NASCAR Bristol Night Race: 2011 Start Time, Starting Lineup, TV/Radio Listings And More

It’s NASCAR race night at Bristol Motor Speedway, and we’ve got the actual race start time, the starting lineup and some other facts about the Irwin Tools Night Race for you below.

Start time: The command to start engines will be given by the CEO of Newell Rubbermaid (and 250 of his guests) at 7:41 p.m. Eastern time. After a few pace laps, honorary starter Ken Goodgame of Ace Hardware will wave the green flag at 7:46 p.m. Eastern. So if you want to skip the pre-race show and just tune in for the race, flip on your TV set at 7:46.

Race name/distance: The Irwin Tools Night Race used to have the “500” in its name when Sharpie was the sponsor, but that’s the number of laps – not miles. The 500-lap race is actually 266.5 miles around the track, which is just over a half-mile.

TV and radio: There’s a chance you may not be able to see the Bristol race tonight based on your location. First of all, if you’re on the East Coast, your local ABC affiliate may cut away to hurricane coverage. Second, if you live in one of these cities, the race will not be on ABC due to preseason football. Make sure to check and see if you’re affected. If you aren’t near a TV or can’t watch, the radio broadcast can be found on your local Performance Racing Network (PRN) affiliate. Click here to see a list of PRN stations where you can listen.

National anthem: Children of NASCAR drivers who are part of racing’s Christian organization – Motor Racing Outreach – will sing the national anthem.

Tickets: As of Friday, the track said the race could potentially sell out based on the walkup crowd for tonight’s race. There may still be some tickets left if you decide to make a last-minute trip, but make sure to arrive early.

Weather: According to the unofficial NASCAR weatherman, the temperature at race time is expected to be around 79 degrees with mostly clear skies. Thankfully, Hurricane Irene is staying far away from the track.

Last time: Kyle Busch and Kyle Busch. Which do you want first? In the spring, Busch won the Jeff Byrd 500 to win his fifth Bristol Cup race (and fourth in the last five events). And one year ago, Kyle Busch completed his famous “Bristol sweep” with a victory in the night race.

Starting lineup for tonight’s NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway: