The Tennessee Army National Guard is taking over as the entitlement sponsor for the spring NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, event officials announced today.
The Tennessee Army National Guard 250 Truck Race is scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026 (7:30 p.m., FS1 and PRN Radio) on the famed all-concrete high-banked short track where so much NASCAR history has been made. More than 35 high-revving NASCAR Craftsman Trucks will take the green flag that evening as they will be in hot pursuit of a much-coveted Bristol victory as well as plenty of critical championship points.
“We’re proud to partner with the Tennessee Army National Guard for the spring NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “The Tennessee Army National Guard 250 Truck Race will be an exciting addition to our spring race weekend and a meaningful opportunity to work together in engaging the young men and women across the state. This partnership aligns well with both organizations’ commitments to community, teamwork, and service, and we look forward to highlighting the important role the Guard plays in supporting and protecting our state.”
Founded in 1887, the Tennessee Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the U.S. National Guard, and its members are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The unit specializes in land warfare and has nearly 10,000 soldiers on call at a moment’s notice.
Last fall, the Tennessee Army National Guard played a major role in the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center, which was stationed at Bristol Motor Speedway’s South Building. Guard members helped with receiving, organizing, packaging and shipping supplies to service those in need following the Helene flooding disaster in Tennessee, Virginia and western North Carolina.
This is the first NASCAR event entitlement sponsorship for the Tennessee Army National Guard. On a national level, the Army National Guard has sponsored NASCAR drivers and teams in the past, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Casey Mears and Greg Biffle in the Cup Series and Landon Cassill in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
For the Tennessee Army National Guard, their objective in this endeavor is all about community and partnerships.
“The platform provided by Bristol Motor Speedway was a partnership that made a tremendous amount of sense to us. We believe heavily in Bristol Motor Speedway’s involvement in the community and their core values align with those we hold dear, honor, duty and respect are always on display at the track,” said Tony Lane, First Lieutenant, Infantry, Tennessee Army National Guard Marketing & Retention Battalion.
“We know a well-run operation when we see one, when you combine the NASCAR product and the way that Bristol Motor Speedway services its fans and provides an amazing at-track experience with its fan zone and opportunities for pre- and post-race media promotions, it was a natural opportunity to combine forces and serve the community,” Lane continued. “We look forward to working alongside the team at Bristol Motor Speedway to create lots of buzz and excitement around the Tennessee Army National Guard 250 Truck Race on April 10, 2026.”
On the track, fans can expect to see the best drivers in the fan-favorite NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series battling in thrilling fashion to earn a coveted Bristol Gladiator Sword and custom trophy. Leading that charge is expected to be defending and two-time Bristol winners Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs, along with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champ Corey Heim, also a past Bristol winner.
Other drivers to watch include rising stars Gio Ruggiero, Connor Mosack, Kaden Honeycutt, Jake Garcia, and Andres Perez de Lara. Veteran drivers Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Tyler Ankrum will also be racing hard to earn a victory. Rookie driver Brenden “Butterbean” Queen also will be on track at the controls of his new Kaulig Racing Dodge Ram Truck. He will be joined on the new Dodge factory team by Daniel Dye and Justin Haley.
In addition to cheering on their favorite drivers during the weekend, Bristol Motor Speedway fans will definitely want to take advantage of so many activities to make a complete weekend of family fun. There will be great video entertainment provided by Colossus TV, the world's largest center-hung video screen, premium VIP experiences, tailgating, on-site camping, concerts and other entertainment at the Food City Fan Zone Stage headlined by Trackside Live with Kenny Wallace and John Roberts, great food and beverages in the concession stands throughout the property, and so much more.
The Tennessee Army National Guard 250 Truck Race is a part of a full weekend of racing activities at Bristol Motor Speedway. The weekend also will feature a 300-lap race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on Saturday, April 11 (7:30 p.m., The CW and PRN Radio) and Sunday afternoon’s historic Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race on April 12 (3 p.m., FS1 and PRN Radio).
About Tennessee Army National Guard
The volunteer spirit is an inseparable part of Tennessee, a spirit that lives on with the Tennessee Army National Guard's nearly 10,000 Soldiers. The TNARNG serves the state and nation by responding to domestic emergencies and providing combat-ready units for the Army and Air Force. Through its dual state and federal mission, the TNARNG's citizen-soldiers are always prepared to answer the call to serve, whether it's to respond to a natural disaster in Tennessee or deploy for combat operations overseas. For more information, please visit this website.
