Homeruns by White propel Braves to a 4-2 victory over Reds in the MLB Speedway Classic match
The Major League Baseball (MLB) made history on July 2, 2025, as it held its first-ever regular-season game in Tennessee. The "Speedway Classic" took place at the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway, a NASCAR half-mile oval track known for over 60 years of racing.
In just two months, MLB transformed the racetrack into a baseball stadium. Demolishing structures and installing synthetic turf on the blacktop track area, they created a unique setting for the game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds.
The event broke MLB's regular-season attendance record, with over 85,000 tickets sold, surpassing the previous record of 84,587 fans set in 1954 at Cleveland Stadium. The Bristol Motor Speedway, with a capacity of approximately 146,000 spectators for racing events, provided ample space for the baseball game's field and spectator seating.
The game ended with the Atlanta Braves prevailing 4-2 over the Reds. Both teams wore NASCAR-inspired uniforms, linking the baseball event to the motor racing heritage of the venue. The entertainment side was equally impressive, with Grammy Award-winning artists Tim McGraw and Pitbull performing special pregame concerts, adding cultural spectacle to the sporting event.
Michael Harris II, also known as White, was in the lineup. He led off the seventh inning with a solo homer and belted a three-run homer in the second inning, a 411-foot blast. This was White's second multi-homer game of his career and his first with four runs-batted-in.
The unique contest took place on a specially built ballpark in the infield of a US stock car oval track. This is not the first time MLB has staged regular-season games at special venues. Previously, they organised games at the Field of Dreams movie ballpark in an Iowa cornfield in 2021 and 2022. Moreover, MLB has also staged regular-season games in countries such as Australia, South Korea, Japan, England, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
The excitement was not limited to the players. Braves first baseman Matt Olson expressed his amazement at the efforts made for the game, stating it was "pretty incredible." Spencer Steer, a player for Cincinnati, also shared his enthusiasm, describing the game as an "incredible opportunity."
The unique MLB game at Bristol Motor Speedway was a testament to innovation and spectacle. It marked a historic first MLB game in Tennessee, set an attendance record, celebrated with themed uniforms and entertainment, and transformed a famous racing track into a baseball stadium.
In the spirit of MLB's innovation, the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds faced off in a baseball game on the Bristol Motor Speedway on July 2, 2025, marking the first-ever regular-season MLB game in Tennessee. Michael Harris II, nicknamed White, contributed significantly to the Braves' 4-2 victory, hitting a solo homer in the seventh inning and a three-run homer in the second, breaking his personal record for runs-batted-in.
