volume 15, number 2 • august 2014 • published by...

AUGUST 2014 | Half Mile Heat Race Magazine 1Published by The Johnson City News & Neighbor

Volume 15, Number 2 • August 2014 • Published by The Johnson City News & Neighbor

2 Half Mile Heat Race Magazine | AUGUST 2014 Published by The Johnson City News & Neighbor

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Constructed to salute the region’s picturesque landscapes and vast outdoor opportunities, America’s favorite outdoor store celebrates the opening of its new Bristol, Tenn. location on Aug. 20 by partnering with another East Tennessee tradition - NASCAR racing at the Last Great Colosseum. Bass Pro Qualifying Day joins a full slate of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) on Friday, Aug. 22 that includes NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Food City 300 along with knock-out qualifying for both series. “We are very excited to bring Bass Pro Shops to the Tri-Cities area and be a part of the Pinnacle development,” said Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops. “The area’s long history of great fishing and hunting traditions, along with the highly visible and easily accessible location, make it the perfect place to allow us to better serve our many customers and outdoor enthusiasts that visit and live in this beautiful part of the country. We also look forward to partnering with the Smith family, Jerry Caldwell and all our friends at the nearby Bristol Motor Speedway to promote events for the hundreds of thousands of race fans who also love the outdoors.” Already involved in motorsports through partnerships with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart and Richard Childress Racing, adding Bristol Mo-tor Speedway’s title sponsorship of Qualifying Day to Bass Pro Shops’ NASCAR portfolio seemed a natural fit. “Bass Pro Shops is a longtime supporter of NASCAR, and their brand is a fa-vorite among our fan base,” said Jerry Caldwell, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Bristol Motor Speedway. “I know their new retail location will quickly become a regular, race weekend destination for our loyal guests.” Located at Exit 74 off of Interstate 81, the new 100,000-square-foot store includes a bowling alley with food and beverage options and also offers shuttle transportation to the store from BMS on Thursday, Aug. 21 from 3 - 9 p.m. and from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22 and Saturday, Aug. 23. Tickets start at just $35 for the Friday, Aug. 22 Bass Pro Qualifying Day and

Food City 300 with half-price entry for children 15 and under, until Aug. 16. The cost of a full weekend experience at the famed short track begins at only $99 and includes Friday’s full day of racing and Saturday’s IRWIN Tools Night Race. Tickets for the Wednesday night tripleheader featuring the Whelen Modified Bush’s Beans 150, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 presented by ZLOOP and full-length Dierks Bentley concert presented by Mountain Dew start at just $30 for adults (until Aug. 16) with children 15 and under free.

Bass Pro Shops celebrates store openingPartners with Bristol Motor Speedway for August 2014 Qualifying Day

Bass Pro Shop exterior during the final phase of construction, July 2014.Photo by Adam Campbell

NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, Bristol Mayor Joel Staton, Bass Pro Shops Founder Johnny Morris, NASCAR President Mike Helton and developer Steve Johnson pose at the groundbreaking. File Photo


As the area prepares for the upcoming race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, the folks at Food City are gearing up for the running of the August 22nd Food City 300. Companyofficialsrecentlyannouncedthat a gathering of at least ten Medal of Honor recipients will serve as the event Grand Marshals. Numerous public of-ficialsandwell-knownfigureshavebeenprivileged to give the command for the start of the Food City showdown, one of the most popular Nationwide Series races on the NASCAR schedule. “Our region is privileged to be host-ing the Medal of Honor Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee in September of this year. Food City is proud to serve as a major sponsor for the event,” says Food City president and chief executive officer Steven C. Smith. “It’s an honor to have such a valiant group of indi-viduals represent our company as this

year’s Grand Marshals.” U.S. Army Veteran and Paralympic Alpine Skier Heath Calhoun has been named Honorary Starter. ‘A retired ArmyStaffSgt.,Calhounhasgonefromthebattlefieldtotheskislopes,allinthenameofrepresentinghiscountry–firstin the military and now as an athlete’. ‘Born in Bristol, Tennessee, Calhoun is a native of Grundy, Virginia. At a young age, he earned respect for the U.S. military. His father served in Vietnam and his grandfather in World War II, and in 1999, Calhoun made the decision to carry on his family’s dedica-tion to the military and to the service of his country by enlisting in the U.S. Army. While deployed in Iraq, Calhoun served as Squad Leader for the 101st Airborne Division. He was severely wounded when a rocket-propelled gre-nade hit his Humvee in 2003, resulting in the amputation of both of his legs

above the knee. For his service, Cal-houn received a Purple Heart’. ‘As he was learning to walk on pros-thetics during rehabilitation, Calhoun learned about the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), which provides pro-grams and support for wounded service members, and through the program was introduced to adaptive skiing. Calhoun is an advocate for wounded warriors and helped to get the Wounded Warrior Bill passed through Congress in 2005. Then in 2007, the WWP awarded him the George C. Lang Award for Courage in honor of his achievements’. “We are humbled to have the oppor-tunity to host such an esteemed group of veterans. We are excited to welcome them to the World’s Fastest Half Mile in recognitionoftheirsacrifice,dedicationand service to our country.” says Smith.

As the area prepares for the onslaught of race fans and RV’s, the folks at Food City are gearing up for the annual Food City Race Night, which paves the way for a weekend of action-packed Nationwide and Sprint Cup racing at one of NAS-CAR’s most popular venues. The event will take place on Thursday, August 21, 2014 on State Street in downtown Bristol, VA/TN. Food City has hosted the highly popular event, which has contributed over $500,000inproceedstoareanon-profitsformorethantwenty-fiveyears. JeffGordonandRichardPettywillalsomake on-stage appearances, along with Medal of Honor recipients Ron Rosser, Sammy L. Davis, Harold A. Fritz and James A. Taylor. ‘The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Generally presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress.’ Fanscanexpectafun-filledeveningjam-packed with driver autograph ses-sions, show cars, simulators, souvenir trailers, entertainment and a smorgasbord

of free food samples. The action will get underway at 1:00 p.m. and continue until 9:00 p.m. $5.00 advance tickets are avail-able at area Food City locations. Tickets will be $6.00 on the day of the event. Chil-dren twelve and under are admitted free of charge. Proceeds from the event will benefitTheBirthplaceofCountryMusic. FoodCityhasalreadyreceivedconfir-mation from several big name drivers and attractions, with more expected in. Among thosealreadyconfirmedareKevinHarvick(6-6:45 p.m., 200 wristbands will be given out at 1 p.m. at the Armour display), Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (6-8 p.m., 200 wristbands will be given out at 4 p.m. at the begin-ning of his line), Austin Dillon (3:30 p.m., 250 wristbands will be given out at 2:30 p.m. at the beginning of his line), David Ragan (6:30-7:30 p.m., 150 wristbands will be given out at 4 p.m. at the begin-ningofhisline),GregBiffle,ReganSmith,Eric McClure, Morgan Shepherd, Der-rike Cope, Joey Gase, Michael McDowell, Joey Coulter, Brennan Newberry, Spencer Gallagher, Gray Gaulding, Caleb Holman, JohnKing,ChrisLafferty,JakeCrumand Jennifer Jo Cobb, NASCAR Whelen drivers Jenna Wagner and Chad Finchum,

ARAC driver Blake Jones, Lonesome Pine driver Kevin Wolfe, Vintage drivers Gary Potter, Haskell McKee and Danny Casteel, NASCAR Legends Paul Lewis, Brownie King, John A. Utsman and Travis Tiller, Late Model driver Tyler Goodwin, Kart drivers Dillon Hodge and Brandon Morris, along with drivers Brandon Rogers, Tim Lopata, C.J. Hulsey, Adam Gray, Mike Blevins and Jon Pittman. Free food sampling will be available

from 4 until 9:00 p.m., while supplies last. Shuttle services will be available from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Pick-up anddropofflocationsinclude:theBrutonSmith Building (front entrance) at Bristol Motor Speedway; Tower C/Speedway Blvd. at BMS; Hwy. 11E & Whitetop Road; Hwy 394 and Whitetop Road; Hwy. 394 & Copperhead Road and the Bristol Mall -Exit1offI-81.Theeventsiteisjustmin-utes from Bristol Motor Speedway.

Food City Race Night returns to State Street

Steve Smith, right, Food city president and CEO, presents a check for $125,000 to the Paralyzed Veterans of America Fund from proceeds of Food City’s annual Food City Race Night celebration in Bristol.

Heath Calhoun

Food City Names Grand Marshal and Honorary Starter


952-0551915-0424610-1202610-0709282-3652202-9914915-1111610-0888915-1176610-1200610-0429952-0662854-8833232-1231915-0233610-0414 282-0128282-5819

Area Code 423 Amigo Mexican Restaurant Bed Bath & Beyond Diamond Exchange Dress Barn GameStop HH Gregg Home Depot Lifeway Christian Stores Michaels Natural Foods Market Old Navy Oreck Vacuums PetsMart Ross Dress For Less Rugged Wearhouse Sally Beauty Supply Salon BellaDona Shoe Carnival Stein Mart 915-0490

TAKE A SHOPPING CART OUT FOR A FEW LAPS!

Johnson City Crossing is the victory lane for shopping. Our unmatched selection gives you

an amazing array of choices. Race on over - the shopping experience will thrill you!

Johnson City Crossing is the victory lane for shopping. Our unmatched selection gives you

an amazing array of choices. Race on over - the shopping experience will thrill you!

State of Franklin Road @ Knob Creek Road & Peoples Street

State of Franklin Road @ Knob Creek Road & Peoples Street

TAKE A SHOPPING CART OUT FOR A FEW LAPS!


Bristol Motor Speedway revs up Wednesday night (Aug. 20), adding a full-length concert by award-winning country music star Dierks Bentley to its already competitive racing doubleheader. The newly announced tripleheader - the Bush’s Beans 150® Whelen Mod-fied race, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 presented by ZLOOP and Dierks Bentley concert - provides an unforgettable race-day experience at an unbeatable price. “Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway is already one of the most ex-citing nights in motorsports,” said BMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell. “Now, with the support of our friends at Mountain Dew, we are able to offer fans an unbeliev-able night. The combination of intense racing, a country concert with music superstar Dierks Bentley and a $30 ticket price makes Wednesday night a can’t-miss event.” The Bush’s Beans 150® fires up its engines at approximately 5:45pm and the UNOH 200 presented by ZLOOP is slated for an 8 p.m. start. The Dierks

Bentley concert follows the Camping World Truck Series Race.

Dierks Bentley to perform Aug. 20

Wednesday, August 20 8:30 AM Spectator Gates Open8:30 AM Bush’s Beans 150 Practice11:00 AM Bush’s Beans 150 Final Practice5:45 PM Bush’s Beans 150 Driver Introductions Speedway Track6:15 PM Start of Bush’s Beans 150 (150 Laps, 79.95 Miles)8:00 PM UNOH 200 Driver Introductions8:30 PM Start of UNOH 200 (200 Laps, 106.6 Miles)10:45 PM (approx.) Dierks Bentley Concert

Thursday, August 211:00 pm to 9:00 pm Food City Race Night1:30 PM Food City 300 Practice3:00 PM Food City 300 Final Practice5:30 PM Richard Petty Driving Experience Ride-Along

Thursday, August 21 - continued9:00 PM Transporter Parade

Friday, August 2211:00 AM - 1:00 PM IRWIN Tools Night Race Practice1:30 PM IRWIN Tools Night Race Final Practice7:00 PM Food City 300 Driver Introductions7:30 PM Start of Food City 300 (300 Laps, 159.9 Miles)

Saturday, August 231:00 PM Spectator Gates Open7:00 PM IRWIN Tools Night Race Driver Introductions7:30 PM Start of IRWIN Tools Night Race (500 Laps, 266.5 Miles)

August 2014 Race Week Schedule

202 Wesley Street • 282-9180www.omarawning.com

The owners and staff of Omar Awninglove Bristol Dragway.

We thank Bristol Dragway for their support and their giving back to our community.

Commercial and Residential

www.etsu.edu/online • 855-590-ETSUETSU ONLINE

There is one only way to win at

It’s also the only way to win at life:

Go forward fast and know your stuff.

For more than 20 years, ETSU Online has helped students move their careers forward faster with convenient and flexible courses and programs. Find your online graduate or undergraduate degree program at ETSU Online.

Dierks Bentley headlines Bristol Motor Speedway’s NASCAR Camping World Post-Race Concert


thinkThere is never a good time for minor illnesses and injuries in your family. First Assist Urgent Care gives you the peace of mind that comes from expert treatment for minor illnesses and injuries — without a trip to the Emergency Room.

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Call or visit our website for directions and hours.

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ABINGDON, VA603 Campus Drive, Suite 100 • 276-739-8010

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, TN 4600 Fort Henry Drive • 423-224-3950

ELIZABETHTON, TN314 Rogosin Drive • 423-542-8929

JOHNSON CITY, TN1019 W. Oakland Ave., Suite 1 • 423-915-5000

JONESBOROUGH, TN395 Forrest Circle, Suite 100 • 423-753-0721

KINGSPORT, TN1101 E. Stone Drive, Suite 2 • 423-224-1110

MARION, VA245 Medical Park Dr., Suite C • Opening Soon!

PINEY FLATS, TN*

*An affiliate of Mountain States Medical Group6419 Bristol Hwy. • 423-538-5202

8 Convenient Locations:


The robust sounds and dynamic vocals of Wynonna and The Big Noise spice up an already powerful Built Ford Tough Pre-Race. Spirits soar and tensions mount during the Saturday night show as The Univer-sity of Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland Band fires up fans with their rendition of Rocky Top, and for the third consecutive year, Michael Buffer readies drivers to rum-ble after entrances accompanied by music of their own selection. The Aug. 23 performance marks the five-time Grammy winner’s first show at Bristol Motor Speedway, but not her first visit to the Last Great Colosseum. BMS officials are proud to include the legendary country art-ist among its fans and growing list of talent performing during the IRWIN Tools Night Race week. “Wynonna’s distinctive country sounds and high-energy hits are perfect additions to the electric atmosphere of the IRWIN Tools Night Race,” said BMS Executive Vice Presi-dent and General Manager Jerry Caldwell. “I’m confident she will put on a great show for our guests, and we’re thrilled to welcome her back to Bristol as part of pre-race enter-tainment.” Tickets still remain to witness Saturday night under the lights of the Last Great Col-osseum. Single-day tickets start at just $75 with weekend packages as low as $99. Guests may attend Friday’s full day of racing, including Bass Pro Shops Qualifying and the newly expanded Food City 300, for as little as $35 with half-price admission for children 15 and under. Tickets for the Wednesday night triple-header featuring the Whelen Modified Bush’s Beans 150®, NASCAR Camping World Truck

Series UNOH 200 presented by ZLOOP and full-length Dierks Bentley concert presented by Mountain Dew start at just $30 for adults with children 15 and under free. All ticket prices increase by $5 starting Aug. 17.For information on reserving your seat at Bristol, visit BristolTix.com or call (855) 580-5525.

Wynonna and The Big Noise Concert headlines Built Ford Tough Pre-Race

Matt Kenseth celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the 53rd Annual IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 24, 2013 Photo courtesy of Food City

1805 W. State of Franklin, Johnson CityNext to Kroger, Near ETSU • 423-928-0929

Welcome RACE FANS!BienvenidosBienvenidos

HAPPY HOUR: 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.Mondays & Wednesdays 5p.m. - Close

13oz. Margaritas - $2.25 w/mealTuesdays & Thursdays 5p.m. - Close

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3102 Bristol Hwy, Suite B423-232-1003

501 Broad Street Elizabethton

423-543-2033

HAYWORTHTire Centers & Auto Service

Kingsport2101 W. Stone Drive 245-1451 • 387-4210

Johnson City4100 Bristol

Hwy. 282-4211

Elizabethton19E / Valley

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3 ConvenientLocations!

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423.BRISTOL

AUGUST 20, 22 & 23

THE LAST GREAT COLOSSEUMTHE NIGHT RACES ARE COMING TO


Photos courtesy BMS and Getty Images


23421

11

421

500 Forest DriveJonesborough, TN

509 N.State of Franklin Rd.Johnson City, TN

2120 S.Roan St.Johnson City, TN

Village Shopping Center920 Broad St., Elizabethton, TN

125 JudgeGresham Rd.Gray, TN

Carroll Creek CrossingJohnson City, TN

5970 Hwy. 11EPiney Flats, TN

1317 Virginia Ave.Hwy. 421 Bristol, TN

396 Towne Centre DriveAbingdon, VA

Crown Point Center1205 N. Eastman Rd.

Kingsport, TN

300 Clinchfield StreetKingsport, TN

1911 Moreland DriveKingsport, TN

731 Hwy. 11WChurch Hill, TN

Stock up for race week at one of 18 convenient

Tri-Cities area Food City stores.

No matter where you’re staying in the Tri-Cities, there’s a Food City store just around the corner.

1430 Volunteer Pkwy.Bristol, TN

1921 Hwy. 394 Blountville, TN

3004 U.S. Hwy. 23 NorthWeber City, VA

100 Bonham Rd.Bristol, VA

WELCOME RACE FANS!

1320 Euclid Ave. Shopping Center

Bristol, VA

SEE YOU...At the Food City 300 on

Friday, August 22 at

Bristol Motor Speedway!

volume 15, number 2 • august 2014 • published by...

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