Our ministry partners share God's hope in Christ at racetracks all across the United States. Here are just a few of them.
Who We Are
Bristol Raceway Ministries
For more than 36 years, Bristol Raceway Ministries has had the privilege of serving race fans at Bristol Motor Speedway and people throughout our community. Our ministry is made possible by volunteers from churches across the Tri-Cities and beyond. We come from different churches, communities, and walks of life, but we share a common purpose: to serve people and share the love of Jesus Christ.
Much of what we do starts with something simple. We help someone find their way, provide a ride across the speedway, welcome visitors at our ministry tents, offer a Bible, share homemade cookies, or take time to listen. These everyday acts of service often give us opportunities to connect with people we might never otherwise meet.
We don't always know what someone is going through when they approach one of our volunteers. A question about directions may lead to a conversation about family, faith, or a difficult season of life. Sometimes someone needs prayer. Sometimes they just need a little help or someone willing to listen. We want people to know they will be welcomed and treated with kindness, whatever brings them our way.
Our Mission
Bristol Motor Speedway brings people together from across the country and beyond. Race fans, campers, families, vendors, and employees come to Bristol for many reasons, and not everyone we meet would ordinarily walk through the doors of a church. That makes the speedway a unique place for ministry. We have the opportunity to meet people where they are and serve them right where life finds them.
For our volunteers, that means ministry can look different from one moment to the next. It might be helping a grandfather get across the property so he can enjoy the race with his family, helping a visitor find the right gate, or sitting down with someone who needs to talk. It might mean praying with someone, sharing a New Testament, or having an honest conversation about Jesus Christ.
We may never know what a particular ride, conversation, or prayer means to the person receiving it. We don't have to know. Our responsibility is to serve faithfully, treat people with dignity and compassion, and trust God with the results.
Our work is centered around four biblical foundations:
- Fellowship: We serve alongside Christians from different churches and communities, building friendships and encouraging one another as we work toward the same purpose. —Hebrews 10:24–25
- Pastoral Care: Race weekends can bring people far from home and away from the support they normally depend on. Our chaplains and volunteers offer prayer, a listening ear, chapel services, weddings, memorials, and care for needs that arise during race events. — Galatians 6:2
- Evangelism: The racetrack is a mission field, and our everyday interactions give us opportunities to share the Gospel. Through conversations, prayer, Bibles, Christian literature, and the way we treat people, we can point others toward the hope found in Jesus Christ. — Mark 16:15
- Service: Sometimes ministry begins with a simple need: a ride, directions, a helping hand, or someone willing to stop and listen. We believe the way we serve people matters, and even an ordinary act of kindness can demonstrate the love of Christ. — Matthew 25:40
How to Get Involved
There isn't just one way to serve with Bristol Raceway Ministries. Some people enjoy meeting and talking with others. Some prefer driving or helping with more practical needs. Others enjoy working behind the scenes. Some can give an entire race weekend, while others may have only a few hours available.
You don't have to do everything. We need people who are willing to use the time and abilities they have to help us serve others.
Bake Cookies
Homemade cookies are one of Raceway Ministries oldest traditions. Volunteers bake and package cookies that we share freely with race fans and visitors at our ministry locations. It's a simple way to welcome people, and over the years, offering a cookie has opened the door to many conversations.
Our Cookie Information Sheet explains how to prepare, package, and deliver cookies for the ministry.
Serve at a Ministry Tent
During NASCAR race weekends, volunteers serve at our concourse and campground ministry tents. We welcome visitors, answer questions, give directions, offer New Testament Bibles, share cookies, and pray with people who ask. Sometimes a visitor just needs a place to sit down and talk.
You don't need to have all the answers. A willingness to welcome people, listen, and help where you can is a good place to start. You may arrive expecting to answer questions and leave remembering a conversation you never expected to have.
Drive a Golf Cart
Getting around Bristol Motor Speedway can be difficult for guests with mobility challenges. Our golf cart volunteers provide shuttle transportation during NASCAR weekends and at other events throughout the year.
For someone who struggles to walk long distances, a ride can make the difference between missing part of the event and enjoying it with family and friends. The ride also gives volunteers a chance to get to know the people they are helping. Some of the best conversations in our ministry happen along the way.
Serve as a Group
Churches and other organizations can serve together by sponsoring a nearby campground during NASCAR race weekends. Volunteers have opportunities to get to know campers, answer questions, lend a hand, offer prayer, and share their faith throughout the weekend.
Serving as a group gives people a chance to work together outside their usual church setting while bringing ministry directly to the people they meet. It is also a great way for a church or organization to introduce its members to serving others.
There’s a Place for You
You don't have to be a NASCAR fan or a pastor, and you don't have to be an expert at talking about your faith. You simply need to care about people and be willing to serve.
Some volunteers serve for a few hours. Others return race after race and have been part of Raceway Ministries for years. However much time you can give, you can help make it possible for us to welcome people, meet their needs, and share the love of Jesus Christ.
When you serve with Bristol Raceway Ministries, you become part of a ministry with a long history at Bristol Motor Speedway and a purpose that reaches beyond the track. You serve alongside others who want to put their faith into action, and you help create opportunities to make a difference in the lives of people we may meet only once.
Ready to Get Started?
Click the Volunteer Resources button below to get registered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Race weekends are exciting, but they also bring plenty of questions. To make things easier, we’ve put together answers to the ones we hear most often. If you still need help, just reach out; we’re happy to assist.
Our FAQs are split into two sections: one for guests attending the event and another for volunteers. This way, you can quickly find the information that’s most relevant to you.
Our campground and trackside ministry tents host chapel services. They take place on Sunday during the Spring race and Saturday during the Fall race. Click the location links below for directions on your mobile phone.
- 9:00 AM in the All American Campground beside the shower house.
- 9:00 AM in the Earhart Campground beside the campground check in tent.
- 9:00 AM at the Fellowship Chapel tent below the dragstrip tower.
Yes, our chaplains, who are ordained pastors, can perform weddings during race events. We work with Bristol Motor Speedway to coordinate the ceremony and will do our best to accommodate special requests. Please give us at least 24 hours’ notice if you plan to get married during an event. If you need a marriage license, visit the Sullivan County Clerks website.
Yes. There are no state restrictions on who can conduct a memorial service for spreading a loved one’s cremains. We work with Bristol Motor Speedway to coordinate these services and will do our best to honor special requests. If you’d like to hold a service during an event, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance.
Unfortunately, we are not able to loan or rent out our golf carts due to insurance restrictions. However, we do offer a golf cart shuttle service for local events in exchange for a donation to our ministry. Contact us for more details.
Bristol Raceway Ministries is actually part of a larger network of ministries serving at raceways all across the United States at major NASCAR and IndyCar speedways as well as weekly short tracks. Local teams (like ours at this track) partner with their specific facility, but we’re connected to a broader family of Raceway Ministries groups who share the same heart: serving race fans, teams, and staff in Jesus’ name at racetracks everywhere. So while our focus is this track and this community, the ministry itself stretches far beyond just one place.
You can see some of the other locations where Raceway Ministries serves by checking the list at the bottom of this page. It gives a quick look at how the ministry reaches far beyond just our track.
Yes! Our focus isn’t the race; it’s the people we serve. Many of our volunteers are so engaged in their work that they hardly notice what’s happening on the track.
Yes! Our volunteer opportunities are flexible, and we’ll work with your availability.
Before the event, we’ll send out detailed instructions and a map showing where to park, where to check in, and what to expect. We can also give you a tour of the facility to help you get your bearings if needed.
Yes! Our website is designed to introduce you to our ministry and how we serve at the track, it also has a section for volunteer resources to help you get started. When you arrive at an event for your shift, you’ll get a short tour, and we’ll pair you with an experienced volunteer to help you feel comfortable and show you the ropes.
We also try to schedule training sessions throughout the year to help you better prepare for sharing your faith with others.
We encourage volunteers to sign up with their friends; it makes the whole experience even better! And yes, children are welcome, but race weekends can be very busy, and younger ones may tend to get restless with all the excitement around. If you’d like to bring your child, speak with our volunteer coordinator for the best guidance.
Yes. Our ministry partners with other organizations across the Tri-Cities to provide support for community events, outreach efforts, and special ministry opportunities. While most of our work takes place at Bristol Motor Speedway, we’re glad to serve in other local settings when our volunteers and resources allow.
Victory Through Jesus
The Gospel at Full Throttle
Did you know that in racing, a driver can lead every single lap and still lose the race if they get disqualified?
The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Just like a driver who breaks the rules, we’ve all fallen short and are disqualified from heaven on our own.
Our sin carries a penalty we can’t appeal or fix by ourselves. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
In racing, a team can come back from a penalty and still take the checkered flag. In life, though, we can’t make that comeback without help. That’s where Jesus steps in. He took our penalty when He died on the cross. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Salvation isn’t something we can earn. It’s a gift we receive by trusting in Jesus. Romans 10:9 tells us, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
The greatest victory doesn’t happen on the track—it happens when you know Jesus and experience His grace. Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
It doesn’t matter what lap you’re on, how many times you’ve spun out, or how banged up your life may feel. Jesus is ready to meet you right where you are and lead you to victory that lasts forever.
If you have questions or just want to talk, come find us at an event. We’re the ones in blue shirts. We’d love to chat and pray with you. If you’d rather, you can also send us a prayer request online with the button below.
National Fellowship
Atlanta
North Carolina
South Carolina
