After driving a five-hour commute, Hurston Waldrep delivers in MLB Speedway Classic

And less than five hours later, Waldrep was on his way to Bristol, Tennessee, for the inaugural MLB Speedway Classic.

“We drove into the stadium (Sunday) morning, went down the slope, and I was like, ‘Well, this is a lot,’” Waldrep said. “It was really breathtaking to walk out and see how they set everything up. It really doesn’t ever sink in until you start warming up. But you see the backdrop, and you see all the fans there, hear the crowd. It’s kind of like the surreal moment.”

Waldrep’s morning was a bit of a whirlwind. He received the news at 11 p.m. — 14 hours before the game’s resumption — woke up in Georgia at 4:45 a.m. and embarked on the five-hour drive to Bristol.

He pulled into the track around 9:45 a.m. — about three hours before first pitch — and took the mound with one out, Reds on first and second base, and Miguel Andujar — one of the team’s big trade acquisitions — at the plate.

So Waldrep had no shortage of excuses if his first MLB outing of the season went poorly. But instead, the 23-year-old posted the best appearance of his young career in a game forever etched in MLB history.

He surrendered one run in 5 ⅔ innings of relief with four strikeouts and two walks, as the Braves won, 4-2.

And it’s only fitting that Waldrep’s first-career win resulted in the same victory lane lap that former NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip took a record-holding 12 times.

“He’s obviously a tough kid,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s a pro. There’s a lot of room for (excuses if) it didn’t go right. And I’m sure he got a nap in the car, but still, he woke up at four o’clock (in the morning). A lot of credit to him. It was a really impressive outing.”

Typically, Waldrep engages in a quick workout after pitching. But on Sunday, he decided to soak in the moment for a bit longer. After all, he had just made history as the winning pitcher for the first MLB game both in the state of Tennessee and inside a racetrack.

“It’s definitely not how you draw it up,” Waldrep said. “But nothing about this game is how you draw it up. I didn’t think about (having my first-career win occur in a NASCAR track) till after the game, it kind of all sank in. I sat there and watched the rest of the game. I was like, ‘I can wait to work out.’ This is a first for me and first for everyone here, so to be able to take it all in and just really enjoy it (was cool).”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Waldrep’s outing was a positive sign for a club looking to fill its starting rotation while Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach and Reynaldo López work back from injuries.

The Braves optioned Waldrep back to Triple-A Gwinnett after the game but could call him back up for Saturday’s doubleheader against the Marlins.

“Absolutely,” Snitker said Monday when asked if Waldrep will be back with the big league club this season. “I think after that outing we will see him.”

Waldrep struggled with the Braves in 2024 — with a 16.71 ERA across two starts — but pitched to a 0.78 ERA with Triple-A Gwinnett in July. He used the experience to learn how he could improve, so when another opportunity arose, he would leave no doubt about his potential.

“That’s what this game teaches you so well, is it teaches you how to grow,” Waldrep said. “It shows you your weaknesses, and that’s what I love about it. It’s a challenge. Every pitch is a challenge in itself. You can’t see failure as something that knocks you down. You learn from it. So that’s all it was for me. And this year has just been a learning opportunity. So, it’s been a lot of fun.”

And his outing on Sunday — in unique circumstances — likely left a lasting impression with the Braves.