The Pinnacle, the region's premier lifestyle center in Bristol, Tenn., will continue its sponsorship of the first and longest-running holiday light show to be hosted by a major motorsports facility, it was announced Monday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The Pinnacle Speedway In Lights will open for its 22nd season of bringing joy and festive cheer to the Tri-Cities region on Friday, Nov. 16. The dazzling Christmas light display showcases more than 2 million lights spread out across 250 displays in a five-mile route that winds through the property at Bristol Motor Speedway and Bristol Dragway.

Continuing the sponsorship of the traditional holiday experience is a must for former SCC trustee Steve Johnson, president of The Pinnacle. The seven-week event raises much-needed funds for nearly 100 local children's-based organizations in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Since its inception in 1997, the Bristol Chapter of SCC has distributed more than $13 million to regional children's agencies.

"Claudia's passion and energy for helping children in need is why the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities has been so successful and its why we are so thrilled to be a part of this incredible organization," said Steve Johnson, president and founder of Johnson Commercial Development and president of The Pinnacle. "The Pinnacle also shares this mission of helping children in need and we are humbled by the opportunity to be a part of this tremendous regional effort.
 
"My sincere hope is that our successors are standing here one day having this same announcement of our ongoing commitment to one another for such a great cause."

In addition to the extended sponsorship, a new light display entitled "Elf Vision" was also unveiled. Featuring a Christmas tree-shaped screen and a present screen, "Elf Vision" will feature digital mapping projections. The display will change in real time to showcase animations of Christmas trees, Christmas toys, the wrapping and unwrapping of presents and much more.

"We are thrilled to welcome The Pinnacle back as title sponsor of Speedway In Lights," said Claudia Byrd, executive director of SCC-Bristol. "Their support is extremely vital to our mission to help children in need throughout our region. This is such a rewarding project and we owe a huge thank you to Steve Johnson.

"We are also excited to provide a sneak preview of "Elf Vision", our latest light display along The Pinnacle Speedway in Lights route: a wonderful digital holiday display that will add some new technology to our festive presentation."

The Pinnacle Speedway in Lights, the major fundraiser for SCC-Bristol, will run through Saturday, Jan. 5. For more information, visit www.speedwayinlights.org. As always, all proceeds for The Pinnacle Speedway in Lights will be used by SCC to give to numerous organizations that serve children in the 18-county area surrounding BMS.