NASCAR, off late, has been working towards growing its fan base by reviving historic tracks like the one at North Wilkesboro. This weekend the promotion will be racing at another iconic racetrack — Bowman Gray Stadium. Meanwhile, team owner, Richard Childress appreciates the promotion’s decision to return to historic tracks. Talking about the big picture and the direction that the sport is going, in a recent interview Childress shared his thoughts.
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“We’re going to Mexico this coming year, along with Bowman Gray Stadium, and coming back to North Wilkesboro. I think they’re trying to reach different audiences, but picking up, going back to the roots of Bowman Gray Stadium, so much NASCAR history there. And being able to go to North Wilkesboro, so much history there,” he said.
Childress vividly recalled his youthful days spent at Bowman Gray Stadium when it was a mere dirt track, underlining NASCAR’s aim to bridge the gap between its historical roots and modern appeal. He elaborated on the economic boom expected from the Clash race in Winston-Salem, noting the diverse draw with fans from 44 states and five countries flocking to witness the venerable short-track race.
The RCR boss is eagerly anticipating the challenge that awaits his top driver, Kyle Busch, along with his grandsons. They are getting ready to compete on the 88-year-old track, which is hosting its first NASCAR Cup Series event since Bobby Allison clinched a victory in 1971.
What does returning to Bowman Gray mean to Childress?
Returning to Bowman Gray Stadium holds a special significance for Childress, far beyond the business implications for NASCAR Cup team owners. For Richard, whose roots at the stadium trace back to his childhood days selling peanuts and popcorn, the event is a homecoming. At the tender age of nine, his passion for racing ignited in these very stands, leading him to purchase a $20 race car and embark on his racing journey.
However, when he goes to the stadium this time it will all be business. As Childress put it, “That will probably be all business, but I’m sure when we go over there before qualifying or the heat races or when we go over there on Saturday or I’m supposed to go back over there a couple of more times, just walking around the track the other day brought back so many memories of my childhood.”
Reflecting on his journey from a young vendor to a major player in the sport, Childress shared, “I was a kid… I used to walk these stands and sell peanuts and popcorn, and here I am today looking at it. I’m going to be a competitor here with two of the national teams.”
He mused that if he could impart one piece of advice to his younger self, it would be to “dream big” — a mantra that has guided him through his eminent career in motorsports.
