The biggest weekend in short-track racing doesn’t begin with NASCAR.
It begins Friday night.
Before the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Cup Series take center stage at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the zMAX CARS Tour returns to the historic .625-mile oval for a loaded doubleheader featuring the Spears Manufacturing 75 for Pro Late Models and the Skyline National Bank 100 for Late Model Stocks.
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If you’re a fan of grassroots racing, this is as good as it gets.
The entry lists are overflowing with NASCAR talent, rising prospects and some of the biggest names in short-track racing. Add in Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the FloRacing broadcast, and Friday night has all the ingredients to steal the spotlight.
Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Friday, July 17
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Driver autograph session: 1:30 p.m.
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Driver introductions: 5:20 p.m.
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Spears Manufacturing 75 (Pro Late Models): 6 p.m.
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Skyline National Bank 100 (Late Model Stocks): 7 p.m.
TV/Streaming: FloRacing
Broadcast: Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the FloRacing booth.
A Track That Helped Save a Legend
It’s fitting that the CARS Tour returns to North Wilkesboro.
Back in August 2022, one of the first major events held after the speedway’s revival was a CARS Tour event. That race week helped prove North Wilkesboro was ready for the national spotlight again and played a significant role in building momentum for NASCAR’s return in 2023.
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Much of that revival traces back to Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose passion for preserving short-track racing helped bring attention, investment and renewed life to one of NASCAR’s most historic venues.
Fast forward to this weekend, and North Wilkesboro hosts its first NASCAR Cup Series points race since 1996, with the Truck Series also returning for another championship points event.
It’s hard to script a better comeback story.
Chase Elliott Headlines a Loaded Friday Night
No driver will be busier than Chase Elliott.
The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion is entered in both Friday night features before returning Saturday for the Truck Series race and Sunday for the Window World 450.
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Four races.
Three days.
One legendary short track.
Stars Everywhere You Look
The talent level is almost unbelievable.
Among the notable names expected to compete Friday night are:
And that’s only scratching the surface.
The fields also include current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competitors and many of the sport’s brightest young prospects. Several are expected to become future NASCAR Cup Series regulars.
Homegrown Talent Ready to Shine
One of the loudest ovations Friday night should belong to Landon Huffman.
The Hickory fan favorite has earned a reputation as one of North Carolina’s premier short-track racers and returns to one of the state’s most historic venues looking to defend home turf.
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Then there’s Butterbean Queen, one of grassroots racing’s most recognizable personalities, along with Mini Tyrrell, who continues carrying the banner for Ram Trucks while proving he can compete with anyone in the field.
The Kvapil name also returns to North Wilkesboro, continuing one of short-track racing’s great family legacies.
Who Are the Favorites?
Good luck picking just one.
Elliott brings Cup Series experience.
Heim arrives as one of the hottest young drivers in NASCAR after breaking through at the Cup level in San Diego.
Honeycutt has become one of the toughest Late Model racers anywhere in the country.
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Love continues climbing NASCAR’s ladder.
Huffman knows these North Carolina short tracks as well as anyone.
And several CARS Tour regulars have enough speed to beat every one of them. The Kvapil brothers, Treyten Lapcevich, rising star Carson Brown and more highlight the full card.
With this much talent packed into one garage, Friday’s races may come down to two things:
Who unloads with the best setup.
As cliché as that may sound, it’s going to matter a lot on Friday with so many capable drivers in the field.
And…
Who still has a clean race car at the checkered flag.
Track position, tire management and avoiding contact could ultimately decide both features.
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There are race-win worthy drivers in every part of the lineup for both feature races.
Why This Weekend Matters
North Wilkesboro has always been sacred ground for stock car racing.
Now it’s thriving again.
The CARS Tour helped reopen the door in 2022.
NASCAR walked back through it in 2023.
This weekend, the speedway reaches another milestone as Cup points racing officially returns after a 30-year absence.
For fans who grew up watching races at North Wilkesboro—or younger fans discovering the place for the first time—it’s difficult not to appreciate just how special this weekend feels.
Between Friday’s grassroots showcase, Saturday’s loaded Truck Series race and Sunday’s historic Cup event, North Wilkesboro once again becomes the center of the stock car racing world.
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