The first delay at the historic bullring of a racetrack came after the ceremonial first pitch featuring a pair of Hall of Famers in Johnny Bench and Chipper Jones, joined by NASCAR drivers Kyle Busch<\/a> and Chase Elliott<\/a>. The second with one out in the bottom of the first led to the game being pushed back a day, much like a red flag in motorsports.<\/p>\n Fans who stuck out the first delay of 2 hours, 17 minutes started heading toward the exits before the game was postponed with the Reds holding a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks<\/p>\n It was an unwelcome detour for the long-planned event mixing baseball and NASCAR.<\/p>\n “We’re going to suspend tonight’s game. … We are optimistic for a better weather forecast for tomorrow,” Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, told Fox.<\/p>\n The rain made life difficult on the players before the suspension. A bat flew out of TJ Friedl<\/a>‘s hands as he led off for the Reds. A pitcher seemed to catch his footing going to cover first base.<\/p>\n The MLB Speedway Classic was first announced nearly a year ago as part of commissioner Rob Manfred’s push to take MLB to places where baseball isn’t played every day live. MLB played a game at the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Iowa in 2021 and 2022. Alabama and North Carolina, too.<\/p>\n Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott<\/a> showed up Saturday afternoon at Bristol wearing a cutoff version of a NASCAR race suit<\/a>. Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Abbott said he wanted something to wear in for a special game.<\/p>\n “I grew up around NASCAR,” Abbott said. “Just went on eBay and found a couple options, and luckily that was the one that arrived in time. I had a couple of backups. I know who Rusty Wallace is, too, so I actually do know the backstory behind it.”<\/p>\n Long before the fans departed in the rain, they were entertained by a 110-foot Ferris wheel,<\/a> to go along with food trucks, live music, pitching tunnels and batting cages. Fans also had a chance for photos with the Commissioner’s Trophy, and Clydesdales outside the historic racetrack.<\/p>\n Inside, star Tim McGraw performed and was joined by Pitbull.<\/p>\n Before the weather moved over the area, players stood in the back of pickup trucks with their numbers emblazoned on the side and rode around the half-mile racetrack. Some used their phones to document the moment. For introductions, the Braves and Reds walked between a pair of cars decked out in Atlanta and Cincinnati colors.<\/p>\n Then the tarp came out as rain that had been falling around Bristol much of Saturday turned heavy and delayed the start.<\/p>\n The first delay led to the Braves switching starting pitchers. Spencer Strider<\/a>, who grew up in nearby Knoxville, got a bigger ovation than Reds starter Chase Burns<\/a>, who is from Hendersonville and played at the University of Tennessee. The Reds stuck with Burns despite the delay.<\/p>\n Strider warmed up. The Braves chose not to risk his third start in this situation coming off a second elbow surgery.<\/p>\n The rain stopped long enough to take off the tarp and start the game.<\/p>\n Michael Waltrip, who raced plenty at Bristol, restarted the festivities by quoting his brother Darrell: “Boogity, boogity, boogity. Let’s play baseball boys!”<\/p>\n Atlanta went down in order in the top of the first inning. But there was another rain delay after Austin Hays<\/a> hit an RBI single for Cincinnati in the bottom half.<\/p>\n MLB didn’t try to sell every ticket inside the speedway that drew 156,990 for the Battle of Bristol college football game in 2016. The track with a racing capacity of 146,000 could host 90,000 or more even with sections blocked off.<\/p>\n Officials announced Monday that more than 85,000 tickets<\/a> had been sold, topping the previous paid attendance of 84,587 set Sept. 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees<\/a>.<\/p>\n A batter has to clear 400 feet to hit anything out of center field, 375 in the alleys and 330 down each baseline. Pulling a ball down the line raises the prospect of a ball bouncing off the racetrack beyond the outfield wall.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nRain soured a historic night at Bristol Motor Speedway, where thousands who gathered to see the Braves take on the Reds sat through a 2-hour, 17-minute rain delay before play later was suspended in the first inning. Action will resume Sunday.\u00a0Photo by Jamie Squire\/Getty Images<\/p>\n