With less than five months before the historic 0.625-mile short track will host upwards of 30,000 fans and its first NASCAR race since 1996, Speedway Motorsports’s multi-million-dollar process of transforming and updating the track is well underway.
The entire infield has been cleared except for two historic buildings and will be paved to house garages for the NASCAR Truck and Cup series. The lone access to the infield – a crossover gate on the backstretch – has been updated and expanded.
Renovations to many of the track’s suite boxes are in full swing, a portion of pit road has been torn up and will be replaced and the walls surrounding the track are being prepared for SAFER barrier installation.
But with every change, there is care taken to preserve North Wilkesboro’s legacy.
“Marcus (Smith, owner) has really versed us holding on to the history of North Wilkesboro. When fans show up for the All-Star Race, the facility will look like it did – as close as possible – like it did when it was running in the 1990s and 1980s,” said Steve Swift, Speedway Motorsports’ senior vice president of operations and development.
“We’re trying to preserve that energy of stepping back into time but also updated to present day. We want to maintain many of the old signs and the track’s old look.”
Swift said the materials used in the renovation process – such as finishes and siding – are adhering to the time period as much as possible.
“We want to hold on to that old feel,” he said.
The most visible changes thus far is the completed grading of virtually the entire infield.
“Probably the biggest piece that’s visual right now is the drainage that we put in,” Swift said. “We’ve added tons of storm drainage to take care of all the water issues that were in place and prepare for the future.”
Speedway Motorsports announced in September its intention to move the 2023 All-Star Race from its current home at Texas Motor Speedway to North Wilkesboro.
The track hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race in 1949. Jeff Gordon, now an executive at Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR Hall of Fame member, won the final NASCAR race at the track in 1996.
Earlier this year, local volunteer groups spent months cleaning up the area around the 75-year-old race track. The N.C. state budget passed last November included $18 million toward infrastructure improvements at the facility.
The track hosted a month of asphalt racing in the summer that catered to large and enthusiastic crowds, including an appearance by Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a CARS Tour late model race.
Additional improvements scheduled ahead of next year’s All-Star Race weekend include renovating the infield scoring tower, re-installing a manual lap count and top-five scoreboard in Turns 3 and 4, installing Musco LED lights for the track and the construction of a 5,000-seat temporary grandstand on the backstretch near Turn 3.
Swift has called the project a “rewarding and exciting” experience.
“To be here through the times when the track wasn’t on the radar of anybody and trying to keep it afloat and coming back for all this and city of Wilkesboro and Wilkes County really wanting this facility back, that’s the rewarding part,” he said.
“But it’s also quite the undertaking. The Smith family has always given us a lot of neat projects to build. It’s always exciting to do what Marcus’ vision is and what Bruton (Smith’s) vision was back in the day.
“There’s a lot to do between now and May but have great teammates and great partners and we’ll be there.”
Asked if there was ever a question on whether it could be done, Swift said, “We don’t ever question that. When we’re given a task, we’re always quick to tell Marcus it can be done and figure out how to make that happen after.”
