Bristol businesses anticipate boom from speedway races
BRISTOL, Tenn./Va. (WJHL) — Businesses have made preparations for additional visitors for this weekend’s spring races at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
Top Dog Restaurant has stocked extra supplies in anticipation for more customers. The hotdog eatery is a little more than a mile and a half up the road of the Bristol Motor Speedway.
“You can’t beat the location really. It’s near the Speedway and kind of State Street area too, so it’s a really good area and you can see the traffic is really consistent,” said Top Dog co-owner Janice Fouch, pointing to the busy Bristol Highway.
Top Dog is a fairly new business, being around for a year next month, but just from the last fall race, employees say there was a noticeable difference in customers.
“We have a lot of traffic now, but it’s a lot more,” Fouch said. “And we don’t get as many locals and I love my locals. But, we do get newcomers from all over the area just like the raceway does and we welcome those as well.”
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On State Street, employees at the Sessions Hotel tidy up the property for a booked weekend. All 70 rooms are booked Friday and Saturday with some open Sunday night after the race. The hotel’s general manager, Catrina Gregoire, said rooms don’t usually stay open long for race weekends.
“As soon as they release dates with us, we are usually completely booked by that time,” Gregoire said. “So, we have a lot of guests that come and stay with us that are actually booking as soon as they can right after the initial race is over.”
Gregoire added that many of these guests come for the race every year.
The hotel likes to have fun with the race weekend, welcoming guests with a sweet treat: a race car-shaped chocolate. Plus, employees have planned a festive St. Patrick’s Day celebration, partnering with Waltrip Brewing Company for guests to celebrate on the hotel’s rooftop.
Races begin Saturday evening with the Weather Guard Truck Race at 8 p.m. and the Food City 500 starts at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
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