North Wilkesboro Makes its Return, What is Next for the Track?

It was a special weekend for longtime race fans as NASCAR made its long-fantasized return to North Wilkesboro Speedway, as they haven’t raced at the track since September 1996. Great crowds were drawn for both the Craftsman Truck and Cup Series races as Kyle Larson swept both races in dominating fashion. Larson earned his third All-Star win of his career in a dominating fashion on Sunday night that showcased a more old-school NASCAR race.

The All-Star weekend has now come and gone and the reunion week has finished up. So the question now remains what is next? Many fans have wondered what the track’s status will look like in 2024 as well as whether the old track surface needs to be repaved or not. Marcus Smith of SMI stated after the race that he would lean toward the track not being repaved unless it had to be. North Wilkesboro Speedway was last repaved in 1981. Smith also thinks there’s a place in the sport for the track and that SMI remains in talks with the 2024 NASCAR schedule. North Wilkesboro returning is on his mind and says that the overwhelming positivity throughout the week was huge. The announcement of the All-Star race being at North Wilkesboro was announced in September 2022 and the track was worked on non-stop to be prepared to host the event.

“That question’s on my mind as well,” said Smith to The Racer. “I think when you see a successful week of events like we’ve had here, it’s natural to think, ‘Boy, maybe we can come back here.’ So, I’m definitely thinking that way. It’s got a lot of potential.”

What Could Happen?

There’s a good chance now that North Wilkesboro could host the All-Star Race again in 2024 and possibly a points race. Could that be at the cost of another current SMI venue? It’s uncertain. In terms of the Truck Series, the track makes a great race to be a crown jewel type of event for the series. The Whelen Modified Tour is going the race there later this year and the CARS Tour raced there leading up to the All-Star weekend. There could be a big push for Wilkes County to have a Cup Series points race next season. A lot of work and money was put in to save a track that many figured would never return and there’s a good chance that there could be a spot for North Wilkesboro to also help celebrate the roots of the sport.

Could the All-Star Race Rotate?

Another possibility is the All-Star Race rotating to other tracks, maybe even grassroots types of tracks such as Hickory or Indianapolis Raceway Park. This probably won’t happen until 2025 or 2026 and the leading candidate that could be next in line for a return to Cup racing is the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. SMI has also been working hard to get plans approved to ready the track for the Cup Series. If or when that does happen, NASCAR will be back at the historic short track for the first time since 2000 (or 1984 with the Cup Series). The track is still very much active and it does sit closer to Downtown Nashville. If SMI is able to get what they need for the Fairgrounds and host an eventual Cup date, what would that mean for Nashville Superspeedway? Will NASCAR have two dates in the Nashville market with one at each track? Will Nashville Superspeedway go by the wayside again? All of that is unknown for now. Another track to take a look at is Indianapolis Raceway Park. Now that the Craftsman Truck Series is back racing at the venue, there could be a case made for some upgrades to be made for the Cup Series to do the All-Star Race there while they would continue to run at the Brickyard in August.

A Look Back

It was a special weekend for many race fans where the impossible became possible. While NASCAR has left tracks like North Wilkesboro and Rockingham for bigger markets to grow the sport, it’s still good these kinds of tracks are saved and can still see racing in some capacity again. While the sport needs to continue to be innovative and push to grow nationally and internationally, the All-Race Race could be reinvented as an event to celebrate the roots of racing and perhaps even makes this a new throwback weekend as well.