North Wilkesboro Speedway to host 2023 All-Star Race

Earnhardt indicated that speedway ownership intends to keep the asphalt as-is. Newspaper records show the track was last repaved ahead of ... Skiptocontent TheNASCARCupSerieswillmakeastunningreturntoarevitalizedNorthWilkesboroSpeedwaynextseason,visitingoneofitsoriginaltracksforthe2023editionoftheNASCARAll-StarRaceduringNASCAR’s75thanniversaryseason. OfficialsfromNASCARandtrackownershipgroupSpeedwayMotorsportsmetinRaleigh,NorthCarolina,onThursdaymorningtoofficiallyannouncetheinvitationalevent’snewvenue.OnhandwereNorthCarolinaGov.RoyCooper,NASCARChiefOperatingOfficerSteveO’Donnell,SpeedwayMotorsportsPresidentandCEOMarcusSmithandHallofFamerDaleEarnhardtJr.,whoparticipatedinLateModelStockcompetitionduringthetrack’srevivalofshort-trackeventstherelastmonth. ThedignitariesattendingtheannouncementattheNorthCarolinaMuseumofHistoryinthestatecapitalindicatedthattheAll-Stareventisscheduledtohighlightathree-dayracingcardonMay19-21,2023.AfullscheduleforAll-Starweekendwillbeannouncedatalaterdate,andticketswillgoonsalelaterthisfall. “There’ssomethingaboutit,it’sjustgotaspecialplaceinourhistory,”Earnhardtsaid.“AndI’msoexcitedtoseewhatcanhappenbeyondthis.TheAll-StarRaceisagreatthing,butgoingforward,butNorthWilkesborocancontinuetocontributetoourlivesandtoourfamily’slives.” ChrisOwens|HHP The0.625-mileoval–whichhasdeeptiestothesport’smoonshiningroots–waspartofNASCAR’sfoundationinitsearliestyears,joiningtheModifiedDivisionschedulein1948.Thetrackhostedtheyear-endingracefortheCupSeries–thencalledStrictlyStock–initsfirstseasonin1949.Itbecameanannualstopontheschedule,hostingtworacesayearstartingin1951. NorthWilkesboroSpeedwaywasshutteredafteritsmostrecentCupSerieseventonSept.29,1996.SpeedwayMotorsportshadpurchasedonehalfofthetrack’sownershipsharesandtookoneracedatetoTexasMotorSpeedway.BobBahrehadboughttheotherhalfandmovedtheotherCupSeriesdatetohistrackinNewHampshire(whichisnowaSpeedwayMotorsportsproperty). Thetracksatmostlydormant–saveforabriefrevival12yearsago–untilan$18millionallocationfromthefederalAmericanRescuePlanmovedthroughtheN.C.statebudget.Thosefunds–combinedwithgrassrootseffortsfromWilkesCountyandEarnhardtJr.himself–weredesignatedforinfrastructureimprovementsandhelpedtorejuvenatethetrackthisyear.Anagreementwasalsostruckforanadditional$4MgrantfromthegeneralassemblyforadditionalfacilityupgradesfortheAll-Starweekend. “There’salotofworktobedone.There’salotofdetailsthatwewon’thavetoday,butwe’regoingtowe’regoingtogetthere,”Smithsaid.“IexpectthistobeaNASCARAll-Starweekofactivities.” RacingreturnedtoNorthWilkesborolastmonthwithregionalandtouringseries,whichincludedsupportandparticipationfromseveralcurrentandformerNASCARnationalseriesdrivers.RyanNewmanwontheopeningnightfeaturefortour-typeModifieds,andEarnhardthelpedtopromotetheLateModelStockevent,finishingthirdinthatracelastweek.Earnhardtwasalsoamongthosehelpingtocleanupthetrackin2019foritsscanintotheiRacingsimulationplatform.   Thetrackstillneedsupdatesforbasicamenitiesforfansandcompetitors.Augusteventsthereusedportabletoilets,andconcessionswereaugmentedwithlocalvendorsinfoodtrucksandstands.Thetrackisalsowithoutaworkingscoreboardandenergy-absorbingSAFERbarriersfortheretainingwalls,andtheformerpressboxfacilitiesandrestroomswereinaccessible. Noneofthatstoppedfansfrompackingthewell-wornseatsthatstilllinethehistoricfacilityduringtheAugustraces,whichwereheldonweekdaynightsundertemporarylighting.XREvents,thepromoterforthoseraces,hadintendedtoconvertthevenueintoadirttrackforanOctoberracingslate,butthegroupannouncedWednesdaythatthoseplanshadbeenabandoned,citingthetimeneededtocompletethetransition. Earnhardtindicatedthatspeedwayownershipintendstokeeptheasphaltas-is.Newspaperrecordsshowthetrackwaslastrepavedaheadofthe1981season. “NorthWilkesboroisgoingtoremainhistoric,anditwillremainauthentic,butitwillalsobemodern,andthatwillbeagreatthingtosee,”Earnhardtsaid.“SoI’mexcitedtoseetheprogress,allthethingsthatwillbehappeningthereoverthenextcoupleofmonths.Therebuildingandsoforthisgoingtobealotoffuntowatch,andthentofinallygothereinMay,justcan’tgetherefastenough.” NorthWilkesborowillbecomethefifthhostoftheNASCARAll-StarRace,whichwillstageits39thrunningnextspring.TheinvitationaleventhasbeenhostedbyTexasMotorSpeedwaythelasttwoseasons.CharlotteMotorSpeedwaywasitslongtimehome,hosting34All-StarRaces–thefirstin1985,thenacontinuousrunfrom1987-2019.Bristol(2020)andAtlanta(1986)havealsohostedtheeventonetime. ThefullNASCARCupSeriesscheduleisexpectedtobeannouncedsoon,butthe2023slatealreadyhasahandfulofrecentlyaddedwrinkles.TheserieswillcompeteonthestreetsofdowntownChicagoforthefirsttimenextyear,andtheseason-openingBuschLightClashexhibitionwillreturntotheLosAngelesMemorialColiseumforthesecondstraightyear. “Butasyoulookatevolvingyourschedule,”O’Donnellsaid,“youcan’tforgetaboutyourpast.” MostPopularnewsToparticles,videos,&galleriesfromtheweekBubbaWallacereactstosecondcareerwinADVANCINGthroughthePlayoffs:AnalyzingthefieldafterKansasBubbaWallaceplaysplayoffspoiler,surgestoKansaswinWatchKyleBuschannouncehis2023plansliveonNASCAR.comBubbaWallace:Secondwin‘justasspecial’asTalladega