NC NOW | North Wilkesboro Speedway Re-Opens | UNC-TV

[@jamesdeanspyder]

Neat to see "Winston" on the pit walls again.

[@kennethsmith8968]

that will never happen.

[@sprintcarfan12]

The top 3 things NASCAR needs to do #1 bring back North Wilkesboro, #2 bring back Rockingham, and for god sake give Darlington it's second race back, WTF are you thinking NASCAR...Most fans want this, so give it back to us...let us see real racing again!!

[@Melonhead313]

Amen

[@xtravanzex7362]

sprintcarfan12 TEXAS WORLD NASHVILLE The Nissans took over Nashville’s parking lot WILKEY THE ROCKINGHAM Nazareth I-70 will take a lot of work I MEAN A LOT!

[@xtravanzex7362]

sprintcarfan12 And another road course like Portland or something Road America

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

XtraVanze X7 Wikipedia says I-70 is reopening next year, , using Clay, as the racing surface. I will believe it, when somebody, else, sees it.

[@RedWingsninetyone]

I'd love to see a race at Nazareth too. But honestly, I'm good with Darlington having only one race. It's more meaningful this way.

[@tonycagle6258]

Best track ever besides Bristol! They need to bring it back! Can't wait to go again! Oldies but goodies never go away and die! Great for the sport!

[@KA-yi4re]

Thanks Bennie you are reaching out from beyond. Loved his commentary.

[@nascarcoffin9]

Seeing this video makes me sad because this is the last race I ever ran before I got out of racing. BUT as sad as this makes me I was so happy to make this my last race.

[@dennisbowen452]

atleast theres nr2003

[@joelbeaudoin2761]

Got excited until I saw the date :(

[@justinbrumfield8926]

Are u exited again lol

[@joelbeaudoin2761]

@@justinbrumfield8926 yes sir!

[@Z64sports]

It's actually kinda cool to see a track being used while the walls are crumbling

[@waynebowen3133]

this track helped nascar and made nascar .

[@sc1212able]

Love this track, so sad its being cast in the shadows of the boring cookie cutter tracks, seeing Harry Gant in this video was awesome.

[@zlinedavid]

And looked like he hadn't aged a day.

[@suprchickn7745]

He came to Columbus Motor Speedway with AJ Foyt and Geoff Bodine when I was a kid. Got all of their autographs too, great times!

[@kennethsmith8968]

@@zlinedavid he hasnt,lol.

[@hakimselistocharil2644]

North Wilkesboro Speedway is back 11 years later!

[@travisc8403]

"The aesthetics aren't perfect" Nah, they're just incredible beyond the point of appreciation. It's amazing to see those old painted walls - it's like a living (and working..well, at least it could be) homage to the history of NASCAR

[@MrVerno1960]

Its sad that these real Home Grown NASCAR tracks are going away. I see that IRacing has just scanned the track to add to their collection and save for history sake. Money again is the driving factor for the downfall of these great old tracks.

[@AricAlmiroli]

Vern Orrell we need to bring back this track and also Rockingham too.

[@MrVerno1960]

@@AricAlmiroli I hope NASCAR can see the value and quality of racing that these type of tracks can offer, and applauded your energy to help revive them.

[@dannyflay5465]

IRacing kids scan it and they completely butchered it

[@joep6480]

@@dannyflay5465 It was actually Dale Jr. that had his hand in the scanning. The track was scanned as it is, cracked and broken but they smoothed it out digitally. Dale even says its just like racing the real thing but he might say that to promote it since it's probably an in game purchase. I haven't raced it on iRacing but I would imagine they did what they could to make it as original as they could.

[@deannelson9565]

@@dannyflay5465 the reality is it was scanned and set up by Dale Earnhardt jr. If you have a problem that you can feel free to go fuc yourself! And yet here we sit 60 days out from Cup Series racing returning to North Wilkesboro so like I said feel free to go fuck yourself you petulant little cunt!

[@kristineelizabeth1277]

Keeper going!!! We're getting ready to reopen i-70 speedway i tired many a laps there i my sprinter. A true family sport

[@jimbest1685]

We can enjoy good old country racing with out NASCAR

[@dhariomartinez5206]

I always visited that ghost town nearby and raced an old Pontiac... that's "Racing the way it outta be!"

[@bibbler227]

If NASCAR wanted the track open, there's an easy enough way to do it. Offer Smith a Cup date (non moveable for a period of 25 years) at NWS. PERIOD. As much as I hate Bruton, he does a hell of of job with the tracks he likes. With a little work, NWS could become another Bristol. Dangling a Cup race in front of Smith's face would be enough to get him to commit to refurbishing the track. He has no problem spending money as evidenced by the way he's pouring money into Kentucky, a boring cookie cutter....

[@scottmoody7052]

You do know that smith is in with the whole bunch that runs NASCAR right? He doesn't want any cup races their cause it will take away from his "big tracks"

[@brewbaker5547]

Who do you think got it closed in the first place?.

[@Sky1]

Who says it needs to be NASCAR?

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

@@Sky1 SMI, the people who own the track. lol

[@codybrown5695]

Anybody here after the iRace? 😞

[@killrodx]

It's such a great feeling seeing this old track getting some use again after being inactive for so long. Perhaps one day I'll make a visit and see the place in person. As I use to watch NASCAR back in '93.

[@Av8trsfam]

Aand closes again. -_-

[@TheSaltBoiCometh]

Av8trsfam depression amirite

[@terribleshockex110]

Why and when was is re-shut down?

[@gunandapackofsndwchs]

4:20 Harry Gant! Love you Harry! hahahaha Do you remember coming to San Antonio Speedway for an exhibition back in the 1980s? OMG! 800 gallons on Roundup...I wouldn't say that out loud.

[@jackhammerjt]

Can't wait for the renovations to begin

[@richardhenry7377]

what do you mean.

[@jackhammerjt]

@@richardhenry7377 tracks reopening again didn't you hear?

[@richardhenry7377]

I already got tickets

[@ralphhitchensjr.9633]

Such a great track. So much history here. Tracks like this is where nascar started. Better racing than at the cookie cutter tracks.

[@AlonsoRules]

cookie cutter tracks are a cancer

[@ronaldshank7589]

NASCAR apparently forgot where they came from... And forgetting where they came from, could be their eventual demise!

[@stevenlitvinchyk8867]

Thanl you Mrs. Parsons we up in New England New Benny loved the Modifieds

[@ronaldshank7589]

Back then, when NASCAR raced their last race there, it was their thinking, of "Onto better things"..... and off they went. Now, NASCAR needs to come back to Wilkesboro. Period! In fact-They should've never left!

[@arkansized]

My dad took me to Hialeah Speedway (dirt track) every Saturday night in the 50s. I graduated to NW when I went to the NC mountains to teach at East Wilkes HS in the 80s. Short track dirt racing would work at NW!

[@Sean-wj1wu]

Open wheel on that track has to be awesome !

[@24RulezJG]

It would be a BIG miracle if the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Return to North Wilkesboro Speedway.

[@Sky1]

They killed Rockingham as well. Many of us are looking into other race venues that does not include NASCAR or the France family.

[@94nolo]

True. I'd rather watch F1 these days. And that's sad! I want my American stock car racing on something other than a 1.5 mile track! :(

[@coryhall1986]

this is where I am from... and I miss this track so much... we need it open for the history of nascar

[@highflyingbird6467]

Wonderful to see this happen, Hope North Wilkesboro goes from strength to strength! 🙂👍🏼👍🏼🏁🇺🇲

[@N8_Spec]

Well at least she saw rubber one more time before being completely forgotten by her owner.

[@cecillyles2678]

Although Nascar is one of the biggest stock car org. If you bring race cars of any level the people will come! Fans of stock car and drag racing will always come to see a race, always!

[@10star9]

Glad to see it open Great Lucky North Wilkesboro Speedway

[@smedlydumpsterjuice8875]

so glad to see this. hope it continues.

[@Lazyboy51]

Bring back this piece of History.. it defines NASCAR!

[@DevonMopiedmont1143]

2022 Racing returns again. Lets try to prove this track deserves life.

[@terrycastle6695]

Thank you, MS.Parson's for reopening the track!!!! Benny would have been happy!!!!... Maybe will get the big boys back soon!!! If not at least there is racing going on....

[@jacobfrech288]

Terry Castle it’s been closed since 2011 and is in awful condition I hope soon it will open again

[@notpingu707]

Soon it will be actually

[@richardb1720]

Get rid of Kentucky that race sucks! Bring back North Wilkesboro!

[@LD-me4qv]

Richard B NOT KENTUCKY ( THATS MY HOME TRACK ) NEW HAMPSHIRE

[@SpaceGhost999]

I was just at NWS today. It will never be back. It's literally falling on itself just like Bruton Smith wants.

[@b3njam1n99]

Gameplayer88 NO NEW HAMPSHIRE IS MY HOME (SONOMA

[@Avelyn_Band]

Don't get rid of Sonoma

[@kbaker3959]

Ploke Newo78 No. Get rid of one of the texas races

[@ryanborges5890]

unless the grandstands are all replaced, the track is completely repaved, the facilities are all redone, safer barriers are put in, etc... its sad, but the track just can't meet modern standards anymore.

[@alwaysopen7970]

Jr could afford it.

[@jacobfrech288]

alwaysopen your comment didn’t age well 😔

[@calebsteimer5146]

I’m so ready for it to be in iRacing

[@dannyflay5465]

I was too until I saw the track and they completely butchered it

[@eugenemalush9284]

I loved that track!!!

[@satireguy8595]

I got really excited then i saw the date 😞

[@flyer2359]

Well damn... the track is closed again.

[@CuzznRickH14]

Put this track back on the circuit!

[@j_badach_xvi6261]

Didn’t the track shut down again? 😞

[@christiankuhr2850]

i look at the date uploaded and its a sad day for me my mom passed on this day on that year

[@CVetteMan1111]

Go back in time just like they did with Darlington Raceway's throwback race. They need to turn back time. Make North Wilkesboro a dirt track again. Put it in the chase. Make them race for all they're worth on dirt for points in the chase. Make the races shorter. If they want to save the sport, they have to remember where they came from. Period. I only watch a hand full of races anymore. Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond, Texas, and Chicago. Oh and out of all of the races I watch, the big show isn't even a Nascar points race... It is the Prelude to the Dream on the dirt. I think this is what they need to do with NWB. That would be huge if Monster Energy, Goodyear, and a few other big time sponsors stepped up to the plate and turned back the clock. How awesome would that be seriously. To see these guys racing like moonshiners on a short track for big money and chase points? I'd drive there to see it! And I haven't been to a race since Dale Sr. died at Daytona.

[@adamwilson2002]

CVetteMan1111 dirt track? No

[@CVetteMan1111]

Why not? They throw dirt on the track surface at Bristol and race on it there? Not at the top level of course. But the racing is just as exciting. In fact it's more exciting. The playoff format is interesting. But it's not about those sort of changes. Road course races are terrible. Just put some dirt on the surface and then we can have races in the rain too. Make a few dirt races a year for pay-per-view and let the racing be real and the interactions between drivers be real. Let loose. Have a good time. This corporate suit and tie racing where everyone has to be super clean and never fight is horrible. There are many reasons the stands are empty at races. Turning back time fills the stands. That's a fact! Making the races shorter fills the stands. That's a fact! What we got right now, even with the infusion of Monster Energy and sexy victory circle girls IS STILL A DIEING SPORT. The only thing keeping it alive is handful of young bucks. Once Dale Jr leaves the sport the number of fans that are in the stands will shrink further still. That is a fact! Shorten the length of races may help a little, but we've got to let these guys be real. Be honest with yourself, NASCAR fans are STARVING to see more driver on driver contact, fights, accidents, more adrenaline filled racing, shorter races, more unique racing surfaces, you name it. Nascar really is NOT giving the fans what they want. They think they are, but they aren't. All you need to do is look at the stands. If they'll even show them to you.

[@johnnyjames6384]

I hope they bring it back

[@alwaysopen7970]

I don't care about NASCAR anymore and went to too many races in the 80s-90s. Richmond is my home track.

[@bryandavis5536]

Y’all need to do an update on the track since Dale Junior had it cleaned once again To bring Iracing to north Wilkesboro I sure miss these old tracks and bag them up beat up hard short track racing. What will the future hold

[@brettclark4508]

That was pretty dirty of Briton Smith to do that. Money is what he cares about not NASCAR.

[@ThatJermGuy]

AND NOW WE BACK BABY 2023

[@william121852]

THANK , THANK YOU !!!

[@jwturner1129]

People need to quit watching their races and buying their tickets then maybe they will listen. It sucks but a new Stock car association needs to be developed, NASCAR is killing stock car racing.

[@sarahc.8838]

bruh

[@terks43]

Sadly the sprint cup series will never come back

[@TearsPlays]

Would love this track back in nascar. would be a lot of work though, they would have to remodel the track, a LOT.

[@germanshepherd13]

great tracks like this close and they wonder why the grandstands are empty now. did you see how many empty seats there were at the brickyard? more than 50% empty. I was at the poconos last month and a lot of empty seats.. nascar is not what it used to be..

[@alwaysopen7970]

$$$$ prices.

[@whiteymanngogh4489]

They wouldn't even show the crowd on tv at today's Kansas race.

[@mcskeet75]

Yet another great track taken away due to bruton smith... *sigh*

[@Dleck6211]

@dsnider2013 5 years seems fitting, they should have the race on the week of the 20th annversary of it's closure.... I'd love to see all 3 series (cup, NAtionwide and Trucks) race there...

[@PanicTheManic11]

9 years ago.

[@aaronraymond5939]

2020 iracing you can drive this track

[@Melonhead313]

The aesthetics were perfect and The track was a victim of Nascar killing itself.

[@Wolfie66]

NASCAR should make North Wilkesboro a dirt track. It seemed to go over well in Bristol. I certainly enjoyed the Bristol race!

[@erich84502a]

Bring it back

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

nope

[@jamesriley9800]

If I was a company that owned a 1.5 mile track I would try to build a track like north Wilkesboro, and Rockingham

[@racerevans22]

got my hopes up for a second

[@Kordovaner]

It is sad because I love NWS but it had to be done some way because Nascar is trying to do everything to have more fans and this method needs new tracks on new places so more states are going to be covered with racing which will lead to more fans and money... I guess they can have only one pocono or loudon and have one NWS at the sprint cup.

[@ChamplainDivision]

Very, VERY good news!

[@kennethburnett4547]

This is a great race track one of the best ever race track yes

[@GalaxyGal-]

Bruton Smith needs to renovate this track for the next two years then bring cup back.

[@84PatSch]

another lost track :-(

[@tamezzodiac2862]

9,000 just for a bunch of know names on a short track. NASCAR doesn’t realize this was one of NASCAR’s most popular tracks and was always full.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

your Comparison is like a High school football field vs. a NFL stadium.

[@tamezzodiac2862]

WALTERBROADDUS but it was a late model race usually those are empty. It shows people still want to see racing there.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@tamezzodiac2862 People have more sports choices today. Nascar's era of old; is also the era before football and baseball expansion. Before SEC college sports.

[@stevenlitvinchyk8867]

I like to see Harry and Richard take a few laps !

[@king0cans]

Nascar was looking around. Yes they were. At the grandstands that Bruton soon sold....

[@mikemalone9404]

Dale, PLEASE start another racing division, and go back regular old racing! That's what made it great...at one time!

[@sstace69]

About time!

[@donaldbartram6315]

Modifieds & other classes of racing are so much more exciting to watch then the Monster Cup/Xfinity

[@jimpanza1]

Now I see that there was racing going on here. However watching a more recent documentary on North Wilkesboro Speedway it shows there is no racing going on. What happened with this group? Could they get another contract and continue racing? This si what is needed. Even if it is local racing series perhaps that would being the racing back.

[@reginaldhall6871]

Nascar tried to grow to fast & threw half their fans to the curb. And the lack of attendance shows it

[@12121149]

Bruton Smith,only cares about $$$$$$$.He is losing lot's of them now,with almost every Track he owns,having small crowds,just sayin'

[@brewbaker5547]

Pete Smith Humpy Wheeler needs his own series. Would be better racing for 1/3 the cost. Cars would be competitive and the hotdogs would even be better. NASCAR likes to take sponsorship money small teams used to get and put their name on the wall rather than on the side of the cars. where they belong. Television would not say it but Texas and Lasvegas only had 30 to 40,000 people. About the size crowd North Wilkesboro had when it was closed down. Now they have taken Labor Day from Darlington. The oldest speedway they still race on and has raced Labor Day since the first year. No sense of tradition, or respect for its fans just glitz and glamour of fancy tracks.Bristols night race only sold about half its tickets this year. Hell might as well close it and put a soccer field in the middle. You can bet Big Bill isn’t resting easy. That only cost 2 cents. At least I have my Sunday afternoons free to do something useful now.

[@hightech62]

thank nascar for forgetting it's roots and snubbing it's nose at the very people who made it what it is today. to race cup cars again at wilkesboro and rockingham would be a concession to the greed that caused the abandonment of both of these great tracks in nascar's home state.

[@fishhuntadventure]

will these bones live? That track is wide and interesting NASCAR needs to be interesting again

[@brucefick9691]

Awesome 👌

[@GetBenched2010]

To think the France family actually thought NASCAR could compete head to head with the NFL and win by abandoning their fanbase. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad.

[@cooltechstuff4387]

How about Bruton Smith give the race they just took from New Hampsire and give it to North Wilksburrow and They get rid of Atlanta and give it to Rockingham

[@DERACODA]

CoolTechStuff until 2021 that can’t happen or until the tracks are refurbished

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

And a decade later, Dale Jr has to ask fans for help to clean up the track for it to be scanned. Thankfully, enough fuss seems to have been thrown for Marcus Smith, the current owner of SMI and thus NWB, to atleast seriously consider reopening NWB for a permanent NASCAR date.

[@SOU6900]

Nice that this track will live one on in iRacing. All the money just to reopen the track for just a few years gone to waste. At least reopen it as a Saturday night local short track or something like that is what I think they should do at the very least.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

There is no market.

[@marcuskajer5615]

@@WALTERBROADDUS ARCA races in minnesota at a tiny track, why cant they race here?

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@marcuskajer5615 North Wilkesboro is doomed by location. Charlotte is a 1 1/2 hour away. Bristol is 2 hours. Martinsville is 11/2 hours drive. There is zero need for A track .......

[@jamestone265]

If I had the $$$$ I'd take off the pavement, bring in a lot of clay and have one hell of a 5/8 mile dirt track. Super late models, Late models, Pro/Super stocks, Super Modifieds, Modifieds, WoO's, Sprints, Midgets, etc. racing every weekend. Get it into the hands of Tony Steward and have another Eldora.....

[@archerlarry643]

Dirt is for farming, asphalt is for racing!!!!!

[@brianrogers884]

How about Indy race series

[@desrextransport6997]

Well it would be wise of Nascar to come back to North Wilksboro... it would be the only track in the season with a full attendance!

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Wrong...

[@stefanl5183]

Reality check. Nascar is never coming back to North Wilkesboro. So, forget that idea, because it's hopeless. Instead, think outside the box. The best way to bring this track back, imo, would be to look outside of Nascar. Tear up the asphalt, which is probably all cracked up and hopeless now anyway. Make it into a dirt track. Then hold big dirt track races there. Bring in the lucas oil series late models and WoO sprint cars. This would be the direction to head in. Think about it. How many dirt tracks can seat 60k fans? Not many. This would make it a great venue for having really big dirt races. Also just as Nascar has gone to mostly mile and a half cookie cutter tracks, a lot of dirt tracks have gone to smaller 3/8 mile sized facilities. So, big 5/8 mile dirt track that can seat 60k fans would stand out from the rest and be a great venue for holding the biggest dirt track races.

[@stephenholloway6893]

Well now I wouldn't say that... They're back (for next year at least) Trucks Series and the All Star race.

[@therealslimshady3662]

Why not make another stock car association? Run Gen 4 or 5 chassis with all the safety of a modern stockcar, but let the teams decide which body they want to put on top of them? Everything that ever drove in NASCAR should go (maybe except charger daytona's and the likes) so they can choose anything from oldschool 70's boxes to more modern 90's styles or even 50's bodies? as long as the safety precautions are there, let them have at it.

[@thecoop488]

This place can bring In so much money if they bring it back to life. Don’t believe me look up why getting rid of North Wilkesboro wha nascar worse decision

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

No It can't. It will never out sell the other tracks. The location sucks.And the Sports fan base that cares, is over 60.....

[@JJA1987]

WALTERBROADDUS SUCKS

[@Mike-vt6nc]

This is the first dam thing nascar needs to do to rebuild it’s popularity go back to what wasn’t broke its diehard fan base tracks that built the sport in the first place !!!

[@Buttermilkjug]

New Hampshire sucks, Bruton Smith sucks, Texas sucks, Bill France sucked, Brian France sucks, North Wilkesboro is a legend!~

[@dannyray3853]

Bruton Smith is the one who has ruined racing. I'm so sick that NASCAR is damn near dependent on the guy.

[@satinwhip]

NASCAR turned its back on its longtime, devoted fans to chase new fans that soon became bored with it. Attendance is down at all those new races that replaced the old guard tracks. NASCAR is reaping what it has sown and it deserves it.

[@seanlavelle103]

Yea it's a shame that didn't last

[@deweyseymour4268]

Stands didn't look full like IN THE DAY

[@howtobebasic2122]

it closed again in 2011

[@raginOKCTHUNDER]

This video didn’t age well! It’s so sad that it’s abandoned now.

[@baja5bnutcase305]

I am in Canada and at the track in St Pie Quebec < Sanair> Its the same feeling. They decided no more top fuel at the drag strip so that was the end of the NHRA and so is tri-oval closed as well. Only a driving school and that is all. They do Friday night drag with the street cars but nothing to compared to what it was before.

[@randywb7972]

Nascar has changed cars how many times in the last several years to make racing better at the 1.5 mile tracks. Still sorry ass racing there. they could open NWS and The Rock and have good racing day one.