North Wilkesboro Speedway ready for restoration with support from Gov. Roy Cooper

Since Sept. 30, 1996, the day after Jeff Gordon drove his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the final time, the .625-mile track has steadily fallen into a sad state of disrepair. Frontstretch suites have fallen in, paint is badly faded and windows are broken or gone altogether.

As the wind blows across the track from the Blue Ridge Mountains nearby, one can almost hear deep baritone engines and cheers from the capacity crowd that once filled the famed short track from the time it opened on May 18, 1947, until Gordon crossed under the final checkered flag nearly 26 years ago.

From Oct. 16, 1949, through the final 1996 event, NASCAR sanctioned 93 Cup Series events at North Wilkesboro Speedway with seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty collecting the most victories at the track with 15. Local late model stock cars and modifieds returned to race there in several non-NASCAR events for weekends of racing in September and October of 2010 and April of 2011.

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There's now a plan in place that will bring those exciting sounds back to full song. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper toured the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway on Tuesday  to officially kick off efforts to return grassroots racing to the iconic short track later this summer. The governor was joined by Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith, NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress, legendary NASCAR driver Harry Gant and a number of state and local officials to tout revitalization efforts at the celebrated facility, marking exactly 75 years since the first stock car race was held at what was then a primitive original dirt oval with wooden grandstands and guardrails.

In less than three months, the famed 0.625-mile facility will once again play host to grassroots racing events when Racetrack Revival comes to Wilkes County. Racetrack Revival will feature nearly a month of grassroots racing on the current pavement beginning in August. Then, following removal of the old historic asphalt, racing will return on the original dirt in October of this year.

Following a tour of the facility and three ceremonial pace laps with Childress behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro, Cooper addressed the vital importance of motorsports to the state’s economy.

“You kept racing alive through all of this,” Cooper said of Speedway Motorsports’ efforts during the pandemic. “When it came time for recovery, we thought about one of the very best ways to invest in our people (and) use American Rescue Fund investments to invest in our economy and jobs and tourism.

“North Carolina’s speedways are strong economic drivers for communities across the state that bring friends, families and neighbors together for a rip-roaring good time. North Wilkesboro Speedway is just one of many racetracks that will be able to cross the finish line on much-needed repairs with these state funds – racing in North Carolina is back and here to stay.”

There is a great deal of renovation to be done in a short amount of time. Some of the funding for future improvements will come through American Rescue Plan allocations in the North Carolina state budget, which earmarks $18 million for infrastructure improvements at the Wilkes County landmark. The funds are part of $45.8 million allocated to 15 local governments to help revitalize 17 motorsports venues across the state.

SMI announced plans last month with XR Events to bring multi-week racing to the smaller track initially on asphalt and then on dirt before a repave occurs in 2023. A NASCAR race at the venue remains in the distant future but is possible with continued upgrades to the facility.

“For the community, it's going to be great,” Childress said. “Anything Marcus Smith does, he does first class. So just looking at the renderings of what the future of this place is going to look like, it’s going to be amazing. The race fans are going to love it and it’s going to be a special place.”

Childress is a former Cup Series driver from 1969 through 19 of 29 races in 1981 before turning his No. 3 Pontiacs over to seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt, competing in 19 races at North Wilkesboro Speedway. His best finish was sixth on Oct. 2, 1977.

“I remember driving a lot of races here at North Wilkesboro and ran pretty good here,” Childress said. “I think the one I remember the most though was the race in (Oct. 15), 1989 when we got wrecked by Ricky Rudd on the last lap over in Turn One and ended up losing the championship with Dale that year.”

Childress says track's in good shape

When asked about the condition of the track while driving with Gov. Cooper in a pace car, Childress replied,” the track felt really good. It’s in really good shape. (Smiling) I didn’t hit any walls while the Governor was out there with me and I didn’t scare him so that was a plus for me.”

The fact that a huge effort is being made to revitalize the track and help preserve its history is a step in the right direction. Banners have been placed throughout North Wilkesboro highlighting the need for the track's success to return for the community.

Smith highlighted the efforts of the Wilkes County community, as well as state officials for their encouragement and efforts to bring racing and entertainment back to North Wilkesboro Speedway. He also presented Cooper with a vintage North Wilkesboro Speedway racing jacket.

“I like old cars, but I like to make them resto-mods and this is gonna be a resto-mod of a speedway,” Smith said, referring to classic cars that are restored and modified with updated technology. “It’s going to have all the cool, old history, but underneath we’re going to have plumbing that works and electricity that works, and we’ll have a really safe and fun place that we can enjoy year-round racing, special events, you name it.”

This article originally appeared on The Dispatch: North Wilkesboro Speedway renovation set at one-time NASCAR track