Race fans are in for a treat as the Food City 500 race weekend provides excitement and action for all ages, April 2-5.

Race weekend will kick off Thursday with the fan-favorite hauler parade before welcoming guests inside The Last Great Colosseum for Fan Friday with free grandstand admission to five hours of practice, Food City Family Race Night and the new Bristol After Dark nighttime concert event. Bush's Beans Qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will then join the Cheddar's 300 presented by Alsco NXS race and the ARCA Menards Series-East (AMSE) Zombie Auto 150 doubleheader to create a true short track Saturday before ending with a color powder rave at the second night of Bristol After Dark. An enthralling race weekend will then culminate with the 60th running of the Food City 500.

"Our schedule is strengthened by the fact that there is something for every race fan on every day of the Food City 500 weekend," said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. "You can take advantage of some of our free offerings including the hauler parade, five hours of practice, Food City Family Race Night and two evenings of our new nighttime event, Bristol After Dark. But fans won't want to also miss the intense on-track action both Saturday and Sunday." 

The hauler parade will kick off on Thursday at 7 p.m. from the Bass Pro Shops at The Pinnacle. The transporters will make the nine-mile trek down Volunteer Parkway before arriving at The Last Great Colosseum at 8 p.m. Race fans are invited to Bass Pro Shops beginning at 4 p.m. to see the haulers up close. Gates 9 and 10 at the Speedway will open at 7:30 p.m. for those who would like to see the haulers enter the infield.

Race fans will not want to miss Fan Friday with free admission and five hours of action from NCS, NXS and AMSE practice. Fans will be able to  take advantage of free parking as well as premium trackside parking. Following practice, visitors are invited to Hospitality Village for the fan-favorite Food City Family Race Night. In its 33rd year, Food City Family Race Night is a one-stop destination for entertainment, driver appearances, games, food and craft vendors, fireworks and more.

New on Fan Friday and following Saturday's race action is Bristol After Dark. Hosted at the Trackside Live stage in the Fan Zone outside Turn 2, the free event will begin at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Rising country star Tim Dugger will headline the evening, which will also feature a beer garden, interactive elements, stage games and much more.

Saturday's doubleheader featuring the Cheddar's 300 presented by Alsco and Zombie Auto 150 gets even better with the addition of Bush's Beans Qualifying. Both NCS and NXS competitors will take to the high banks to battle for the coveted pole position.

Following racing on Saturday, race fans will want to head to the Trackside Live stage for the second evening of Bristol After Dark. The stage will come to life with a color powder rave featuring the bass-dropping beats of DJ Stacie. In addition to the rave, the second evening will also feature a beer garden, interactive elements and more.

All eyes will then be on Northeast Tennessee on Sunday, April 5, for the 60th running of the Food City 500. NASCAR's best will battle for victory in the first short track race of the season. Some of NASCAR's biggest names have conquered The Last Great Colosseum and race fans will want to be on-hand to see who claims victory.

Weekend tickets for the Food City 500 are available and begin at $80 for adults. Kids 12-and-under are free for both Friday and Saturday and are only $10 for Sunday. Teenagers (13-19) are free on Friday and eligible for half-priced grandstand tickets Saturday and Sunday. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 423-BRISTOL or visit BristolTix.com.