LEBANON, Tenn. — Marcus Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports, told NBC Sports Saturday that “we’re always working on ways to make a positive impact on the schedule and sport” but was noncommittal about the status of the Charlotte Roval and if North Wilkesboro Speedway will host a points race next season.
Former Cup champion Brad Keselowski said a couple of weeks ago that NASCAR should move the All-Star Race from North Wilkesboro and give that track a points race. Keselowski also said that NASCAR should move the All-Star Race back to Charlotte Motor Speedway and that the race on the track’s Roval should go away.
Ryan Blaney said he liked Keselowski’s idea. Kyle Busch said the All-Star Race should stay at North Wilkesboro.
When asked about the Roval, Smith said: “I think that we’ve got a great schedule this year and there’s a lot of other talk about the schedule and that sort of thing, but I think that the focus (is) on all the great events we have this year. … As we look at next year, years going forward, we’re always working on ways to make a positive impact on the schedule and the sport.”
Speedway Motorsports operates both North Wilkesboro Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway among its 10 tracks that hold Cup races. Nashville Superspeedway, which is hosting Sunday’s Cup race, also is a Speedway Motorsports track.
“I’m really glad that the race in North Wilkesboro was so exciting and the (Coca-Cola) 600 (at Charlotte) was so exciting,” Smith told NBC Sports, for instance, to be such an exciting race. You never know what might happen.”
Denny Hamlin’s fiancee is due to deliver the couple’s third child Sunday.
Asked about North Wilkesboro hosting a points race instead of the All-Star Race, Smith told NBC Sports: “Interesting to see what happens going forward. I don’t know. We’re certainly looking at ideas but still pretty excited about the last couple of weeks that we’ve had.”
This was the third year that the All-Star Race has been held at North Wilkesboro. Kyle Larson won the event in 2023, Joey Logano won it in 2024, and Christopher Bell won the race this season.
Charlotte Motor Speedway’s playoff race has been held on its Roval since 2018. The track’s fall race was moved off the oval and put on the Roval, which combines elements of the track’s road course and oval when the racing on intermediate tracks was not as entertaining.
With racing on intermediate tracks like Charlotte Motor Speedway arguably the best in the series, it’s led to some calls about Charlotte Motor Speedway moving its playoff race back to the oval.
