The Bristol Motor Speedway chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities has partnered with WJHL and Food City, along with Drake’s and TeleOptics, to host a special “Race for the Children” event at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 7.

The special day at the track event, which will be held from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., will offer guests the rare opportunity to enjoy some fun activities at the historic NASCAR short track while raising funds for local children in need.

The “Race for the Children” event will include a special track walk, tailgate games, family relay races using Food City shopping carts, and a variety of food options. The day will end with a two-hour session of Track Laps presented by Drake’s, where family members can drive their personal vehicles on the famed high-banked all-concrete oval for a $50 donation for 10 laps.

WJHL evening news anchor Josh Smith will emcee the event.

“We can’t wait to open the gates of Bristol Motor Speedway for a day of family fun and activities in this very special ‘Race for the Children’ event,” said Claudia Byrd, executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities Bristol chapter. “We greatly appreciate our partners WJHL, Food City, Drake’s and TeleOptics for their support and collaboration in making this new event a reality. We couldn’t do it without them. We look forward to putting big smiles on our guests faces that day and ultimately raising much-needed money for all of the local children’s agencies that we service.”

The Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization committed to raising funds for distribution to children’s-based nonprofit organizations, was established in 1997. Since its inception, the chapter has raised nearly $18 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 www.bristol.speedwaycharities.org