Dolly Parton’s Signature Pink Butterfly Is About to Take Flight at Bristol

Dolly Parton’s unmistakable pink butterfly is about to make a very special appearance at one of NASCAR’s biggest weekends in East Tennessee.

Bristol Motor Speedway will honor the late country music icon throughout Bass Pro Shops Night Race week, Sept. 17–19, with a series of tributes celebrating Dolly’s life, music and deep connection to the region she always called home.

With approval from the Dollywood Foundation, Bristol Motor Speedway created a special tribute mark featuring a pink butterfly with “Dolly” across its center. The symbol will appear throughout the speedway during race week at “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”

And this tribute isn’t staying on the sidelines.

Dolly’s Pink Butterfly Will Be Everywhere

Fans attending Bristol will see prominent Dolly butterfly signage throughout the speedway property and along the track walls.

But one of the most special touches will happen on the racetrack itself.

A race-ready Dolly butterfly decal will be made available to teams competing across NASCAR’s three national series, giving drivers and teams the opportunity to carry the tribute with them onto the track.

There will also be a massive 15-by-7-foot Dolly Parton tribute banner in the BMS Fan Zone, where fans can write personal messages and add their signatures in honor of Dolly.

And, of course, Dolly’s voice will be part of the weekend.

Her music will be played throughout the Bristol Motor Speedway property, creating a soundtrack celebrating the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.

“Dolly’s impact reaches far beyond East Tennessee, but she’ll always have a special place here at home,” Bristol Motor Speedway President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell said. “We wanted to create a meaningful way for our fans and race teams to join us in honoring her during one of Bristol’s biggest weekends.”

A Tribute From Her Home State

For East Tennessee, the tribute carries an especially personal meaning.

Dolly’s connection to the region has been part of her story for decades, and Bristol is turning one of the most recognizable symbols associated with her — the pink butterfly — into a centerpiece of race weekend.

From the walls of the speedway to NASCAR race cars and the music playing around the property, fans will have plenty of reminders of the woman whose influence stretched far beyond country music.

And then comes Saturday night.

A Huge Night at Bristol

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Sept. 19 will feature a packed entertainment lineup alongside the NASCAR action.

Academy Award-winning actor and producer Brad Pitt will serve as grand marshal, while two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and two-time INDYCAR Series champion Josef Newgarden will be the honorary pace car driver.

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is also scheduled to appear, while country singer Brian Kelley will perform a pre-race concert.

Fans will also see Bristol’s famous driver introductions, with competitors selecting the music that accompanies their introductions.

A children’s choir will perform the national anthem, followed by Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the USA” as a bald eagle soars above the stadium.

Then two U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft will follow with a dramatic flyover.

Fans will receive yellow “Rowdy Towels,” and a special Lap 18 tribute honoring Kyle Busch will add another emotional moment to an already packed night.

But throughout it all, one symbol will keep appearing — a little pink butterfly carrying a very familiar name.

Dolly. 

At Bristol, it won’t just be a symbol.

It will be a reminder that even after her passing, Dolly Parton’s music, kindness and connection to East Tennessee continue to bring people together.