MLB Speedway Classic in Bristol: NASCAR Drivers Refiny as baseball players

Bob Pockrass

FOX Motorsports Insider

NASCAR drivers are looking forward to seeing professional athletes of another sport competing at one of the most iconic venues in stock-car racing.

They certainly look more forward to watching other pros play than if they played themselves.

And that’s exactly what will happen when the MLB Speedway Classic gets underway on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on FOX. The matchup features the Cincinnati Reds going against the Atlanta Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.

Kevin Burkhardt, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter pose with a car sporting the Major League Baseball Speedway Classic 2025 wrap

It’s the first-ever MLB game played in the state and more than 85,000 tickets have been sold for the contest — a major-league regular-season record.

“I honestly think it looks cooler than when they did the football game there with Tennessee-Virginia Tech [in 2016]”2023 cup champion Ryan Blanne said.

“I think it’s going to be a hit. I wish I can go. That place is unique.”

With nascar racing in iowa at the end of this week, it is not impossible for the bristle to be back and forth, depending on the time of cup practice. But a driver will actually need to do so.

If a driver Be able to do Arrive there, they will get a chance to see history.

The Bristol had to knock some race-track walls and buildings in its infield to create enough space for the baseball ground inside the 0.533-mile, high-bind concrete oval.

Cincinnati Reds Shubhankar Shri Red and Atlanta Reds Muscat Bloper Bristol Motor Speedway

“It’s going to be such a terrible moment,” said Ty Dillon.

Dillon and his brother, Austin played Little-League baseball. Austin Dillon played in the Little League World Series.

So if NASCAR had a team of drivers playing baseball, both of them would probably be on the list.

Who are the drivers who want to include Austin Dillon in an all-driver baseball team? Here is their roster: Ty Dillon, Ricky Stanhouse Junior, Michael McDowell, Ryan Blanne, Noah Gragson, Denny Hamlin, Chess Brisco, Bubba Walece and Kori Lajoi.

In the survey of other drivers, many people had views.

They went to drivers who are best known for their athleticism. For example, the stainhouse is a huge fitness buff, and Hamlin has a basketball court (and runs an REC league) at his home.

Some go for height and choose players like long Shane Van Gisbergen.

Shane van Gisbergen in 6-Foot-2 can be a good addition to an all-driver baseball team

And if you are looking at the drivers who have proved that they have better hand-eye coordination, when it comes to a steering wheel, Elliott, Ryan Blane and others who enjoy Golf, it can be the answer.

Blanyy will connect his Penske team partner Joy Logano and Austin Cyndric. In addition, they feel that hard Ryan Preis will play an important role.

“Preis would be a good catcher,” Blane said.

According to Ryan Blane, Ryan Preis will have a good catcher in All-Driver baseball team

The hard part for race car drivers is that being small and light can sometimes be an advantage.

Cup driver Zen Smith said, “I just had to throw the first pitch and embarrass myself incredibly.” “So definitely not me. … None of us is very good, I think, as stick-and-ball athletes.”

Actually, Zen, another driver mentioned you.

Kyle Larsen said, “You need an athletic in the shortstop, someone quickly looks. Zen looks athletic.”

“Blaney is athletic,” he continued. “Ricky. Ty Gibbs. McDowell? He will be the manager, I think Austin Dill will probably be the best [player],

According to his colleagues, Austin Dillon will be one of the best players in the Estin Dilon Little League World Series Athlete-El-Driver Baseball Team.

Many drivers are asked to throw the first pitches in baseball games in racing markets throughout the season. They are usually in the leading weeks for the race in that market. And drivers who have this honor have the main goal of not becoming a main attraction for the wrong reason.

Gragson said, “Brisco is throwing a lot of pitches in these games, so he is recently on the mound, so it can be our pitcher. Or he could be in a bulpen,” Gragson said.

Bob Pokras covered NASCAR and Indycar for Fox Sports. He has spent more than 30 Detaona 500s in the decades to cover Motorsports in the 500s in the decades covering ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene Magazine and (Detona Beach) with stents in the news-journal. Follow it on Twitter @Bobpocrus,