Bristol, Tenn. – September 11, 2026 -- Brad Pitt will serve as Grand Marshal for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Bristol Motor Speedway, appearing alongside Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris six days before Pitt's new film opens in theaters.
The Academy Award-winning actor and producer will take part in Bristol's pre-race ceremonies and help give the command to fire engines before the NASCAR Cup Series race begins under the lights at 7:30 p.m. ET. It marks the third race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase, a 500-lap event on Bristol's 0.533-mile concrete oval.
Pitt and Morris share Springfield, Missouri roots
Pitt grew up in Springfield, Missouri, the same city where Johnny Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in 1972. "So many people still remember Brad's role in A River Runs Through It, a film that helped inspire a deeper appreciation for fly-fishing and the importance of conserving the rivers and wild places that make those experiences possible," Morris said, adding that the race honors veterans, first responders and members of the military.
Pitt's new survival thriller opens Sept. 25
Pitt's appearance comes just before his Paramount Pictures film, Heart of the Beast, opens exclusively in theatres on Sept. 25. In the film, directed by David Ayer, Pitt stars as Special Forces officer James Belmont, who survives a plane crash with his combat dog, Odin, and is forced into a fight for survival in the Alaskan wilderness. The cast also includes J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe, with Pitt serving as a producer. Tickets for the film are on sale now.
Bristol's banked oval is built for high-stakes racing
Bristol's steep 28-degree banking and tight quarters are known for producing intense, unpredictable racing, a dynamic amplified by the event's placement early in NASCAR's 10-race championship Chase. "There's nothing quite like the Bass Pro Shops Night Race under the lights at Bristol, and having Brad Pitt join us makes an already special night even bigger," said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway.
Tickets and race-weekend information are available through Bristol Motor Speedway.