Dale Earnhardt Jr. has left no stone unturned in bringing short tracks back into the spotlight. Whether it’s through his involvement with the Late Model Series, work with the CARS Tour, or presence at grassroots events to pull in the crowd, he has been at the heart of the short track revival.
Advertisement
But his efforts have not only helped short tracks; they’ve also breathed life into several other venues, including North Wilkesboro Speedway, which is set to host the All-Star Race for the third year running. Chase Elliott, for one, welcomed the development with open arms.
Speaking during the media availability ahead of the All-Star weekend at North Wilkesboro, Elliott reflected on the track’s return and how happy he is with its development. He said, “This place has been around for a long time. It’s kind of in the heart of NASCAR, with Charlotte being right down the road and all that stuff. So yeah, I think it’s a good thing.”
Elliott added, “Personally, I was excited to see that NASCAR or whoever spent a bunch of money to repave the place because that just told me that it was going to be around for a while, and they made that commitment pretty quickly. Yeah, I think it’s all positive.”
Though the track had stayed active on the Late Model circuit, it lacked many modern amenities. Still, fans showed up in strong numbers, and that response caught Junior’s eye. He recognized the renewed fan interest and decided to fan the flames.
Back in 2019, Junior got the ball rolling when he approached Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith for permission to prep the facility for iRacing scans. Junior rolled up his sleeves and helped the crew get the surface ready. That move paid off, as North Wilkesboro quickly became a fan favorite on the iRacing platform. Soon, the call for its return to live NASCAR action grew louder.
With the momentum building and interest refusing to die down, Smith gave the green light to a CARS Tour event at the track in 2022 — dubbed the “Racetrack Revival.” Junior himself suited up and ran his Late Model that night, which added fuel to the push for a full-blown Cup race. The efforts bore fruit, and a few months later, the venue was chosen to host the All-Star Race as part of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary celebration. Restoration work accelerated from that point on.
Junior’s hand was evident every step of the way. From putting North Wilkesboro back on the racing map to leading its return to the Cup Series, he was at the helm. Now, the tide has turned so strongly that Cup drivers have begun openly supporting the idea of a points-paying race at North Wilkesboro as well.
