NASCAR National Series News & Notes – North Wilkesboro Speedway

NASCAR National Series News and Notes- North Wilkesboro Speedway

NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: NASCAR All-Star Race

The Place: North Wilkesboro Speedway

Track Length: 0.625 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Sunday, May 18

The Time: 8 p.m. ET

The Purse: $2,421,400

TV: FS1, 5 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 156.25 miles (250 Laps)

Competition Break: At or around Lap 100

NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: NASCAR All-Star Open

The Place: North Wilkesboro Speedway

Track Length: 0.625 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Sunday, May 18

The Time: 5:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $581,100

TV: FS1, 5 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 62.5 miles (100 Laps)

Competition Break: At or around Lap 50

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Next Race: BetMGM 300

The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Track Length: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Saturday, May 24

The Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $1,651,939

TV: CW, 4 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 300 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

  Next Race: Window World 250

The Place: North Wilkesboro Speedway

Track Length: 0.625 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Saturday, May 17

The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $782,900

TV: FS1, 1:30 p.m. ET

Radio: NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Distance: 156.25 miles (250 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 70),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 140), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 250)

  Where To Watch NASCAR This Week:

Friday, May 16

NASCAR All-Star & Open Practice (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM at 4:30 p.m. ET)

NASCAR All-Star & Open Busch Light Pole Qualifying & Pit Crew Challenge

(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM at 6 p.m. ET)

Saturday, May 17

NCTS Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (FS2 at 9:30 a.m. ET)

NCTS Race: Window World 250 (FS1, NRN, SiriusXM at 1:30 p.m. ET)

NASCAR All-Star Heat Races (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM at 5 p.m. ET)

Sunday, May 18

NASCAR Open Race (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM at 5 p.m. ET)

NASCAR All-Star Race (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM at 8 p.m. ET)

  NASCAR Cup Series

  North Wilkesboro Storylines and Insights:

  ·       The 2025 All-Star race is the 41st year of the event, and the eighth not held at Charlotte (1986 Atlanta, 2020 Bristol, 2021-2022 Texas, 2023-2025 North Wilkesboro).

  ·       This is the third consecutive year North Wilkesboro Speedway will host the NASCAR All-Star race.

  ·       23 drivers are expected to compete in the 2025 All-Star race, 20 already qualified plus three more to transfer.

  ·       Harrison Burton is the only driver qualified for the 2025 All-Star race making his first start in the event.

  ·       The winner of the All-Star race went on to win the Championship three of the last five years, 13 times total.

  ·       Joey Logano finished top-10 in the last 10 All-Star races, the longest streak of top-10s all-time in the event.

  ·       Brad Keselowski finished runner-up three times in the All-Star race, tied for the most second place finishes in the event without winning (Sterling Marlin, Ken Schrader).

  ·       Kyle Larson won the All-Star race three of the last six years, his three All-Star wins are tied for second-most to Jimmie Johnson with four.

  ·       Hendrick Motorsports drivers won the All-Star race three of the last five years, Team Penske won the other two.

  ·       Hendrick Motorsports’ 11 NASCAR All-Star Race wins lead all organizations.

  ·       Six drivers qualified for this season’s All-Star Race are past All-Star Race winners: Kyle Larson (2019, 2021, 2023), Joey Logano (2016, 2024), Ryan Blaney (2022), Chase Elliott (2020), Kyle Busch (2017), Denny Hamlin (2015).

  ·       Toyota is winless in the last seven All-Star races, Chevrolet won four of the last seven with Ford winning the other three.

  ·       A $100,000 bonus and a trophy are awarded to the winner of the Pit Crew Challenge this season.

  ·       Christopher Bell’s Crew won the pit crew challenge both years at North Wilkesboro, in 2024 with Bell and in 2023 with Ty Gibbs (front tire changer Blake Houston, rear tire changer Michael Hicks, tire carrier Jacob Holmes, jackman Derrell Edwards, fueler Peyton Moore).

  ·       Pit Crew Challenge winning times: 2023 – 13.012 secs. and 2024 – 13.223 secs.

  ·       The All-Star Heat Races were cancelled in 2024 due to rain, Daniel Suarez won Heat 1 in 2023 and Chris Buescher won Heat 2.

  ·       Noah Gragson has won the last two Fan Votes (20923-24); he is one of 17 drivers to win the vote all-time.

  ·       Each of the last nine All-Star race winners are also NASCAR Cup Champions.

  ·       The NASCAR All-Star Race has been won from the first starting position seven times among six different drivers: Dale Earnhardt (1990), Davey Allison (1991 and 1992), Kurt Busch (2010), Denny Hamlin (2015), Kyle Larson (2021) and Joey Logano (2024).

  ·       The most starts prior to winning the All-Star race is 12 by Kyle Busch in 2017. Of the active drivers looking for their first NASCAR All-Start Race win, Brad Keselowski has made the most starts without a victory with 16.

  Quick All-Star & Open Format Rundown:

  Open and All-Star Race Heat Qualifying and Pit Road Challenge:

  ·       Qualifying for the Open and the All-Star Heat Races work the same way with Open cars going first followed by All-Star cars.

  ·       Three laps including a pit stop on lap 2 (pit road speed is in place).

  ·       Lap 2 pit stop includes the Pit Road Challenge, fastest 4 tire pit stop (empty fuel cans) based on pit loop to pit loop times determine the winner and pit road selection (loops are placed 1 box ahead and 1 box behind designated boxes).

  ·       Qualifying determines the Open starting line-up and determine the heat race line ups (pole winner starts first in Heat 1 and the All-Star Race)

  Heat Races for All-Star Race:

  ·       75 Laps each, all laps count

  ·       All-Star Caution around Lap 30

  ·       Heat 1 Results set inside row for the All-Star Race

  ·       Heat 2 Results set outside row for the All-Star Race

  ·       One attempt at Overtime

  All-Star Open:

  ·       100 laps, all laps count

  ·       All-Star Caution around Lap 50

  ·       One overtime attempt if necessary

  ·       Top-2 finishes plus a fan vote winner transfer to the All-Star race and will start in the rear of the field

  All Star Race Format:

  ·       250 Laps, all laps count

  ·       All-Star Caution around Lap 100, optional promoters caution that must occur before lap 220 but expires if a natural caution occurs after lap 200

  ·       Overtime Rules apply

  All-Star Race Eligibility Requirements:

  ·       Winners in ’24 or ’25

  ·       Past All-Star winners who are full time

  ·       Past Cup Champions who are full time

  ·       Three drivers to advance from Open are: All-Star Open Winner, All-Star Open Runner-up, Fan Vote Winner

  NASCAR Xfinity Series

  Looking Ahead – Charlotte Storylines and Insights:

  ·       Next week, Charlotte Motor Speedway will host their 80th NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the second-most Xfinity races held at a track all-time (behind only Bristol with 82 NXS races). Charlotte has hosted a NASCAR Xfinity Series race every season since the series inception in 1982.

  ·       NASCAR Xfinity Series driver point standings leader, Justin Allgaier, is the only former Xfinity Series Charlotte race winner running full-time this season.

  ·       The last 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Charlotte Motor Speedway have been won by 12 different drivers (2015-2024). Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott is the most recent Xfinity winner.

  ·       Chase Elliott won last year’s Charlotte Xfinity Series race by 0.500-second over Brandon Jones, the 16th closest finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the series.

  ·       Two of the last 20 Charlotte Motor Speedway Xfinity Series races finished with a last-lap pass for the win (May 2016 race and May 2020 race).

  ·       Six of the last 20 Xfinity Series races at Charlotte Motor Speedway have resulted in the final pass for the win occurring with 10 laps to go or less (2011-2, 2012-2, 2013-2, 2016-1, 2017-1 2020-1).

  ·       Justin Allgaier leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver standings following Texas by 50 points over Austin Hill in second and 86 points up on Sam Mayer in third.

  ·       Justin Allgaier leads all active full time Xfinity Series drivers at Charlotte in poles (two), top fives (six), top 10s (12), and laps led (200).

  ·       Justin Allgaier leads the Xfinity Series in average finishing position at Charlotte with 6.0 in 22 starts.

  ·       Allgaier (6.0) is one of three fulltime drivers with an average finish inside the top-10 at Charlotte along with Sammy Smith (6.5) and Parker Retzlaff (10.0).

  ·       Three drivers are currently riding top-10 finish streaks of three consecutive top 10s – Austin Hill, Jeb Burton and Harrison Burton.

  ·       13 different drivers have won a stage this season, led by Austin Hill with six stage wins.

  ·       Nine drivers have won the Xfinity Fastest Lap Award this year, led by Justin Allgaier with three.

  ·       101 leaders through the first 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series races of the season, is the second-most all-time behind only 2007 (106).

  ·       181 lead changes through the first 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series races of the season, is third-most all-time behind only 2013 (201) and 2011 (198).

  NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

  North Wilkesboro Storylines and Insights:

  ·       This weekend marks the fifth running of a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

  ·       Stages breaks for North Wilkesboro Speedway: Lap 70, Lap 140, Lap 250.

  ·       This is the third of seven races on short tracks for CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2025.

  ·       Four different drivers have won the previous four CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at North Wilkesboro: Mike Bliss (1995), Mark Martin (1996), Kyle Larson (2023) and Corey Heim (2024).

  ·       12 Cautions at North Wilkesboro in 2023 was the most at the track in the Truck Series.

  ·       All four Truck Series races at North Wilkesboro had a green flag run of over 50 laps.

  ·       There was 9,730 days between events at North Wilkesboro between 1996 and 2023, the longest break between events at a track in the Truck Series.

  ·       The last five short track races were won by different drivers.

  ·       Toyota is winless in the last six short track races, their longest winless streak ever on short tracks.

  ·       The stage one winner went on to win two of the last three short track races.

  ·       Corey Heim (3 wins) is the only repeat winner in 2025, and the only active North Wilkesboro winner entered this weekend.

  ·       The last six CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races this season where won by different drivers.

  ·       Tyler Ankrum ended a 130 race winless streak at Rockingham, the most starts between wins in Truck series history.

  ·       Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum lead all drivers with six top-five finishes in 2025.

  ·       Corey Heim is the only driver to lead in all nine races in 2025.

  ·       The 128 lead changes in 2025 are the most ever through nine races in a season.

  ·       Corey Heim is one win away from tying Matt Crafton for 10th in all-time Truck Series wins with 15.

  ·       Grant Enfinger and Corey Heim are the only drivers to finish top-10 in both Truck races at North Wilkesboro.

  ·       NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch returns to Truck Series this weekend making his second of five scheduled starts in 2025. Busch won in his last Truck start at Atlanta driving the #7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

  NASCAR & North Wilkesboro, Etc.

  Historical & Significant Events at North Wilkesboro Speedway:

  ·       North Wilkesboro Speedway opened as a dirt track in 1947 by founders Enoch Staley, Lawson Curry, Jacob Combs, and Charlie Combs, with Bill France assisting with promotion.

  ·       After running low on funds to build the track, their original plans were modified, resulting in an imperfect oval with a downhill front stretch and an uphill back stretch.

  ·       The first event, a modified race promoted by Bill France, was expected to only draw around 3,000 people, but over 10,000 fans showed up to see Fonty Flock win over brother Bob Flock.

  ·       The track hosted the final race of the 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Series (now the Cup series). The 1949 Wilkes 200, the first NASCAR race with an established name, was won by Bob Flock over Lee Petty, while Red Byron won the 1949 championship. Bill Blair would lead 180 of 200 laps, but an engine issue took him out of the race.

  ·       From 1951 to 1996, the track hosted two races per year (except for 1956, as the track was busy with converting the track to pavement).

  ·       Richard Petty has the most Cup series wins at the track with 15, while Darrell Waltrip is second with 10 (including five in a row between 10/81-10/83). Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough are tied for third with five each.

  ·       In 1990, Days of Thunder, starring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Robert Duvall, is about a young and talented stock car driver who gets the opportunity to compete at the highest level. This early ’90s NASCAR film was filmed at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway.

  ·       After Enoch Staley passed away in 1995, Bruton Smith purchased the Comb’s family 50% stake in the track, but the Staley family refused to sell their share, as Enoch Staley has warned his family of the risk of the track’s future if the Smith family were to take control.

  ·       However, under a year later, under financial pressure, the Staley family sold their 50% share to Bob Bahre, owner of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Smith and Bahre later announced their intention to replace NWB’s races with events on their own tracks, spelling the end of the speedway’s involvement with the NASCAR Cup Series that had been a part of the show since the very beginning.

  ·       Jeff Gordon won the final Cup race at the track on September 29, 1996, with many spectators staying in the stands long after the race was over. The spring date moved to Texas, while the fall date moved to New Hampshire.

  ·       The NASCAR Truck Series made two appearances at the track between 1995 and 1996. Mike Bliss won the first race at the track in a 94-mile event, while Mark Martin won the second and final race in a 156-mile event. Both winners raced in Ford trucks.

  ·       The Xfinity Series had four events at North Wilkesboro between 1983 and 1985, including two in 1983. Sam Ard won two events, while the other races were won by Tommy Ellis and Jack Ingram.

  ·       Junior Johnson attempted to purchase the track in 2003-2004, but ownership disputes and the cost to bring the track up to modern standards caused the deal to fall through

  ·       Save the Speedway was founded in 2005 to help bring racing back to North Wilkesboro. The group has been instrumental in keeping the track in the public’s interest, including helping dedicate a North Carolina historical plaque in 2008. They have also spearheaded numerous attempts to bring new investors to the track.

  ·       In 2007, SMI bought Bob Bahre’s share of North Wilkesboro Speedway as part of the deal to buy New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

  ·       Racing returned to the track between 2010 and 2011 in a partnership with Save the Speedway and Speedway Associates. Chase Elliott won the inaugural race back, a PASS late model race, on September 4, 2010, and the track would host more races for the next few months.

  ·       Save The Speedway and Speedway Associates parted ways in April 2011, bringing activity at the track back to a halt once again.

  ·       In 2017, North Wilkesboro Speedway was used as the inspiration for the Thomasville Speedway track featured in the animated Pixar film ‘Cars 3’. It was also featured on BBC’s Top Gear and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel.

  ·       In 2019, Dale Earnhardt Jr. spearheaded a cleaning effort at the track, removing weeds and debris, in order to get North Wilkesboro laser-scanned into iRacing. The track was released on iRacing in May 2020 and was used during the COVID-era eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. The project, which included a YouTube documentary on cleaning the track that garnered 436k views as of 5/14/23, brought interest in a track revival to an all-time high.

  ·       In 2021, NC Governor Roy Cooper included $40 million in his 2021-2022 state budget to help fund Charlotte Motor Speedway, Rockingham Speedway, and North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The new injection of money finally made it possible to re-open the speedway to racing.

  ·       From August to October 2022, the track hosted the Racetrack Revival series of races, inviting multiple series to hold races at the track before it would be repaved in early 2023. Ryan Newman won the first race back, the Uncatchable Moonshine 50 for Tour Type Modifieds.

  ·       The CARS Tour hosted a sold-out event on August 31, 2022, with Dale Jr. in the field. Carson Kvapil won the race.

  ·       On September 8, 2022, NASCAR announced that the 2023 All-Star Race would come to North Wilkesboro in 2023 supported by the Truck Series, ending the 26-year wait for NASCAR at the historical track.

  ·       The track was repaved for the 2024 season.

  Additional Recent Track and Industry Storylines:

  ·       As Wood Brothers Racing celebrates their 75th year in 2025, North Wilkesboro Speedway will honor the team with dignitary roles for the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 18. Founded in 1950 by brothers Glenn and Leonard Wood, the oldest active NASCAR team has participated in races at the historic facility since 1957, shortly after the track was paved for the first time. Wood Brothers Racing remains a family-run organization, with Glenn’s sons Eddie and Len Wood serving as chief executive officer and chief operating officer, respectively. Their sister, Kim Wood, is the team’s chief financial officer. Eddie’s children, Jon and Jordan, work alongside them as team president and chief marketing officer. Len will serve as the honorary starter for the NASCAR All-Star Race, while Eddie will be the honorary pace car driver in a Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Team President Jon Wood and former All-Star Race winner and NASCAR on FOX analyst Michael Waltrip will give the command to start engines as Grand Marshals for the main event.

  ·       All-Star weekend kicks off with All-Star Friday presented by Raymer Oil, featuring a combined All-Star/Open qualifying session and the Pit Crew Challenge. New this year, pit crews from all entered teams, both All-Star and Open, will be eligible. Open cars will go out first to set the lineup for the Open, followed by All-Star cars to determine the heat race lineups. The pit crew with the fastest stop during the qualifying run (with no penalties) wins the Pit Crew Challenge, receiving the signature pit crew trophy and a $100,000 prize. Timing lines are set one box before and one box after the designated stop areas. Challenge results will also determine pit selection order.

  ·       On Saturday, May 17, All-Star Race weekend will feature a concert by country music star Jake Owen, presented by Raymer Oil, bringing the perfect mix of racing and live music to the legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway. Known for hits like “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” and “I Was Jack (You Were Diane),” Jake’s performance will turn up the volume on your weekend, giving you a chance to sing along with friends and make memories that last a lifetime.

  ·       Adding even more horsepower to All-Star Week, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Ford Motor Company announced an official new partnership, naming Ford the Official Car and Truck of North Wilkesboro Speedway. As part of the partnership, the powerful Ford Mustang Dark Horse will serve as the official pace car during All-Star Week. In addition, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, which recently added 25 Ford Mustang GTs to its fleet, will have a specially marked patrol Mustang GT on-site throughout race week that will also help pace the field for the All-Star Race. Both vehicles were unveiled Tuesday, taking laps around the famed track and giving fans a first look at what will lead the pack this May.

  ·       FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries, a non-profit organization which hosts a Christian music festival annually in Wilkesboro, N.C., will serve as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race during NASCAR All-Star Race week at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries 150 sponsored by Mercer Transportation is scheduled Sunday, May 18, at 2 p.m. and will be the first of three races on the final day of All-Star Week, followed by the NASCAR All-Star Open and the NASCAR All-Star Race. The 150-lap Modified event marks the third consecutive year the series has competed at North Wilkesboro and serves as the fourth stop on the 2025 NASCAR Modified Tour schedule. FaithFest draws thousands of attendees to Wilkes County and features musical performances by nationally known Christian artists. The organization also supports local Christian outreach efforts year-round.

  ·       In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR is naming the 40 greatest Whelen Modified Tour drivers. The drivers have been selected based on their accomplishments on the Tour, beginning with the 1985 season. The drivers are being released in no particular order, in groups of 10. The first group of 10 was released on Wednesday and is comprised of the following drivers:

  *        Mike Stefanik was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2022. In 453 Whelen Modified Tour starts, Stefanik tallied 74 wins (most all time) and won seven championships (most all time). He is also atop the all-time leaderboard in top-five finishes (223) and top 10s (301).

  *        Ron Silk is a two-time Whelen Modified Tour champion (2011, 2023) who has 27 Tour wins in 268 starts. He ranks ninth on the all-time win list. Silk has recorded 117 top-five and 183 top-10 results.

  *        Rowan Pennink tallied three Tour wins in 166 starts. He also had 38 top-five and 86 top-10 finishes. His third win came in the historic Boehler Racing Enterprises Ole Blue No. 3.

  *        Donny Lia was a two-time Whelen Modified Tour champion (2007, 2009) and captured 17 wins in 197 starts. He also posted 64 top-five and 100 top-10 finishes.

  *        Jeff Fuller recorded 31 Tour wins in 240 starts, and was the 1992 champion. One of the earliest stars of the modern era of the Tour, he posted 90 top-five and 144 top-10 finishes. He ranks seventh on the all-time Tour wins list.

  *        Rick Fuller couldn’t let his older brother get all the glory on the Tour, recording 20 of his own victories in 438 starts and winning the 1993 championship. He had 146 top-five and 232 top-10 finishes.

  *        Chuck Hossfeld captured seven Tour victories in 162 starts, and had a best season-ending finish of second in 2003. He recorded 52 top fives and 90 top 10s. He holds the win in the closest finish in Tour history – a victory over Ted Christopher by .001 seconds at New Hampshire in 2008.

  *        Woody Pitkat has four Tour wins in 194 starts, and 31 top fives and 90 top 10s. His best career finish in the Tour standings came in 2015, when he finished third.

  *        Tim Connolly has nine Tour wins in 210 starts, and tallied 48 top fives and 90 top 10s during his career. He’s fielding Ryan Newman’s No. 4 car this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway with his Connolly Racing team.

  *        Richie Evans was the champion of the first season of the modern era of the Tour – 1985. He recorded 12 Tour wins in 28 starts, and had 17 top fives and 21 top 10s in the modern era before passing away as a result of injuries suffered during a practice crash at Martinsville Speedway in 1986. He also tallied eight championships during the NASCAR Modified National Championship era of the Tour, and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.

The information provided is by NASCAR Communications, Racing Insights and North Wilkesboro Speedway for use in your coverage of NASCAR.