The state of Tennessee is no stranger to the world of racing, particularly short track racing.
With NASCAR roots embedded in the state’s history, Bristol Motor Speedway immediately stands out as the shining example of a prolific short track, still holding events at the highest level of stock car racing to this day.
But the Volunteer State offers much more than just Bristol when it comes to storied short tracks. This story will serve as a deep dive into some of the state’s underrated facilities, showcasing their histories and continued prevalence in the short track racing world.
We’ll start this off with the most notable short track in Tennessee other than Bristol, the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway was opened in 1904, making the high-banked 5/8-mile oval the oldest continually-operated racing facility in Tennessee and the second oldest in the entire United States.
With over a century’s worth of stories and events under its arm, Nashville has seen the best of the best compete for glory. The series now known as the NASCAR Cup Series even raced at the track for over two decades from 1958 to 1984.
Notable champions at the venue include Darrell Waltrip, Sterling Marlin and Bobby Hamilton Sr.
These days the track is best known for being a staple in Super Late Model racing, holding the iconic All-American 400 each fall. In addition to its modern Late Model calendar, the track also has hosted several ARCA races in recent years.
Newport Speedway
For nearly a decade, Newport Speedway sat dormant and abandoned. But 2025 has seen a revival of the facility take place, with promising activity surrounding the track’s return.
Originally founded in 1977, Newport started its life as a dirt track before being remodeled into an extremely high-banked 4/10-mile paved oval in 1988. The astounding 26 degrees of banking have given the facility the nickname “Mini Bristol.”
With the facility located alongside Late Model Stock country, the current hot commodity in short track racing, Newport looks to be a potential contender for big Late Model Stock turnouts over the next few years. The track already features Late Model Stocks as a weekly division for its 2025 campaign.
Super Late Models also look to be inserted into Newport’s future plans, with the ASA STARS National Tour set to hold an event at the facility later in May.
Given the affinity for Super Late Models in the Deep South and the fascination with Late Model Stocks in the Mid-Atlantic, Newport sits in a geographically-promising area to sustain good crowds and engagement for years to come.
Kingsport Speedway
It’s fitting that Kingsport Speedway is yet another Tennessee short track with NASCAR roots, seeing as how it lies just 30 minutes down the road from Bristol.
Established in 1965, Kingsport was host to three NASCAR Cup Series races from 1969 to 1971. With names such as Richard Petty and Bobby Isaac having visited victory lane at the facility, it’s safe to say it has a reasonable claim to fame in the stock car world.
NASCAR still has a presence at the track to this day. “The Concrete Jungle” is the only track in Tennessee to hold NASCAR-sanctioned status for the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
Kingsport was also host to the ever-popular CARS Tour back in 2018, meaning that we could see some of the country’s biggest Late Model stars return to Eastern Tennessee in the near future.
Even with the previously mentioned ASA STARS National Tour expanding its reach into the region with its upcoming visit to Newport Speedway, it wouldn’t be outlandish to see Kingsport added to the list of viable facilities for Super Late Models to visit.
Bristol Motor Speedway might be the state’s magnum opus when it comes to short tracks, but the facilities mentioned in this piece could grow to the same level of prominence down the road.
It would take a lot of effort. But with enough support from passionate short track fans, the sky’s the limit for these underrated Tennessee facilities.
