Officials from the Bristol Motor Speedway chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) set another amazing record in their quest to help area children on Thursday night as they proudly announced their largest single year of fundraising to date for 2025.
SCC-Bristol executive director Claudia Byrd was emotional when she announced the record total of $1,251,669.92 would be distributed during the special event to more than 90 representatives of the child-focused agencies it serves in an 18-county area throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
It is the third time the organization has exceeded the $1 million mark. In 2016 SCC-Bristol eclipsed the million mark for the first time in its history, raising $1,002,380. Last year they reset the record at $1,028,325. The new record sum for 2025 increases SCC-Bristol’s total raised to more than $22 million since the organization’s inception in 1997.
“The generosity of folks in this region combined with the amazing fans who attended events at Bristol Motor Speedway have really knocked it out of the park with their charitable giving this year during Bristol Motor Speedway’s ‘Major League Year’,” said Claudia Byrd, executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities Bristol Chapter. “Their heartfelt contributions will allow us to give out a record total of grants for the year and we are forever thankful for their support. We also send a huge token of gratitude to all of the many volunteers, BMS staff members and our tireless board of trustees for their commitment and dedication to making a difference in the lives of children in our region.”
Feeding Southwest Virginia, located in Salem, Virginia, received the prestigious Jeff Byrd Grant. Presented in honor of the late president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, the $50,000 award, which was established in 2011, is the largest single grant presented each year. The funds will help the Southwest Virginia Food Bank accomplish its mission of nourishing neighbors across 26 counties and nine cities in the Southwest region of Virginia. Since opening its doors in 1981, Feeding Southwest Virginia has been focused on addressing food insecurity. Of every dollar donated to support their mission, 95-percent goes directly into the program. Each year Feeding Southwest Virginia distributes 19 million pounds of food to the region it serves. Along with its network of more than 400 feeding programs they have been able to provide millions of pounds of food to those in need.
The annual Night of Smiles is the culmination of a year of SCC-Bristol fundraising events, including The Food City Speedway In Lights, which opens for its 29th season tomorrow night, Friday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m.
Long hailed as the premier holiday display in the Appalachian Highlands Region, The Food City Speedway in Lights powered by TVA spreads across a five-mile route illuminated by more than four million lights among 300 displays, including brand new displays in the popular Santa’s Beach Party section. A trip through the light show sends guests down alongside historic Bristol Dragway and all throughout the property, including a lap around the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway half-mile oval. For more information about the Food City Speedway In Lights powered by TVA, please visit the BMS website.
In addition to all of the fundraising events held by SCC-Bristol during the year, the following organizations and individual donors are recognized for their contributions this year and have been named Change Maker Society members for 2025:
Legacy Legends $25,000+
Ballad Health Baker’s Construction Services Food City
Jersey Mike’s Home Shopping Network (HSN) Gregory Pharmaceuticals
Mike and Debbie Quillen Pizza Plus U.S. Army
Victory Visionaries $15,000-$24,999
Bojangles Bristol Tennessee Essential Services Christian and Carrie Alexander
Cline Holder Electric Gatlinburg CVB/Ripley’s Aquarium Hardee’s Restaurants
Mycroft Signs Southeast Industrial Construction State Water Heaters
TruShine Carwash Tennessee Valley Authority Visit My Smokies
Champion Contributors $10,000-14,999
Beech Mountain Can Do Enterprises Citi Bank
Coca-Cola Eastman Credit Union H.S. Williams
J.A. Street & Associates Ohio Logistics Shari Wagner
Stateline Services Sturdy Life Tri-Cities Airport
Acceleration Ambassadors $5,000-$9,999
Acorn Electrical Bank of Marion Barter Theatre
Brightspeed East Tennessee State University Drake’s
Home Trust Bank King University PPG
Stowers CAT Wendy’s
Pit Crew Patrons $2,500-$4,999
AO Smith First Horizon Johnson City Honda
Power Equipment Ruby Falls Vulcan Materials
Organizations that received funding from SCC-Bristol during tonight’s Night of Smiles are as follows:
4thirTEEN of Johnson City
Abortion Alternatives/TLC Community Center
Abuse Alternatives Inc.
Appalachia Service Project
Appalachian Community Action and Development
Assistance and Resource Ministries, Inc.
Barns at Blue Mountain Inc.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Appalachia
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greeneville & Greene Co.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kingsport
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mountain Empire
Boys & Girls Clubs of Johnson City/Washington Co.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Morristown, Inc.
Bristol Emergency Food Pantry Board
Bristol Faith in Action
Bristol Regional Speech & Hearing
Cap the Gap for Foster Care
Carter County Foster Care Association
CASA For Kids, Inc.
CASA of Northeast Tennessee
Central Presbyterian Church
Child Abuse Reporting & Enforcement Center of SWVA
Child Advocacy Center of the 3rd Judicial District
Children’s Advocacy Center of Highlands Community
Children’s Advocacy Center of First Judicial District
Children’s Advocacy Center of Sullivan County
Coalition For Kids, Inc.
Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highlands
Community Help Center of Northeast Tennessee Crossroads Medical Mission, Inc.
Crumley House Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center
DePaul Community Resources
Doe River Gorge Ministries, Inc.
East TN Christian Home & Academy
Family Crisis Support Services, Inc.
Feeding Southwest Virginia *
Foundation for Educational and Developmental Opportunity
Frontier Health – Link House
Girls Inc. of Bristol
Girls Inc. of Hamblen County
Girls Inc. of Kingsport
Girls on the Run Northeast Tennessee
Good Samaritan Ministries
Grace Manor, Inc.
Greater Kingsport Family YMCA
Healing Hands Health
HOLA Lakeway
Holston United Methodist Home for Children
Hope House of Scott County, Inc.
Horton Charity
Isaiah 117 House
Jeremiah School
Jericho Shriners
Kari’s Heart Foundation, Inc.
Kingswood Home for Children
Lunchbox276
McClure River Valley Development Center, Inc.
Morristown Hamblen Central Services, Inc.
Mount Rogers Community Services
Mountain Kids, Inc.
Mountain Mission School
Mountain States Health Alliance
Mountain Region Speech and Hearing Center
People Incorporated of Virginia
Positive Thinkers, Inc.
Ridin’ High Inc.
Rise Up Inc.
Santa Pal
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee
Shepherd’s Inn-Safe House
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Small Miracles Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc.
Sneedville Angels
Somebody Loves Me, Inc.
Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House, Inc.
St. Anthony Bread Food Pantry
Sullivan County Family Justice Center / Branch House
Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary
Synergy Foundation, Inc.
Teen Venture Center
Tennessee Alliance for Kids Inc.
Unicoi County Family YMCA
Waiting to Hear
YMCA of Bristol
Young Life Upper East TN
Young Life Bristol
Young Life Kingsport
Youth Villages, Inc.
YWCA Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia
* Also awarded the prestigious Jeff Byrd Grant
About Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities
The Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization committed to raising funds for distribution to children-based nonprofit organizations, was established in 1997. Since its inception, the chapter has raised more than $22 million, awarding grants to hundreds of qualified organizations in the 18-county area surrounding Bristol Motor Speedway. The board of trustees for the Bristol Chapter consists of 18 members, a diverse group of individuals from across the region with wide-ranging backgrounds. The trustees, two staff members and more than 300 volunteers are responsible for hosting numerous events at Bristol Motor Speedway and throughout the Bristol (Tennessee/Virginia) community. For more information about the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, visit speedwaycharities.org/bristol.
