Bristol Speedway Children's Charities was founded in 1996 to help children in the surrounding area of Bristol Motor Speedway by Bruton Smith, Chairman of the Board of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. There is a chapter of Speedway Children's Charities at each of Speedway Motorsports' six motorsports facilities.

Operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Bristol Speedway Children's Charities is governed by a board of local trustees whose sole purpose is to distribute the funds raised each year to qualified local children's-based 501(c)(3) organizations. Ms. Claudia H. Byrd serves as the director of Bristol Speedway Children's Charities.

The Bristol chapter has distributed over $6.5 million dollars since its inception.

Major fundraisers for the Bristol chapter include the Ultimate Bristol Experiences Online Auction, Bristol Dragway Celebrity Golf Benefit presented by Alpha Natural Resources, Baker's Construction Services Golf Tournament, Ride-along program with Richard Petty Driving Experience, SCC Live Auction, Sharky 500 and our flagship fundraisers: AutoTrader.com Speedway In Lights Powered by TVA and the Johnson Controls Ice Rink.

Speedway In Lights is a holiday light spectacular, stretching over 4.5miles. More than 2 million lights brighten the lives of area families and represent a holiday tradition in the Tri-Cities. In 2010 BMS added 300,000 dancing LED lights and created the Symphony of Lights in turns 3 & 4 of the Waltrip Grandstand. The 2011-2012 season of Speedway In Lights will mark the fifteenth year of the holiday light spectacular.