With support from ASP, college and university construction programs literally “Race to Build” homes for three families in East Tennessee during the Food City 500 at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
What?
Race to Build is an annual event where Appalachia Service Project partners with Bristol Motor Speedway during the Bass Pro Shops NASCAR Night race. Several teams of university construction management students come together and compete to build homes as fast as they can for families in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee region. You don’t want to miss this!
Who?
The families that receive these homes are residents of the Tri-Cities area in Northeast Tennessee. The participants are college students who are studying construction management or building technology. The sponsors and partners are groups, companies, or individuals who want to get involved and have their time and/or dollars lift the mission of ASP. The volunteers are those who serve at the event to interact with race fans to tell them about ASP as well as after the event to help get families into their homes as fast as possible. There are many moving parts to make this unique event possible, and there’s a place for you to get involved!
Where?
Bristol Motor Speedway, 151 Speedway Boulevard, Bristol, TN. ASP’s event is set up between the Orange and the Purple bridges. We’d love for you to come check it out!
How can I get involved?
Volunteer
Contact Jen Rickert at jen.rickert@asphome.org
- Individually – as a volunteer Ambassador at the ASP tent
- Bring a group to volunteer after the event – as a part of ASP’s New Build program and help finish the Race to Build houses for the families
Donate
Contact Kate McKinnie at kate.mckinnie@asphome.org
- Become a corporate sponsor of Race to Build by helping to underwrite the cost of building one or more homes
- Provide an in-kind donation of building materials or supplies
- Sponsor a family in some way (homeowner’s insurance, groceries, electric bills, furniture, etc.)
- Supply refreshments for ASP volunteers and staff
Pray!
- Pray for the families who will receive these homes.
- Pray for the students’ safety who will build these homes.
- Pray for ASP staff and volunteers who coordinate this weekend-long event.
When?
September 14-16, 2023
Thursday, September 14th
8:00am – breakfast
9:00am – orientation / build instructions and competition rules
10:00am – Green Flag for Day One: homebuilding begins
6:00pm – Checkered Flag for Day One: homebuilding ends
6:30pm – UNOH 200 Race: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Series head back to Bristol for an epic doubleheader.
Friday, September 15th
8:00am – Green Flag for Day Two: homebuilding begins
6:00pm – Checkered Flag for Day Two: homebuilding ends
7:30pm – Food City 300 Race
Saturday, September 16th
8:00am – Green Flag for Day Three: homebuilding begins
4:00pm – Checkered Flag for Race to Build – Final Inspections
5:00pm – Closing Ceremony, Winners Announced
7:30pm – Bass Pro Shops Night Race
About Race to Build
Race to Build began in 2015 as a wacky idea from our CEO, Walter Crouch. “What if,” he thought, “we built a home at the Bristol Motor Speedway before the Spring Race, in order to draw attention to critical housing needs in our area?” Well, he shared this thought over breakfast one morning with the EVP and General Manager of the Bristol Motor Speedway, Jerry Caldwell…. and little did Walter know, Jerry dreams just as big as he does! What happened next surprised us all–the week leading up to the Food City 500 in 2016, ASP built one home as fast as we could for a local veteran family. The response to this event was amazing, plus it was a LOT of fun and we got a well-deserving family into a new home!
In the following years to come, the event morphed into a collegiate competition. When the teams arrive, they have a floor system pre-built on a pair of I-beams waiting for them. They build for two and a half 10 hour days, making sure they keep safety, stewardship, teamwork, and accuracy to the house plans in mind.
On Sunday before the Food City 500, ASP’s official judges critically look over each home and give them a score based on the aforementioned categories. The team with the highest score is awarded a $5,000 scholarship, and the second and third place schools are given a $2,500 scholarships to go towards their programs. While scholarships are a nice perk, these students leave with a great experience and pride in building a family a new home. Finally, at the Closing Ceremony, ASP honors the recipients of the homes with all of the volunteers, staff, and partners in the event around. It is a special, high energy moment that everybody should experience!
After the Food City 500, a home-moving company works to lift the homes onto a truck bed and deliver them to their permanent addresses. Volunteers and contractors work together to get the home move-in ready, and the families are given their keys. While Race to Build is a blast, this is an interactive and educational event at its core. The whole purpose is to show the public that the critical housing needs of our region, especially affordable housing for veterans, needs more attention and funding.
The Families
Three families living in the Tri-Cities region will be receiving new homes as a result of Race to Build. They will be receiving these homes completely mortgage-free, giving them the gift of home equity and a fresh start. If you are a resident in the Tri-Cities area with substandard housing, and are interested in applying for a new home, you can find our application here: asphome.org/apply
2023 Race to Build College Teams
University of Nebraska - Returning champions from 2022!
Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology
Kent State University
We are thankful to our 2023 Sponsors of Race to Build
- DR Horton
- Braswell Foods
- Performance Food Group
- Holston Foundation
- ARC
- CDBG
If you would like to be a part of ASP’s Race To Build event this year in some way, please contact Kate McKinnie at kate.mckinnie@asphome.org.
