Earlier today, Food City and Bristol Motor Speedway presented checks totaling nearly $100,000 to the Mountain Tough Recovery Team of Gatlinburg, TN to assist with continuing wildfire relief efforts. 

In the wake of the devastating fires that swept Gatlinburg and Sevier County in November, Food City and Bristol Motor Speedway teamed up to host a number of initiatives, including a fundraising campaign to benefit local relief efforts.  100% of the funds collected are being donated to local agencies to benefit Gatlinburg and Sevier County relief efforts. 

“Many of our friends and neighbors have been devastated by these tragic fires, including a number of our Food City associates,” says Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer.  “We would like to thank Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR and our loyal customers, associates, vendor and media partners for their generosity and the tremendous outpouring of support that enabled us to assist the critical mission of the Mountain Tough Recovery Team.”
   
BMS collected donations for the wildfire relief efforts during their Pinnacle Speedway in Lights holiday display and matched the proceeds raised.

“Gatlinburg and Sevier County hold a special place in the hearts of NASCAR fans and all of us at Bristol Motor Speedway,” added Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager at Bristol Motor Speedway. “Thank you to everyone who donated to help those in need. It’s a blessing to see the different communities and our partners come together for the greater good. When making plans to visit Bristol Motor Speedway we hope you’ll consider making a pit stop in Sevier County to show continued support of the region.”

The Mountain Tough Recovery Team seeks to restore the quality of life and provide for the unmet human needs of the residents of Gatlinburg and Sevier County affected by the November 2016 wildfires.  The Mountain Tough Recovery Team is led by Executive Director Janice Hendrix.   

“The Mountain Tough Recovery Team Board and Staff are so appreciative of this generous donation to assist our fire survivors as they seek to establish a new normal for their lives.  Thank you Food City and Bristol Motor Speedway for your kindness.  This will truly make a difference in the lives of many,” said Ellen Wilhoit, President, Mountain Tough Recovery Team.

For more information regarding ongoing relief efforts, visit their website at www.mountaintough.org.


Pictured Above (left to right):
Mickey Blazer, Food City Executive Vice President Pharmacy and Fuel
Jerry Caldwell, Bristol Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager
Janice Hendrix, Mountain Tough Recovery Team Executive Director
Ellen Wilhoit, Mountain Tough Recovery Team President

About Food City:
Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 134 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, Chattanooga and north Georgia.

About Bristol Motor Speedway:
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 70 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., a publicly traded company that is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.