{
  "id": 6297790,
  "title": "Brad Pitt to give command to start engines for NASCAR Bristol Night Race",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/brad-pitt-to-give-command-to-start-engines-for-nascar-bristol-night",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-08T16:22:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Motorsport.com",
    "slug": "motorsport-com",
    "url": "https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/brad-pitt-to-give-command-to-start-engines-at-nascar-bristol-night-race/10853724/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "NASCAR Cup race champion Brad Pitt and Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris will be the honored guests at the September 19 race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Morris is the title sponsor of the event, marking the third round of the ten-week Chase for the championship. Pitt is primarily recognized for his role in the 2025 Formula 1 movie, \"Sonny Hayes,\" in which he portrayed a fictional F1 driver. He is a native of Springfield, Missouri, and is well-known in the motorsports community. Morris expressed his excitement about having Pitt join the race, noting that Pitt is a fellow Springfield native. He highlighted the significance of Pitt's role in \"A River Runs Through It,\" a film that inspired appreciation for fly-fishing and conservation. Bristol Motor Speedway president Jerry Caldwell also praised the upcoming event, emphasizing its excitement and the honor of having Pitt in attendance. This comes after Formula 1 incorporated a stock car racer, Lightning McQueen, into their races, sparking online amusement.",
  "summary": "Actor Brad Pitt and Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris will give the command to start engines for the NASCAR Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 19. Bass Pro Shops is also the title sponsor for the race, which sits as the third round of the ten-week Chase for the championship Pitt, whose upcoming film the Heart of the Beast is coming to theaters later this month, is best known in the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}