NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race returning to North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2024
The NASCAR All-Star Race will be held May 17-19 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, NASCAR and the venue announced Thursday.
The announcement came outside of the North Carolina Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh, with an appearance by a NASCAR All-Star Race Chevrolet Camaro pace car along with a 1940 Ford reminiscent of racing’s moonshine-running origins.
Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith and NASCAR President Steve Phelps said that thanks to the legislature and others, they were bringing back the NASCAR All-Star Race to the speedway.
Smith said that there’s been “a revival in Wilkes County” that wouldn’t have happened with the General Assembly’s support. There is funding in the state budget and sports betting bills.
“We’re so thrilled to be coming back with the All-Star Race,” Phelps said.
Several Republican state lawmakers were there for the announcement, and House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate Majority Leader Paul Newton were presented with helmets. Neither donned the helmet, nor got in the cars. Moore noted that they did not get to drive the cars, like a previous incident in 2003, when former Gov. Mike Easley crashed a car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, but was uninjured.
This will be the second consecutive year NASCAR will host one of its premiere events at the recently revitalized track.
Moore told reporters that lawmakers “believe the economic development impact of NASCAR, of motorsports, can really not be overstated.”
Newton, a Cabarrus County Republican, called it a “unique economic development opportunity.”
“I think it’s tremendously significant because of all the moving parts that had to do their part to make this happen — most notably is North Wilkesboro. And the community came together, they supported the last race in an outsized fashion. And that made today possible. If they hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t be here today. But it shows we’re serious about growing the economies of every one of our counties,” Newton told reporters at the event.
‘Fans love it’
Rep. Jason Saine, a Lincolnton Republican and a top budget writer, said this shows the upgrades to the speedway in the last budget showed a return on investment.
“They invested in the track, they invested in stands. And people showed up, just like we thought they would. And then that was the race with (Dale) Earnhardt Jr. It was awesome. And then last year, having an All-Star race, packed it out,” Saine said. “it was great to see and watch, because I remember going as a kid and races and just like old times, and people love it. Fans love it.”
Saine said that tourists coming to the All-Star race will have a significant impact on the local economy. An events fund in the sports betting bill that passed earlier this year will also contribute to the future of racing events.
Race week schedules, ticket and broadcast information will be available at northwilkesborospeedway.com.
This story was originally published September 28, 2023 at 11:24 AM with the headline "NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race returning to North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2024."
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