Braves, Reds to wear NASCAR-inspired uniforms, hats at MLB Speedway Classic

It’s fitting that the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds will give off NASCAR vibes when they meet on Aug. 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway for the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic.

MLB unveiled the uniforms and hats that the two teams will rep on Monday, with jersey numbers designed in the spirit of racecar numbers, with bold outlines, shadowing and movement that echo the iconic car designs.

New Era designed each team’s caps to similarly reflect the motorsports thematic. The Braves cap features flames on the top of the visor, while the Reds cap has checkered racing flags across its visor.

The Rawlings-produced helmets are a first for MLB: custom-designed for a special league event, inspired directly by NASCAR helmet design that resulted in branded helmets that feature race-style player numbers, speed-inspired wordmarks and checkered flag emblems that connect back to each club’s identity.

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AFP staff writer Rod Mullins will be in the press box for the historic game, which is expected to draw a turnout approaching the all-time MLB attendance record of 115,300 on hand for a 2008 exhibition between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

It’s not expected that the turnout will approach the 156,990 attendance for the 2016 Battle at Bristol, a football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech at BMS that was won by the Volunteers, 45-24.

MLB and Bristol Motor Speedway have been working since early last month to retrofit the speedway to be able to host the Speedway Classic, with the punch list including the temporary removal of some infield structures, the installation of 18,000 tons of gravel to level off the infield, and 340 tons of Pennsylvania clay to serve as a base for the synthetic grass playing surface, which will be similar to the playing surface at the Rogers Centre, the home of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The speedway has also installed locker rooms complete with showers, strength and conditioning rooms, coach and trainers’ offices, batting cages and a full weight room.