There’s nothing quite like Bristol under the lights, and Saturday, September 19, 2026, was one of those nights that reminded me why folks love coming back to this place. I had a fun RaceAway group with me at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, and race time brought partly cloudy skies and a warm 82 degrees with a light west-northwest breeze. For fans looking at Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR packages, this weekend had just about everything you’d hope for—good company, easy transportation, terrific seats, and 500 laps of Bristol racing after dark.
Catching Up with Our RaceAway Group
Our home base for the weekend was the Hilton Garden Inn Pigeon Forge, where our package included two nights, Friday and Saturday, along with breakfast each morning. I was in Pigeon Forge from Friday evening through Sunday morning, so I had plenty of opportunity to visit with guests and help with questions along the way.
I especially enjoyed this group because more than one-third of our guests had been to another RaceAway event before. It’s always good to see familiar faces, and I enjoy hearing where everybody has traveled with us and which tracks are still on their wish lists.
On the motorcoach ride over to Bristol, I had a chance to visit with Jessica W. and her family and share some of my own race experiences. That’s one of my favorite parts of hosting these trips. There’s plenty of time on the ride to talk racing, answer questions, and get to know folks a little better before we arrive at the speedway.
As of September 19, 2026, our charter was scheduled to leave the Hilton Garden Inn at 1:00 p.m., with guests asked to be ready about 10 minutes early. The itinerary noted that Bristol Motor Speedway is approximately 100 miles from Pigeon Forge, and our motorcoach included a restroom for the ride. That makes a difference on a long race day—everybody can visit and relax while we take care of getting to and from the track.
A Warm Evening Under the Bristol Lights
Race day itself was hot for September. The National Weather Service recorded a high of 90 degrees at nearby Tri-Cities Airport, about 10 degrees above the normal high for September 19. By race time, conditions had eased to around 82 degrees with partly cloudy skies, so it was still a warm evening when the lights came on over Bristol.
Guests who wanted a little more time down near the action had some good options before the race. As of race day, Track Walk access was scheduled from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., the Pre-Race Infield Experience opened at 5:00 p.m., and Cup Series driver introductions were scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Scanner rentals were also available as an optional package upgrade.
Then it was time to settle into our Allison Terrace seats on the frontstretch near the start/finish line. From there, our guests had a panoramic view of the entire half-mile track and pit road, which is exactly what you want at Bristol because there is always something happening somewhere.
And Bristol certainly gave us plenty to watch.
Joey Logano came through the late-race chaos to capture the Bass Pro Shops Night Race after 500 laps around The Last Great Colosseum. NASCAR’s official results show Logano taking the win, with Kyle Larson second and Carson Hocevar third.
Between the close racing, the beating and banging that Bristol is famous for, the wild finish, and the fireworks afterward, it was a full night of short-track racing.
Highlights from Our 2026 Bristol Weekend
- More than one-third of our guests had traveled with RaceAway before.
- I enjoyed swapping race stories with Jessica W. and her family during our motorcoach ride to Bristol.
- Our guests stayed two nights at the Hilton Garden Inn Pigeon Forge, with breakfast included.
- Allison Terrace seating gave our group a view of the entire track and pit road.
- Race time was warm and partly cloudy at about 82 degrees.
- Joey Logano finished off the evening with the win, followed by post-race fireworks.
I was also so pleased to hear from returning guest Art G. after the trip. He told us his family enjoyed the hotel, transportation, and seating arrangements “a great deal,” and said he appreciated having me there to help them enjoy the race and the amenities available. This was their second RaceAway trip, and Art said there will definitely be more.
That means a lot to me. I want our guests to feel like somebody is there looking after the details while they enjoy the reason we all came in the first place—the race.
Bristol gave us another special one in 2026: a fun group, warm Tennessee evening, plenty of conversation on the bus, 500 laps under the lights, a wild finish, and fireworks before we headed home. If America’s Night Race is on your list, take a look at RaceAway’s Bristol NASCAR packages, or explore our other NASCAR travel packages for another race weekend down the road.