After NASCAR decided to boost horsepower at ovals and short tracks under 1.5 miles, along with road courses moving to 750 hp in 2026, officials have now excited the fans once again by extending the race distance by 50 laps at one of the sport’s oldest venues. When the NASCAR Cup Series returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway for its first points-paying event in nearly three decades on July 19, 2026, it will do so with a fresh format.
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North Wilkesboro Speedway announced that the event, now titled the Window World 450, will add 50 laps to its distance. The adjustment will be the first 450-lap Cup Series race since 1974, when NASCAR trimmed the season’s opening 15 events by 10% during the 1973 oil crisis.
Speedway Executive Director Graig Hoffman said the decision reflects the track’s ethos. “North Wilkesboro Speedway is all about the fans, and adding more laps per dollar to the Window World 450 is sure to create a better experience for everyone who enters the gates. Sunday-night races are made to be a spectacle.”
He added that the longer distance will amplify the event’s energy and raise the bars, with the winner earning a playoff berth. The track’s return to relevance has been one of the most celebrated storylines in recent NASCAR history. North Wilkesboro reopened in 2023 after sitting dormant since the 1996 Tyson Holly Farms 400, thanks largely to Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose advocacy brought the idea from wishful thinking to reality.
The venue hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race for three consecutive years, and drivers repeatedly said they would welcome a full points event there. So now, as the All-Star Race shifts to Dover Motor Speedway for next season, North Wilkesboro secures a spot on the 36-race Cup schedule.
The Window World 450 will now stand as the longest Cup race ever contested at the 0.625-mile track, stretching 31.25 additional miles beyond its previous distance. Measured by mileage, only two short-track races on the current schedule will exceed the 2026 North Wilkesboro distance, with the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway and the Cook Out 400 at Richmond ranking ahead.
Besides that, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will return for a 250-lap showdown on Saturday, July 18, while the zMAX CARS Tour will anchor a Friday doubleheader on July 17, for a three-night showcase of short-track racing.
