Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol is famously a concrete-paved short track measuring exactly 0.533 miles in length. It is one of the shortest tracks currently utilized in the NASCAR Cup Series circuit.

The track earned this nickname due to its enormous seating capacity—which historically held over 160,000 fans—that fully encloses the short oval like a Roman amphitheater. The steep banking and enclosed bowl design trap an incredible amount of noise inside the speedway.

The corners at Bristol feature progressive banking that ranges from 24 to 28 degrees, while the straightaways are banked at 6 degrees. This extreme banking allows stock cars to maintain incredibly high speeds despite the track's small size.

Yes, the track was originally paved with asphalt when it opened in 1961. It was completely resurfaced with concrete in 1992 to improve durability against the heavy wear of stock car racing.