North Wilkesboro Speedway prepares for NASCAR future while honoring its past.

Honoring it's past after 26 years?

In the days when NASCAR demanded that spectators purchase an additional "permit to purchase" in order to buy an admission ticket, and NASCAR was getting fat with "opening new markets" money-wise, NASCAR didn't give a crap about honoring the past.

So why does NASCAR care about it now? Are you fat cats needing some additional money? Have all the people who cared about North Wilksboro forgotten what was done to the fans with no concern about the past in 1996?

Does NASCAR think those fans have all died off? Is NASCAR rebuilding the track to bring in the high faluttin' high dollar martini sippin' celebrities like they are doing in Miami with open wheel Indy look-alikes and telling spectators how great it all is?

I guess we will see how many times people can be fooled.

Photos by Kelly Crandall
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emailBy Kelly Crandall | December 14, 2022 8:53 AM ET

North Wilkesboro Speedway might look different when NASCAR returns to the famed facility in May for the All-Star Race, but its historical feel will not be erased.

Renovations are well underway to make North Wilkesboro a modern facility capable of hosting NASCAR national series events. Among the most significant updates laid out Tuesday during an update by Speedway Motorsports SVP of operations and development Steve Swift is a new wall, putting in a SAFER barrier and a new catch fence.

Lighting is also on the list of updates, with LED lights set to be installed. Swift said they would come with the functions for the staff to do different things with them under green and yellow flag conditions.
A lot of work being done to North Wilkesboro Speedway. Along what will be easy to see by May is new LED lighting (with functions to mess with lights under green and yellow conditions), new wall, SAFER barrier, and fencing. And everything being done in the infield pic.twitter.com/DdgAspUSpb

— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall)

“We love challenges,” said Swift. “We strive on challenges just like the drivers strive on the challenge to make the playoffs and the championship. Our construction teams and our company strive on the challenges of making things happen for the first time or bringing back great, historical properties like this...and what I just said was a load of BS. We want to make money and screw the fans who get taken advantage of.....that's off the record of course.

“We’re excited. We’re really looking forward to producing this. The biggest thing is to not disappoint and make sure we hang on to the history and nostalgia and not create too much new stuff that when fans show up in May, they actually feel they are stepping back in time for a great event.”...and that's a load of BS too.

Other updates include:

• To the infield infrastructure for better drainage

• Paving the infield

• Wi-Fi and other necessary accommodations for media and the sanctioning body

• Updating the scoring pylon with LED lights (but it will keep its original look)

• The scoreboard in Turn 3 will return to its original form that will be manually changed every 10 laps

There is also plenty that is not changing. Although upgrades are necessary, Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith and others have been adamant the track needs to keep its old feel. We even hung some advertisements, for a small fee of course, to make it look like a racetrack.

“Always, Marcus or Bruton, are intimately involved in construction,” said Swift. “The word Bruton used to use is that he’s a frustrated builder, so it’s always fun for me and great job security. But Marcus has really taken this one under his wing. This is really a special project for him to bring it back to the county, back to NASCAR.

“To bring something historical like this back is always special anyway, but it holds a special place in his heart just from being up here and meeting with different people and as much help as the state’s been to bring this back, and how important it is. It’s definitely been different than in the past (projects). It holds a special sport in Marcus’s heart, for sure.”

North Carolina was granted $5.7 billion from the American Rescue Plan (that means taxpayers, and "granted" means free money that doesn't have to be paid back). Governor Roy Cooper awarded money to different racetracks in the state (Wilkesboro, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Rockingham Speedway) for revitalization efforts and so he could look like a nice guy and buy some votes with Washington taxpayer money.. Cash talks .It’s believed by somebody that Smith has also put in money of his own, so let's see what he gets out of this deal.

Among the features at North Wilkesboro remaining untouched:

• The racing surface will not be paved before May

• Victory lane will remain unchanged, including using the car lift

• The metal grandstand seats will be the same

• The old signage around the racetrack from the 1990s will remain unchanged. It has not been stated what wording will be used to announce transgender bathrooms, but "colored only" was long ago taken down. and screw "historical significance".

North Wilkesboro is already sold out for the May events, capped at 24,000 seats. A temporary grandstand for 5,000 will be brought in near Turn 3 on the backstretch.

NASCAR is bringing the Craftsman Truck Series to North Wilkesboro and the All-Star Race will run on May 21. There will be a concert, as well, on May 20.

Jeff Gordon won the last NASCAR race run at North Wilkesboro in Sept. 1996. 26 years ago.



North Wilkesboro Speedway, NASCAR