BRISTOL DRAGWAY IS KNOWN AS THUNDER VALLEY THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE NOISE CREATED WHEN NITRO CARS POWER THEIR WAY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS THAT FLANK THE DRAG STRIP IN TENNESSEE. THE FACILITY HOSTED NHRA’S SPRINGNATIONALS FROM 1965 TO 1967 AND NON-NHRA EVENTS UNTIL IT WAS CLOSED IN 1996 FOR AN $18 MILLION RENOVATION. IT REOPENED IN 1999 AND HOSTED ITS FIRST NATIONAL EVENT IN 34 YEARS IN 2001.