Speedway owner revives idea of UT-VaTech game at Bristol

Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, which owns the half-mile track with steep, stadium-style seating, says he will offer $20 million to both schools to play on turf he will install on the infield.

The idea of the game at the track, which is about 120 miles from both campuses, has been kicked around for many years because of the allure of drawing 160,000 or more fans that the track can hold.

But Tennessee athletic director Doug Dickey said no. Now Mike Hamilton, who succeeded Dickey in 2003, hasn’t said never.

“Twenty million dollars is a bunch of cash,” said Hamilton, who plans to attend this weekend’s NASCAR races at Bristol. “If he’s talking about $20 million, obviously, I’m listening.”

Smith has said Virginia Tech officials support the idea, but they did not have an immediate comment on Thursday.

The idea seemed to dissipate when new buildings were added in turns three and four, but Smith said he’d just tear them down.

“We’ve level the whole place. We’ll put in the Astroturf, and we’ll do it all,” he said.

It is unclear when the game could be played. Tennessee has its schedule set through 2008, and the track hosts the Nextel Cup’s Sharpie 500 every year in late August. Any renovations for the football game would have to be complete in time for a game by the end of November.

“They hold the keys to the whole thing,” Smith said of Tennessee. “If they decide that they want to do it, Virginia (Tech) will be aboard. I can commit now.”