BRISTOL, Tenn. — The dirt racing season at Bristol Motor Speedway will get underway on April 1 with the Bristol Dirt Showcase, a powerful doubleheader of late model dirt racing action.
The Steel Block Bandit Late Model Series and the American All-Star Series will share the spotlight during the event and take to the clay high-banks of dirt-transformed Bristol Motor Speedway for a full day of late model racing action. It will be the season-opening race for the American All-Stars and the second race of the season for the Steel Block Bandits.
The Steel Block Bandits are a premier 17-race dirt Touring Series for Steel Block Late Models that competes across seven states including the Carolinas, Virginia and Tennessee. North Carolina racer Dustin Mitchell is the defending series champ in the Steel Block Bandits and Virginia’s Tyler Bare was the season runner-up.
The 29-race American All-Stars Series holds feature races at 18 tracks, primarily in the Southeast and Midwest with cars that compete utilizing 604 late model crate engines. Hayden Cardwell is the defending series champion.
Both series’ will be competing for a purse that offers a $5,000 winner’s share during the Bristol Dirt Showcase.
“We are looking forward to having these two new late model dirt racing circuits test their drivers on Bristol’s dirt-covered high banks,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “This will be the first time this year that fans can come out and check out the Bristol dirt layout for 2023 and we are expecting thrilling races in both series.”