North Wilkesboro Speedway facts for kids
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| Location | 381 Speedway Lane, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, 28659 |
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| Time zone | UTC−5 / UTC−4 (DST) |
| Coordinates | 36°8′32″N 81°4′21″W / 36.14222°N 81.07250°W |
| Capacity | 25,000 |
| Owner | Speedway Motorsports (2007–present) Bruton Smith and Bob Bahre (1995–2007) Staley and Combs families (1953–1995) Enoch Staley and the Mastin brothers (1947–1953) |
| Opened | Initial: 18 May 1947 Second: 5 September 2010 Third: Template:Start date and age and age |
| Closed | First: 1 January 1997 Second: 10 May 2011 |
| Construction cost | $3,000 USD |
| Major events | Current: NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR All-Star Race (2023–present) Former: NASCAR Cup Series First Union 400 (1951–1996) Tyson Holly Farms 400 (1949–1955, 1957–1996) |
| Oval (1947–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.625 mi (1.006 km) |
| Turns | 2 |
| Banking | Turns: 13° Straights: 3° |
| Race lap record | 0:18.362 ( Kyle Larson, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, 2024, NASCAR Cup) |
North Wilkesboro Speedway is a famous 0.625 miles (1.006 km) paved oval short track located in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. It has hosted many exciting racing events since it first opened in 1947. Most of these races have been organized by NASCAR.
Since 2007, the track has been owned by Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI). Ronald Queen is currently in charge of its operations. The speedway can hold 25,000 fans as of 2023. It used to hold even more, with a peak of 60,000 in 1996.
North Wilkesboro Speedway keeps its old-school look from the 1990s. This helps preserve its history. Many original buildings from before 1996 are still there. These include buildings with old Winston Cigarettes signs and suites built in the 1980s. In recent years, new features have been added as part of a big effort to bring the track back to life, which started in 2022.
In the mid-1940s, a local person named Enoch Staley built the track. He got help from Lawson Curry, John Mastin, and the Combs family. Soon after, NASCAR Cup Series races started happening there, thanks to NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.. For many years, the Staley and Combs families owned the track. It became well-known for its connection to NASCAR's early days, which involved people who used to run illegal alcohol (moonshine).
After Enoch Staley passed away in 1995, NASCAR became very popular. Speedway Motorsports (SMI) owner Bruton Smith and businessman Bob Bahre each bought half of the track. However, they didn't get along well. Also, the track lacked modern facilities. Because of these issues, North Wilkesboro Speedway closed down in 1997, which made many local fans very upset.
SMI later bought full control of the track in 2007. For two decades, many groups tried to bring the track back, but they didn't succeed. Then, in the early 2020s, drivers and local people pushed for its return. Bruton's son, Marcus Smith, led a successful effort to reopen the track.
About the Track
Track Design
The speedway is 0.625 miles (1.006 km) long. Its turns are banked at 13 degrees, and the straight parts are banked at 3 degrees. The front straightaway goes downhill, and the back straightaway goes uphill. This is because founder Enoch Staley ran out of money during construction. The track is also not perfectly symmetrical.
Before 1957, North Wilkesboro Speedway had a dirt surface. In August 1957, the track was paved with asphalt.
Track Facilities
North Wilkesboro Speedway is located right next to U.S. Route 421. As of 2023, the track can hold 25,000 people. In 1996, it could hold up to 55,000 fans.
Track developers are working to make the facility modern while keeping its classic look. Most of the original buildings from before 1996 have been saved. This includes old suites and a tower with a Winston Cigarettes mural. New features like SAFER barriers, modern lighting, and better sewer systems have been added or are planned.
Track History
Early Days and First Races
In 1945, Enoch Staley watched a stock car race in South Carolina. He said he "fell in love with racing" and was "hooked." After World War II, Staley bought some land. He teamed up with Lawson Curry, John Mastin, Jack Combs, Charlie Combs, and Bill France Sr. to build the track. Enoch and France Sr. each invested $1,500.
They quickly ran out of money for grading the land. This made the track shorter and uneven. Originally, it was a dirt track. They added special materials to keep the dust down. Staley didn't expect the track to last long. He thought they might only run one race.
Local people who ran illegal alcohol (moonshiners) held unofficial races there first. Then, official races promoted by Bill France Sr. began on May 18, 1947. About 10,000 people watched Fonty Flock win the first big race. Two years later, the first NASCAR Strictly Stock Series (now the NASCAR Cup Series) races were held at the track. In 1953, the Mastin brothers sold their share of the track to Jack Combs.
Track Improvements Over Time
The track became known for its connection to moonshine runners. Many early stock car racers had ties to this activity. In 1965, the track and local racer Junior Johnson were featured in an Esquire magazine article. This article helped make NASCAR more famous outside its main region.
North Wilkesboro Speedway improved slowly over the years. In 1955, they started building new concrete grandstands. These replaced the old wooden ones and could seat about 5,200 people. The new grandstands were finished by April 1956. Enoch Staley announced the track would be paved in June 1957, and it was done by September.
Four years later, the infield was renovated, and 3,500 more seats were added. By 1963, the track had 8,500 permanent seats and could hold 15,000 fans. In 1964, the track was repaved for the first time. In 1976, a 3,500-seat grandstand was built and named after Junior Johnson. A concrete wall was also added.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, more efforts were made to modernize the track. The track surface was repaved again in 1979. However, by September 1980, drivers complained that the surface was falling apart quickly. After a race, winner Bobby Allison said it was "a disgrace." So, it was repaved again by December 1980.
In 1988, a new infield, a covered garage, and a multi-purpose building were built. Before this, crews had to stop working in the rain. In 1990, 3,100 seats were added. An electronic scoreboard was also installed, replacing the last manual one on the Winston Cup Series schedule. The West Grandstands were updated in 1992, getting chairs instead of bare concrete. More suites were added in 1995.
Changes and Closure
In the mid-1990s, stock car racing became very popular. New, large tracks were being built in big cities. Many people thought NASCAR would leave older tracks like North Wilkesboro Speedway.
By the early 1990s, North Wilkesboro Speedway was seen as old and lacking modern features. It didn't have enough seating compared to newer tracks. Even though it was profitable, it couldn't keep up with the money needed for races. Drivers like Rusty Wallace said NASCAR needed to move to better tracks for teams and sponsors. Also, the track was close to Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway, which had expanded.
New Owners and Track Closure
Enoch Staley passed away in May 1995. After his death, Bruton Smith, who owned Speedway Motorsports, Inc (SMI), bought half of the track. He wanted to move one of North Wilkesboro's race weekends to a new track he was building in Texas. Enoch's family didn't want to sell their half to Bruton.
Then, Bob Bahre, who owned another racetrack, bought the remaining half from the Staley family. Bahre only wanted one of the track's race weekends for his New Hampshire track. He planned to give the track back to the Staley family for smaller races.
With two different owners, the future of North Wilkesboro Speedway's top-tier races was uncertain. Bruton and Bahre had disagreements. In July 1996, NASCAR decided to move North Wilkesboro's Cup Series races to Texas and New Hampshire. This meant the track would no longer host the highest level of racing. NASCAR said smaller races might still happen there.
However, because Bruton and Bahre didn't get along, no lower-tier races were scheduled. A group led by Junior Johnson tried to buy the track, but Bahre refused. On January 3, 1997, the track officially closed. All employees were laid off, except for Paul Call, who stayed on as a caretaker. Over the next few years, parts of the track were damaged by storms and continued to fall apart.
Abandonment and Attempts to Save the Track
The track continued to decay. In 1999, the owners asked for the track's tax value to be lowered because it was "outdated." Bruton Smith said he wouldn't do anything to fix the track unless he owned all of it. Bahre and Bruton stopped talking to each other. By 2001, hopes of reopening the track under joint ownership were gone.
In 2003, Junior Johnson showed interest in buying the track again. But Bruton Smith thought it would cost too much money to fix it. A petition to have the county take over the track was rejected.
In 2004, a NASCAR team used the track for a private test. This was the first activity there in over eight years. In 2005, a group called Save the Speedway (STS) started a petition to save the track. Bruton Smith offered to buy Bahre's share for $12 million. Bahre agreed, and Bruton bought full control of the track in 2006. At first, Bruton hinted he might tear the track down.
Two years later, Bruton leased the track to a promoter who planned a reality TV show and a women's racing series. However, this promoter was later arrested, and the plans fell apart.
Short Comeback and Decline Again
In late 2009, a group led by Alton McBride Jr. announced plans to host races at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2010. They got a three-year lease from Bruton. In September 2010, the track held its first official races in over 14 years. Chase Elliott won one of these events.
However, on May 10, 2011, McBride announced the track would close again due to lack of money. He blamed the local government for not providing promised funds.
The track continued to fall apart throughout the 2010s. Paul Call, the caretaker, tried his best to preserve it by mowing the grass. He would sometimes give tours to tourists. But his efforts couldn't stop the decay. By 2015, buildings had collapsed, and grandstands were damaged. In 2017, the abandoned track was even featured in the movie Cars 3, inspiring the fictional Thomasville Speedway.
Marcus Smith Leads Revival
In September 2019, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked to Marcus Smith (Bruton's son and successor) about digitally preserving the track. A full physical renovation seemed unlikely because the track was in such bad shape.
Three months later, Earnhardt organized a cleanup to remove weeds. This was so a racing simulator company, iRacing, could scan the track. The scan was completed and added to the simulator by May 2020. In March 2021, Marcus Smith said he was thinking about ways to bring the track back.
That same month, Roy Cooper, the Governor of North Carolina, considered a plan to give $10 million to Wilkes County to repair the track. By August, this amount increased to $20 million. This gave great hope to Wilkes County, which had faced financial struggles. The funding was approved in November, totaling $18 million. Soon after, SMI began construction and tearing down old, unsafe buildings. In January 2022, Smith shared plans for the track's revival.
Racing Returns
On April 16, 2022, Marcus Smith announced that racing would return to the facility. Two multi-class events were scheduled for August and October that year. Developers added new electrical and internet systems and made other repairs. Racing officially resumed on August 2, with about 9,000 people attending the first event.
On September 7, 2022, it was reported that NASCAR would move the NASCAR All-Star Race to North Wilkesboro Speedway. This exhibition race had been held at Texas Motor Speedway, the track Bruton Smith had moved one of North Wilkesboro's races to. This news was confirmed the next day. More renovations were announced, including paving the infield garage and adding SAFER barriers. Developers wanted to keep the track's old-school look. By February 2023, renovations were ahead of schedule.
Tire tests were run in March 2023. In May, Ronald Queen became the director of operations. Later that month, the NASCAR Cup Series returned to the track for the first time in 27 years. Six months later, SMI announced the track's first repave since 1981. The repave was finished by March 2024. In 2024, a sinkhole was found under a grandstand. Some people thought it might be an old moonshine cave, but others said it was likely related to the track's known drainage issues.
Events
NASCAR Races
Since 2023, North Wilkesboro Speedway has hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race. This is a special exhibition race that doesn't count for championship points. The track also hosts third-tier NASCAR Truck Series races.
Until 1996, the track held two main points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races each year. These were the spring First Union 400 and the fall Tyson Holly Farms 400.
The First Union 400, also known as the Gwyn Staley 400, first ran in 1951. It was originally a 150-lap race. After a few changes, it became its traditional 250 miles (400 km), 400-lap distance in 1961. This distance stayed the same until 1996.
The Tyson Holly Farms 400, also known as the Wilkes 400, first ran in 1949. It was a 200-lap race. By 1963, it also became a 250 miles (400 km), 400-lap race. This race was removed from the Cup Series schedule in 1996.
Lap Records
As of May 2024, these are the fastest official race lap records at North Wilkesboro Speedway:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
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| Oval: 0.625 mi (1947–present) | ||||
| NASCAR Cup | 0:18.362 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race |
| NASCAR Truck | 0:18.431 | Corey Heim | Toyota Tundra NASCAR | 2024 Wright Brand 250 |
Images for kids
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Chase Elliott's Pro All Star Series car at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2010. Elliott won the first race under the short-lived Alton McBride Jr.-led lease.
See also
In Spanish: North Wilkesboro Speedway para niños
