Bristol Motor Speedway officials embarked on an ambitious mission this winter.

"We wanted to put together such a great show that a guy in Wisconsin would be tempted to pull his motorcoach all the way to Bristol," said Wayne Estes, BMS vice-president of events. "We think we've accomplished that goal."

As usual, the marquee event of the spring race weekend at Bristol is the Food City 500. One week before the race, the big question is whether BMS will extend its sellout streak for Sprint Cup events to 54.

Meanwhile, the Food City 500 undercard has created buzz among both new and traditional fans.

Friday's program, dubbed Ford Fan Friday, will include more than four hours of practice and qualifying.

For the first time, Food City Race Night will be held on the grounds of the speedway Friday from 4-9 p.m. Defending Food City 500 winner Jeff Burton headlines the list of drivers who will participate in activities ranging from a question-and-answer session to a computer-simulated boxing tournament.

At least eight Sprint Cup regulars, including Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards, will compete in Saturday's Scotts Turf Builder 300 Nationwide Series race.

Following the Nationwide event, a mix of celebrities and former BMS greats will be featured in a 50-lap Saturday Night Special Late Model event.

The roster of celebrities includes college football coaches Frank Beamer and Terry Bowden, former NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham and Realtree Outdoors founder Bill Jordan. New University of Tennessee head football coach Lane Kiffin turned down an invitation.

David Pearson, Sterling Marlin, Junior Johnson and Cale Yarborough are among the 12 drivers who will compete in the 35-lap legends event.

Estes said he has been encouraged by the response of fans and drivers to the legends race. He said the concept arose from a challenge by BMS general manager Jeff Byrd to make the spring race weekend unique.

"At the time, gas prices were twice what they are now," Estes said. "We kicked around a bunch of ideas that came from our staff and fans."

Many fans were eager for a taste of history, Estes said. An effort was than launched to attract former Bristol winners, both at the Cup and Nationwide series level.

Seven-time Cup champion Richard Petty got the first call, but he is unable to participate. Still, the momentum soon built.

"We didn't extend the first invitation until after the first of the year," Estes said. "After we laid the groundwork, things picked up a little quicker than we thought.

"Had we known we were going to do this legends race in August, the buzz might be even more impressive. Hopefully, we can make this a regular part of our schedule."

Estes said he ran into a surprise upon reaching the enigmatic Pearson, who plans to run his familiar red-and-white paint scheme with the number 21.

"Pearson said he has actually been coming to the Bristol races for years and watching from the grandstands," Estes said.

A 100-lap Late Model event for the United Auto Racing Association will conclude Saturday's racing card.

In addition to ticket sales, the hot storylines for Sunday's Food City 500 include the success of the Busch brothers (Kyle and Kurt), the struggles of fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and the new brand of racing at BMS.

Since the concrete track was resurfaced in 2007, fans have debated whether the smoother and wider version of BMS is conducive to compelling action.

Instead of surviving multiple wrecks, the focus at Bristol now is finding the right line.

"If you like racing, the new track is better," Burton said. "And it's going to be better racing as the track ages, especially working in the high groove. I think it will become more like the old days."

Ryan Newman, who grew up competing on high-banked short tracks in the Midwest, is another fan of the new BMS. Newman and Burton were both involved in recent press conferences in Bristol.

"I've always enjoyed Bristol," Newman said. "To me it's great racing. It's typical short track racing. That's what makes it fun."

One driver still searching for the right Bristol formula is three-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

"I think we've got a great car [for Bristol] but I just don't know how to get around that race track yet," Johnson said during a recent teleconference. "I will show up and do all the things that I need to and
hopefully get it right this time.

"I'm just not going to admit defeat at that track. I will win there one of these days before my career is over."