The third stop on the zMAX CARS Tour calendar will see both divisions travel to one of the United States’ oldest and most storied asphalt short tracks in Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

Originally built in 1904, Nashville Fairgrounds became a staple on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar when it was converted to a paved oval in the 1950s. Even after the Cup Series left following the 1984 season, Nashville Fairgrounds continued to host major NASCAR events for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series until 2000.

During the 21st century, Nashville Fairgrounds has remained a hub for short track racing even as the city grows around the historic venue. The crown jewel on Nashville Fairgrounds’ schedule is the prestigious All American 400, which takes place every fall and has been won by drivers that include Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, Jeff Purvis, Bubba Pollard and Chase Elliott.

The CARS Tour has visited Nashville Fairgrounds a handful of times throughout its lifespan, but Saturday marks the first time its Late Model Stock and Pro Late Model classes have visited the complex. All the unknowns entering the Tootsie’s Music City Showdown are expected to create an unpredictable but thrilling event for Nashville residents.

Track Facts:

Track: Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Length: .596 mile

Laps: 125 (LMSC) / 100 (PLM)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. excited to race at Nashville Fairgrounds again

Saturday’s Tootsie’s Music City Showdown at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is special in many ways for CARS Tour co-owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

During the early days of his career in the mid-1990s, Earnhardt Jr. competed at Nashville Fairgrounds on several occasions. He recalled the competitive depth that permeated the facility’s Late Model Stock fields during that era and is excited to help bring the discipline back to Nashville Fairgrounds this weekend.

Earnhardt Jr.’s history with Nashville Fairgrounds also extends to his time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, making three starts between 1997-99. The best performance Earnhardt Jr. recorded in that stretch was during his first championship campaign in 1998, where he finished third after leading 25 laps.

For his first planned CARS LMSC Tour start of 2026, Earnhardt Jr. will carry the colors of Bass Pro Shops on his No. 8 Chevrolet. Although it has been years since Earnhardt Jr. last turned a competitive lap around Nashville Fairgrounds, he is determined to open his part-time season with at least a top 10 after recording just one in four appearances last year.

With Nashville Fairgrounds constantly fighting to secure major race dates amidst an ever-changing landscape, Earnhardt Jr. hopes the Tootsie’s Music City Showdown reminds residents of how important racing has always been and continues to be for the city.

Kade Brown teams up with Mini Tyrrell in LMSC Tour return

One name noticeably absent from the first two events of the 2026 CARS LMSC Tour season is the driver who finished third in last season’s points: Kade Brown

That trend will change this weekend with Brown teaming up with Timmy Tyrrell Racing and Yonder Custom Hats for the LMSC Tour’s inaugural visit to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. With Mini Tyrrell occupied with his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series commitments, Brown is eager to deliver a strong performance for his friend on Saturday night.

“Me and Mini have built a very good relationship over the years,” Brown said. “Being buddies with Mini, I’ve had a lot of good conversations with [his crew chief] Brandon [Butler]. We really enjoy talking to both of them, so I’m really excited for the opportunity. We’re bringing back the iconic No. 23, so I think we can be a real threat.”

Even though he has yet to compete in the LMSC Tour this season, Brown has been doing everything possible to keep himself busy. Along with shaking cars down for different teams at several different tracks, Brown also finished fourth out of 37 cars in a Limited Late Model race at Pulaski County Motorsports Park last month driving for Saville Millington Motorsports.

Brown feels he is a much better driver compared to any previous point in his career and is confident he can perform well with Yonder Custom Hats sponsoring him for the first time. As part of Brown’s deal with Yonder Custom Hats owner Chris Thomas, 12 different Nashville-based companies will have custom hats on the side of his car.

Those same companies also receive 200 custom hats by supporting Brown for the Tootsie’s Music City Showdown.

As for how he plans to approach the race himself, Brown said Nashville Fairgrounds’ surface is like Hickory Motor Speedway but is also fast like North Wilkesboro Speedway. With no previous experience at Nashville Fairgrounds to his name, Brown plans to rely on everyone at Tyrrell’s operation to ensure he can be a contender in his first race back on the LMSC Tour.

“I can do all the preparation that I can do, but I really won’t know what I need until I’m there,” Brown said. “Teaming up with Brandon Butler and Timmy Tyrrell Racing can definitely be the winning recipe and I’m sure we’re going to come out swinging. Only being able to run a handful of races, it’d mean a ton to make them worthwhile.”

Sam Butler ready to build on runner-up finish at Wake County

Wake County Speedway was far from a smooth outing for Sam Butler, but the night ended with him obtaining a career-best performance of second in the CARS LMSC Tour.

Driving R&S Race Cars’ house chassis with the black and yellow branding associated with Ram Trucks’ venture into NASCAR, Butler felt Wake County showed the potential he and his team are capable of. As he prepares for Saturday’s race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Butler is thankful he gets to showcase his talent with a program like R&S Race Cars.

“I’m stoked for me and the guys,” Butler said. “This was only our second race together and my fifth day in the car. We’re making really good gains with the chemistry between me and the team and I’m super grateful for the opportunity. After I ended 2021, I never thought I’d get the chance to compete in the CARS Tour again, but we made it happen over the offseason.”

Butler had planned to contest the entire 2021 LMSC Tour season, but financial issues brought his year to an end after eight races. Since he was still attending high school in his home state of Indiana at the time, Butler decided to focus on his education while simultaneously shifting his focus over to Micro Sprints.

Once he finished high school, Butler moved to the southeast and started competing in Legends races, which ultimately led him to R&S Race Cars on a full-time basis for 2026. There have been some growing pains for Butler as he re-acclimates to Late Model Stocks, but he said a key strength through two events has been finding stellar race pace.

If he and R&S Race Cars can improve upon their average qualifying position of 24.0, Butler believes they can find their way to Cook Out Victory Lane before the year ends. Nashville Fairgrounds presents the next chance for Butler to accomplish that goal, a weekend that carries plenty of sentimental value given his ties to the city.

“[A Nashville win] would be on its own podium for me,” Butler said. “I actually used to live in Nashville when I was younger. Music’s been a big part of my life and I’ve always loved it. My uncle kind of sang back in the day. Nashville is where I lived before I had racing, so being able to win in Nashville would be exponential for sure.”

Defending PLM Tour champion Ben Maier set for first start of 2026

Although he was crowned CARS PLM Tour champion at the end of 2025, one accolade that eluded Ben Maier was his first career victory.

Maier seeks to finally end his dry spell at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday during his first series start in a LowCountry Motorsports car. With how close he came to Cook Out Victory Lane with Setzer Racing & Development last year, Maier has every reason to believe he can win on a consistent basis with his new team.

“I think it’ll be really fun,” Maier said. “I’m super excited to get started with [LowCountry Motorsports owner] A.J. [Frank]. We’re obviously coming off a pretty good year, but I’m looking forward to winning some races. It’ll be a fast car again as well this year, so I’m super excited.”

Having previously known Frank from the time he spent with his program in the World Racing League, an endurance series, Maier felt it made sense to continue that partnership in the PLM Tour. LowCountry Motorsports debuted in the PLM Tour midway through 2025 with Tristan McKee as their primary driver.

The duo took part in their debut Pro Late Model outing during the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway in February. Maier and LowCountry Motorsports used the event as a test session, but they did earn a solid eighth finish in their first race before a crash early in the Hart to Heart Breast Cancer Foundation 100 relegated them to 26th in the running order.

As was the case with New Smyrna, Maier is heading to Nashville Fairgrounds for the first time in his young career this weekend. Maier has made sure to carefully study previous Pro Late Model events prior to the Tootsie’s Music City Showdown, adding he expects the on-track action to be frenetic while pursuing that elusive breakthrough checkered flag.

“I think it will be similar to last year where there wasn’t as much fall off as some guys wanted,” Maier said. “It’ll be a ‘give it your all’ race the whole time instead of a save race. You’ll need to get out front early and stay out front. The racing can get pretty hectic pretty quick, so hopefully [a win] will come together.”

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The CARS Pro Late Model Tour kicks off the festivities for the Tootsie’s Music City Showdown at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway with their 100-lap feature at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET, which will be immediately followed by the 125-lap Late Model Stock event. FloRacing will carry live coverage of the on-track action.

For more information on the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Tour and the zMAX CARS Pro Late Model Tour, visit www.carsracingtour.com. Be sure to stay active and social with the tour by liking “CARS Tour” on Facebook, following @CARSTour on X (formerly known as Twitter) and scrolling through photos on Instagram cars_tour.

Additional series information can be obtained by calling the CARS Tour series office, located in Mooresville, NC, at 704-662-9212.

LMSC standings:

1. Caden Kvapil

2. Sam Butler -10

3. Conner Jones -11

4. Treyten Lapcevich -12

5. Clay Jones -12

6. Doug Barnes Jr. -14

7. Chase Burrow -16

8. Landon Huffman -17

9. Carson Loftin -20

10. Carson Brown -20

PLM standings:

1. Mason Walters

2. Keelan Harvick -4

3. Max Reaves -6

4. London McKenzie -7

5. Treyten Lapcevich -8

6. Case James -10

7. Evan McKnight -11

8. Carson Ware -12

9. Cole Robie -13

10. Jayden Johnson -13

CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars Entry List

CARS Tour Pro Late Models Entry List