North Wilkesboro Speedway

Location	North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Capacity	40,000
Owner	Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
Broke ground	1945
Opened	May 18,1947
Major events	Wilkes 200 (1949–1953 and 1961) Wilkes 160 (1953–1959) Wilkes 320 (1960 and 1962) Wilkes 400 (1963–1976) Gwyn Staley 160 (1959–1960) First Union 400 (1961–1996) Tyson Holly Farms 400 (1979–1996) King's Ranson 300 (2010) PASS Labor Day Classic 200 (2010) USARacing Pro Cup 250 (2010)
Oval
Length	0.625 mi (1.006 km)
Banking	Turns: 14 degrees Straights: minimal banking
Lap record	0:18.905 (Terry Labonte, Hendrick Motorsports, 1994, Sprint Cup Series)

Alan Kulwicki's trophy for winning the pole position in 1992

North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996.Is now hosting several NASCAR feeder series such as the USARacing Pro Cup Series(Formerly:Hooters Pro Cup) and PASS Super Late Models.

The track is located on U.S. Route 421 about four miles (6 km) east of the town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. It measures five-eighths of a mile (0.625 miles (1.006 km)). A unique feature was the uphill backstretch and the downhill frontstretch.

Citing North Wilkesboro Speedway's age and lack of modern amenities, Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith purchased the track in 1996, and its two Sprint Cup Series events were transferred to New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, respectively.

Since the sale to Bahre and Smith, there have been attempts and gestures to buy the track and re-open it by, among others, local native Junior Johnson. However, no deals have yet materialized. The last race was held there in September 1996.

On November 8, 2007, Bahre sold his share of North Wilkesboro Speedway to Smith as part of Smith's deal to buy Bahre's New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

On October 31, 2009, Jayski.com announced that the USAR ProCup Series would host an event at North Wilkesboro Speedway on October 3, 2010

Also in 2010, the track will also host the ASA Late Model Series for the King's Ranson 300 and the PASS Late Models

[edit] History

North Wilkesboro Speedway opened its doors on May 18, 1947 to a crowd in excess of 10,000 people who showed up to see one of the famous Flock^[1] brothers win the race^[2].

On October 16, 1949, North Wilkesboro Speedway held the eighth and final race of the 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Division. At the end of the day Robert "Red" Byron walked away as the first NASCAR champion.^[3]

The speedway held races for 50 years until September 29, 1996 when Jeff Gordon won the last race to be held at the speedway. Several attempts to reopen the speedway have been unsuccessful, although there are several groups and individuals who are working to reopen the historic speedway one day.The speedway will be reopened in 2010 with 3 races aready on the schedule.

[edit] Memorable moments

• One year, Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace drove side-by-side for almost ten straight laps for the lead.

• Terry Labonte avoided a late crash that took out Rusty Wallace to win the Spring 1996 race.

• The Wilkes 400 in 1972 featured Bobby Allison against Richard Petty in a 39-lap slugfest. The lead changed thirteen times. In the final five laps, Petty was held up by a slower car. Both drivers plowed into the fences, guardrails, and each other. Both continued at full speed. Allison led with one lap to go, but Petty passed him for the win.

• Bobby Allison came back for the win in the 1973 Wilkes 400 by passing Richard Petty on the final lap.

• In the late 1970s, Cale Yarborough dominated the track. Yarborough blew a tire and made up three laps in the fall 1978 race to win easily.

• In 1979, Bobby Allison led most of the race. In the final 150 laps, Darrell Waltrip caught Allison. The two hit together hard and Darrell nailed the front stretch wall. Waltrip began crowding off Allison under the caution and got black-flagged for the crowding. Wilkes County native Benny Parsons won the race; it would be Parsons's only win at the speedway.

• In 1984, Tim Richmond passed a fading Ricky Rudd for the win.

• In the fall 1988 race, Dale Earnhardt led nearly half the race until Ricky Rudd caught him. The drivers banged fenders for the final 41 laps. They were both black flagged to the rear of the field and pounded together again with five to go. Rusty Wallace passed Geoff Bodine with ten laps left. Bodine struck Wallace's car at the start of the final lap. Wallace pushed Bodine sideways, and Wallace crossed the finish line for the win.

• In the Fall 1989 race, Dale Earnhardt led 343 laps, but a caution set up a two-lap showdown with Ricky Rudd. Rudd went side-by-side with Earnhardt. The two spun, and Geoff Bodine passed the two for the win. After the race Earnhardt was asked about the incident between him and Rudd, to which Earnhardt said "I think they ought to fine that Son Of A Bitch, and make him sit the rest of the season." Many racing experts^[who?] feel that this may have been what cost Earnhardt the championship, which he lost to Wallace by 12 points.

• Brett Bodine led most of the spring 1990 race. During a caution the pace car picked up the wrong leader, which gave Bodine a lap lead. Bodine put on a set of tires before the error was corrected. He held off Darrell Waltrip for his only career Winston Cup win.

• As exciting as most races were in North Wilkesboro, the Fall 1994 race was not. Geoff Bodine lapped the field on his way to the checkered flag. The only challenge Bodine received all day was when Rusty Wallace tried to get his lap back on a restart. Wallace pulled a nose out front but after a little bit of beating and banging, Bodine beat Wallace back to the caution after Dale Jarrett spun and hit the wall. Only three other drivers even finished within two laps of the leader that day. The race was the last race ever to finish with the leader lapping the field.

• April 14, 1996 (Final Spring Race), Terry Labonte added to the luster of his racing longevity winning the First Union 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in which he tied Richard Petty's NASCAR Winston Cup Series record for consecutive starts—513.

• In 1991 Harry Gant looked like he was going to win his fifth straight win in the Cup series until his brakes faded late in the race. Dale Earnhardt went on to win.

[edit] 2010 Races/Series

• Sep. 5,2010-PASS Super Late Models-Labor Day Classic (200 laps)
• Oct. 3,2010-USARacing Pro Cup Series(250 Laps)
• Fall 2010--ASA Late Model Series- King's Ramson 300-(300 laps)
• 2010-Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals^[4]

[edit] Since the closure

Car owner Jack Roush of Roush Fenway Racing held round one of "Roush's Race For The Ride" at North Wilkesboro Speedway, a competition to find the next Roush Racing development driver.

After Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith purchased the track and moved its two dates to other locations, the track saw little racing. Both owners showed little interest in selling the track until 2005.

In 2010,Racing will be back at North Wilkesboro Speedway with the help from the Speedway Asscouintes,Save the Speedway and more.

[edit] Save The Speedway

STS Motorsports, Inc., a group founded in 2005 by Rob Marsden, has been trying to bring racing back to the track. The group first began a petition and caught the attention of the current owners. Bruton and Bahre eventually agreed to sell the track for $12 million. The track, which has been valued by county tax assessors at $4.83 million, was not sold.^[5]

The Save The Speedway group spent fall and winter of 2005 attempting to find a buyer or buyers of the track as well as proof that there was still interest in racing at the facility. Over a dozen touring series had expressed written letters of intent about holding events upon reopening, as well as three driving schools, and several NASCAR teams showed interest in using the facility for testing.

In 2006 the Save The Speedway group worked with a developer from New York in an attempt to get investors, but parted ways when neither party could come to an agreement. ^[6] As of 2007, the group had not yet found investors to purchase the track.

The group worked with the state of North Carolina and erected a NC Highway Historical Marker off Highway 421 to recognize the achievements and contributions of the racing there.

[edit] Speedway for public sale

In January 2007 during the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Media Tour, Bruton Smith announced that he and co-owner Bob Bahre had agreed to let a real estate company attempt to sell the track for the asking price of $12 million. ^[6] On September 28, 2007 Worth Mitchell, a land developer, announced plans to purchase the speedway. ^[7] However Worth Mitchell estimates his odds are 50–50 of pulling off the deal and since that time there has been no further information. Speedway Motorsports officials had no comment on the negotiations. ^[6]

[edit] Highway historical marker

Save The Speedway applied for a highway historical marker that was approved at the May meeting of the NC Highway Historical Marker Advisory Committee. Placement of the marker occurred May 24, 2008.^[8] The plaque reads:

NORTH WILKESBORO SPEEDWAY

Pioneer NASCAR dirt track. Built 1946; paved in 1958. Hosted sanctioned events, 1949-96. 5/8 mile oval 3 mi (4.8 km). W.

[edit] NWS in Video Games

The speedway has been in Video Games in the video games listed. NASCAR Racing(Track Pack needed), NASCAR Racing 2, NASCAR Racing 2003 Season(Download needed), GeneRally(Download needed), NASCAR Heat(Download Needed)

[edit] Statistics

• Ted Musgrave won the final pole, the final fall race was won by Jeff Gordon, and the final spring race was won by 1996 Champion Terry Labonte.

• Richard Petty's fifteen wins were the most in the history of the track.

• The last time a winning driver totally lapped the field on the way to the win was October 1994 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, NC when Geoffrey Bodine won, completing 400 laps while 2nd place was Terry Labonte who completed 399.

• The youngest driver to ever start a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at age 17 was Bobby Hillin Jr. who made his start on April 18, 1982 at the Northwestern Bank 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway

• North Wilkesboro Speedway was the only oval track in which during the race the cars both increased and decreased in elevation. Coming from turn four heading into turn one the cars would head downhill, coming out of turn two heading into three the cars would head uphill.

• Cale Yarborough is the first Cup driver to win a points-paying race on his birthday, on March 27, 1977 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Kyle Busch is the only other driver to win on his birthday.^[9]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• North Wilkesboro Speedway
• North Wilkesboro Speedway Memorial Monument
• Save North Wilksboro Speedway - Save The Speedway
• racing-reference.info list of winners at North Wilkesboro
• North Wilkesboro Speedway information at jayski.com
• History of the Speedway

Coordinates: 36°8′32″N 81°4′21″W / 36.14222°N 81.0725°W / 36.14222; -81.0725