The 2025 Speedway Classic shatters 70-year MLB attendance record

As of Monday, fans from all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and nine other countries had bought tickets to attend Saturday's game, according to MLB. Tickets are still on sale for the MLB Speedway Classic.

MLB's Speedway Classic, featuring the Cincinnati Reds taking on the Atlanta Braves, will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway. The track, which boasts the largest seating capacity in NASCAR, has held various events since its opening in 1961, including NASCAR races, NCAA FBS college football games and concerts. Soon, the historic venue will host the first baseball game on a NASCAR racetrack.

The game will be held on Saturday, Aug. 2, with first pitch at 7:15 p.m. ET.

"It’ll be really cool," Braves pitcher Chris Sale said on July 14. "I went to [the London Series] in 2019, and I really enjoy these kind of one-off things. Having it be at a motor speedway is pretty cool."

Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott also expressed excitement about the upcoming Speedway Classic and hopes for more NASCAR crossover events moving forward.

"I’ll be excited," Abbott said. "I grew up a NASCAR fan, so I’m kind of getting a little taste of my childhood now. I think it’s gonna be great for the game. I think it’s gonna hit areas that we maybe don’t have influence in. Hopefully, it doesn’t stop there. Maybe in the near future you see some other big-name places, like Brickyard, Indiana or Daytona."

Before the Speedway Classic, the ceremonial first pitch will feature two Hall of Famers who spent the entirety of their careers representing the competing teams. Braves legend Chipper Jones will throw the ceremonial first pitch to former Reds backstop Johnny Bench.

Both the Braves and Reds unveiled special uniforms featuring NASCAR-inspired accents for the upcoming Speedway Classic.

In addition to the custom uniforms, Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson will wear gear inspired by the hit movie "Talladega Nights." 

The MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com will be televised nationally by Fox Sports with first pitch at 7:15 p.m. ET on Aug. 2.