Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been at the heart of the short track revival, whether through his involvement with the Late Model Series, work with the CARS Tour, or presence at grassroots events to pull in the crowd.
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But Junior’s efforts have not just been centered around 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, was happy racing at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. Speaking ahead of the All-Star weekend, Elliott reflected on the track’s return to prominence and how happy he is with its development, which happened thanks to Dale Jr.’s push.
“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,” said Elliott.
“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,” he added.
Though the North Wilkesboro track remained active on the Late Model circuit, it lacked many modern amenities. Still, fans showed up in strong numbers. And that response had caught Junior’s eye.
He recognized the renewed fan interest and decided to fan the flames. 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. North Wilkesboro quickly became a fan favorite on the iRacing platform. Soon, the call for its return to 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.
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, including Elliott, have begun openly supporting the idea of a points-paying race at North Wilkesboro as well. They should all be thankful for Junior’s initiative.
Elliott has always had deep respect for Junior and his work, and has expressed it openly in the past, too.
Elliott starred in a documentary with Dale Jr.
A documentary was made on Elliott in 2021, hosted by Junior. Elliott explained how their life stories were similar, even though their paths, personalities, and approaches toward the sport are different.
“Our paths with our fathers and how that has transpired are similar. His road is different than mine in a lot of ways, but in some ways similar,” Elliott said in an interview with UPI.
“We share some things that are unique. I’ve always respected him and how he has dealt with [challenges] throughout his life. The man and person he is today are really impressive. He seems like he has life organized correctly, which is something we can all appreciate,” he added.
Their dynamic is fascinating considering that their fathers, Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt, were rivals back in the day. It is great to see Elliott and Junior carry the torch forward, shaping not just the present but the future of the sport in many ways.
