cup division, which will explode into action on Wednesday, August 20th at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the running of the O'Reilly 200 and Aaron's 150.
Food City has already received confirmation from several big name drivers and attractions, with more expected in. Among those already confirmed are: Sprint Cup drivers Kevin Harvick (limited number of autographs available - wristbands to be given out beginning at 1 p.m.), Kasey Kahne, Bobby Labonte, David Ragan, Marcos Ambrose, Casey Mears and Juan Pablo Montoya; Nationwide Series drivers Jamie McMurray (limited number of autographs available - wristbands to be given out beginning at 1 p.m.), Eric McClure, Jason Keller, Morgan Shepherd, Kenny Wallace, Bobby Hamilton, Jr. and Brad Coleman; Truck Series drivers Todd Bodine, Stacy Compton and Dennis Setzer and UARA Series drivers Josh Hale, Jake Crum, Caleb Roark, Wayne Hale and Nate Monteith. Special appearances will also be made by Miss Food City Jennifer Whittington, Nashville Country Recording Artist April Taylor, ESPN Lead Analyst Rusty Wallace, NASCAR Artist Sam Bass and NASCAR Legend Ernie Irvan. The Food City Big Cart will be on hand as well.
Live entertainment on three different stage sites is schedule to begin at 1:00 p.m. Firehouse presented by Arm Entertainment will perform live in concert at 7:00 p.m. on the Leclerc Foods stage located on Piedmont Street. Free food sampling will be available from 4 until 9:00 p.m., while supplies last. And be sure to join Food City as they honor NASCAR Legend Ernie Irvan during on-stage ceremonies from 5:30 until 6:00 p.m. Proceeds from the event benefit the Birthplace of Country Music.
Shuttle services will be available from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Pick-up and drop off locations include: the Bruton Smith Building (front entrance) at Bristol Motor Speedway; Tower 9/Speedway Blvd. at BMS; Hwy. 11E & Whitetop Rd.; Hwy 394 and Whitetop Rd.; Hwy. 394 & Copperhead Rd. and the Bristol Mall - Exit 1 off I-81.
A second Food City Family Race Night is also planned for Wednesday, August 20th at the Expo Center in Knoxville, TN from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. So mark your calendar and make plans to attend Food City Family Race Night. $4.00 advance tickets are on sale at select Food City locations. Tickets will be $5.00 on the day of the event. Children twelve and under are admitted free of charge.
This year's media sponsors are Bristol Herald Courier and WJHL TV Channel 11. For a complete listing of Food City Family Race Night attractions, please visit the website at www.foodcity.com, where updates will continue to be posted as they become available. Please note that driver autographs are limited to time available and schedules are subject to change.
