Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Braves, Reds schedule sets up unique tie-in for MLB Speedway Classic

By Kevin Henry | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 4:27 PM ET

With the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves set to square off on Saturday night inside Bristol Motor Speedway in the inaugural MLB Speedway Classic, the schedule has fallen into place in a way that allows both teams to honor the game's location in unique fashion.

Not only is the game the first-ever Major League matchup to take place inside a racetrack, it's also the first game featuring American or National League teams that will be played in Tennessee.

Here's the first look at an official MLB field inside a NASCAR track

The Speedway Classic will take place next Saturday, Aug. 2nd between the Braves and Reds pic.twitter.com/lJ5f027TKd
— MLB (@MLB) July 25, 2025

Knowing many of the eyes of the baseball world will be on what happens in Tennessee on Saturday night, the Volunteer State will be represented very well on the mound by both teams.

Cincinnati will send Chase Burns to the mound on Saturday. The 22-year-old right-handed rookie went to high school in Hendersonville, Tenn., and played at the University of Tennessee as well before transferring to Wake Forest. Atlanta, meanwhile, will counter with Spencer Strider, who went to high school in Knoxville, Tenn.

Having two former Tennessee high school pitchers scheduled to start the game on Saturday not only is an interesting side note to the opening of the MLB Speedway Classic, but it's also a bit of a rarity in MLB as well. MLB Communications highlighted on social media that there are just five MLB starting pitchers (four who are active and one on the injured list) from Tennessee, so the odds for Burns and Strider to line up against each other in Bristol is a fantastic storyline to add to the game.

The contest inside one of NASCAR's most famed tracks will conclude a unique three-game series between the two teams. The first two games were hosted by the Reds in Cincinnati on Thursday and Friday, and Cincinnati will serve as the home team on Saturday night as well.

Atlanta leads the season series, 4-2, including winning three of four from the Reds in May.

Kevin Henry

A member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), Kevin Henry has been covering MLB and MiLB for nearly two decades. Those assignments have included All-Star Games and the MLB postseason, including the World Series. Based in the Denver area, Kevin calls Coors Field his home base, but travels throughout North America during the season to discover the best stories possible

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