NASCAR: Bristol Motor Speedway sellout streak at 55

Bristol Motor Speedway officials had 160,000 reasons to celebrate Tuesday morning.

Despite the gloomy national economy and a growing discontent with the altered state of racing at BMS, the sellout streak for NASCAR Sprint Cup races at the half-mile oval is now at 55 and counting.

For a small media market tucked away into the serene Tennessee hills, that’s a remarkable feat worthy of a party. Just ask the officials of much larger NASCAR facilities in Los Angeles, Charlotte and Atlanta who continually struggle to fill their seats.

The night race at Bristol has long been one of the most iconic events in all forms of motorports. Much of that appeal can be credited to the unpredictable action and driver theatrics. Basically, there has been a lot of wrecking, fussing and feuding at the mountain showplace. Yes, it’s old-fashioned fun, but we all need a little levity.

The drama has changed at BMS since the much-debated track-resurfacing project in 2007. Instead of a 500-lap carnival ride, fans have witnessed a more nuanced show at NASCAR’s second-smallest track.

Of course, the drivers love the new freedom of having multiple grooves to weave around slower cars or execute crucial passes. Instead of free-flowing street theatre, we now get a refined opera.

Cunning, or carnage? It’s a matter of taste.

Many fans, especially those of the hardcore variety, have long been attracted to Bristol by the mayhem. In a cautious age where all tracks look alike and too many drivers race for points instead of wins, folks appreciated the change of pace.

An ongoing poll on the popular Web site NASCARScene.com asks fans to vote whether the racing at BMS has been better since the track was changed. Fifty-four percent of the respondents believe the racing is worse today, while 33 percent say it’s better and 13 percent do not see a difference.

But there is no question that the Bristol Motor Speedway experience remains different.

It’s still breathtaking to see all those animated fans crammed into a bowl-like setting.

The sounds, sights and 125-miles-per-hour speeds can ignite the senses of even the most casual or jaded observer. Everything just feels so urgent.

Bristol lacks the glitz of Las Vegas, the scenery of the California wine country, and the soothing waves of Daytona Beach, but this little track just offers so much tradition. There is no price on that.

Memories, often shared between a father and son, are the real lifeblood of stock car racing.

While Internet message boards, blogs and radio talk shows continue to feature passionate attacks against new-look BMS, it appears there is a still a large segment of the extended NASCAR family that appreciates the unique qualities of Bristol.

In fact, there are at least 160,000 fans who remain on the BMS bandwagon. Maybe they understand that everyone can benefit from the perspective of a wild night at the opera.