Welcome to Save the Speedway.net, A website dedicated to the preservation of the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. We have worked hard to make this the site the biggest collection of all things North Wilkesboro Speedway related so that all long-time race fans as well as the new fans, will remember this great track and it's history for years to come.
Short Track Shootout Weekend Coming to North Wilkesboro Speedway
Speedway Associates, Inc. (SAI) will bring a 4th Motorsports race event to the 2010 schedule setting October 29th through the 31st. The 1st annual Historic NWS Short Track Shootout Weekend will be a great event that all can look forward to.
On the event bill will be an exciting 7 race series of classes all in 1 action packed 3 day race weekend. Late Model Stock Car 150 laps, Limited Late Model 75 laps, United States Super Truck Series 75 laps, Street stock 50 laps, Rolling Thunder Modified 50 laps, UCAR Clash Series 40 laps, Allison Legacy Series 35 laps.
“We want to develop this event for our present and future racers where they are able showcase their talents in front of Historic NWS and the eyes upon it. Our loyal fans and competitors deserve this event and we are going to give it to them” Bosco Lowe of Speedway Associates.
The weekend will be a family fun atmosphere with an affordable admission price for the combined 3 days of racing. There will be trick or treating for the kids in the pits with the race teams. Stay connected to www.historicnws.com for more details regarding scheduling of events and related info to the 1rst annual Historic NWS Short Track shoot Out Weekend.
This event is another great opportunity for those interested presenting sponsors and affiliates who would like to rally their respective product and service with this great 1rst annual event action packed weekend.
World Premier of Matt Dylan's - Carolina Moonshine
Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway and Red Dirt Rising today announced the release of Matt Dylan’s music video of "Carolina Moonshine". As part of the partnership Red Dirt Rising filmed at Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway and for the first time NASCAR legend Junior Johnson appeared in his first ever music video in support of Red Dirt Rising.
Over the course of several days in December, Carolina Moonshine was filmed at Junior Johnson’s farm and the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway. “This film has given us the opportunity to give a glimpse into the lives of some of "Stock Car Racing's" first families” said Todd Morris of Red Dirt Rising. Read More.
Goodyear Named as Presenting Sponsor of NWS
Speedway Associates Inc. and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, would like to announce a 3 year Presenting Sponsor of North Wilkesboro Speedway Presented by Goodyear. “This is simple, old fashion short track racing at its best, which is why Goodyear is involved” Justin Fantozzi, Global Marketing Manager for Goodyear.
As part of the Presenting Sponsorship to North Wilkesboro Speedway, Goodyear has also been named as the Presenting Sponsor of the North Wilkesboro Speedway/Goodyear Benevolent Fund. This fund has been specifically created as a direct benefit to drivers and drivers families in need. Read More.
South's Richest Super Late Model Race Coming to NWS
Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway will add a page to the short track racing history book April 2011 when it welcomes The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) to the 5/8 mile speedway. (Tentative date April 7th 8th and 9th TBD after the release of the 2011 Sprint Cup Schedule).
On the bill is a 300 Lap super late model race where the winner of the unprecedented race will take home a record breaking $75,000.00 guaranteed. The PASS / NWS base purse will exceed over $153,000.00. This purse and event format will draw PASS competitors and teams from all over the United States and Canada for a good old fashion short track cage fight. (PASS) President Tom Mayberry stated that he and PASS have been waiting for the right opportunity to do an event like this and with a marketing opportunity like NWS it just doesn’t get any better than this. “I’m pleased that the partners at North Wilkesboro Speedway have agreed to present this historic short track event”, said Mayberry. “We are announcing the race prior to the start of our 2010 PASS North and South schedules because we are building some additional bonuses into the purse for PASS competitors, including guaranteed starting positions for the top 15 in our final 2010 North and South point standings and an additional $25,000.00 winners bonus for the teams that choose to run all of our 2010 point races in either series, plus 4 of the PASS national events, That’s a $100,000.00 pay day for the race winner if they are a PASS regular, and a 20 percent bonus across the board for every starting position..
When reached for comment Speedway Associates, Inc. (President) Alton McBride Jr. said “What a ride it has been in the last 3 months. On behalf of the SAI / NWS team who is burning the midnight oil; I can only say thank you. NWS and SAI are honored with PASS and our other aligned race series. This event will be historic. All of our events will be unique and memorable in some way. It is a magical time in Wilkes County. This is not about SAI, or any 1 group of people. This is about us all as a community and region. All county officials, all fans, workers in the region, out of work people in need of a part time job, and this is all about US all together along with our children and our families.”
SAI /NWS want to personally thank Tom Mayberry and PASS for stepping up to add his part to the magic at NWS. A shout goes out to our associates with (STS) and all their dedication to SAI /NWS
Red Dirt Riding/ Matt Dylan Filming at NWS
If you happened to drive by North Wilkesboro Speedway on Thursday [Dec 17th] afternoon, you may have heard the rumble of a flathead Ford making a few laps around the historic five-eighths mile circuit. It was all part of a music video shot at the track for a new song by and members of the Midnight Steel Band titled "Carolina Moonshine." The music video is part of a larger production, a movie called "Red Dirt Rising." The movie is based on the book "Red Dirt Tracks," a work of historical fiction by Gail Gurley. The film is centered on the life of Jimmie Lewallen, as well as fellow drivers Bill Blair and Fred Harb, all of whom raced and ran moonshine. Set during the 1940s, the film is meant to accurately portray the life and times of those involved with stock car racing before NASCAR was a household name. "Red Dirt Rising" is scheduled for official release on Jan. 13 at Johnny and June's Saloon in Winston-Salem, NC. More.
STS Featured Interview on Rubber Racer Radio
Save The Speedway was featured yesterday on rubberracer.com radio being interviewed on how we were formed and talking about the renewed efforts to get the track open. We have uploaded the MP3 file for anyone to listen to. Download.
Events Added to the Events Page
We have added several of the scheduled events to our events page along with infomation we have about the events. Read more..
North Wilkesboro Speedway to hold Racing in 2010
Just after World War II local resident Enoch Staley while attending races promoted by William "Big Bill" France decided he would build a track in his native Wilkes County. With partners Jack and Charlie Combs, Lawson Curry, and Enoch himself took $1,500 as an investment and went to work on the track that would become North Wilkesboro Speedway.
On May 18, 1947 the doors opened to a crowd of 10,000 who came out to watch one of the famous Flock brothers take the checkered flag. October 16, 1949 NASCAR* came to town to ran their final race of their inaugural season crowning the first NASCAR* champion Robert "Red" Byron. For 50 years until that fateful day on September 29, 1996 when Jeff Gordon took what everyone thought would be the final flag and the end of the speedway.
Today we at Save The Speedway would like to announce the closure of North Wilkesboro Speedway has come to an end, and racing will return in 2010 with the USAR Pro Cup Series on October 3, 2010. Since 2005 we have been here as guardians of the history and the speedway. We dedicated ourselves to a greater cause that has now come true. With new owners in place we hope that North Wilkesboro Speedway will now begin a new life.
~STS Motorsports, Inc.
13 Years Ago!
September 29, 1996
Final Race at North Wilkesboro
Holly Farms 400
Any driver who raced at North Wilkesboro Speedway, in whatever series throughout the years, can consider himself and herself privileged, but these particular 37 drivers can consider themselves as some of the luckiest drivers in racing history. They were the last drivers to race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Yes, Jack Roush staged a competition in recent years, but September 29, 1996 was the final race at the track to date.
Any fan who attended a race at North Wilkesboro Speedway throughout the years will forever have memories to cherish and share with others (not to mention, make me envious), but for those who owned one of these, consider yourself as being one of the luckiest fans in the history of racing.
Every one of the 37 cars was running at the finish. Such an occurrence happened once before at North Wilkesboro. But in this race it’s easy to believe that no driver wanted to see his car loaded into the hauler early. They all wanted to see the checkered flag wave, whether they were the 1st to see it, or the 37th. Derrike Cope, finishing 37th, completed 369 of the 400 laps. Nobody was out to just “fill laps.”
Jeff Gordon led the most laps (207). Other lap leaders were Bobby Hamilton (48.), Rusty Wallace (43), Dale Earnhardt (35), Mark Martin (29), Ernie Irvan (19), Ricky Rudd (17) and Jeff Burton (2). These drivers exchanged the lead 18 different times. Four cautions took place and slowed the race for a total of 29 laps. Dale Jarrett was the biggest mover. He gained 27 spots over his 30th place starting position with a 3rd place finish. His 27 spots gained were third most in NWS history, just behind the 28 spots his father gained in a 1964 race. Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag 1.73 seconds ahead of Dale Earnhardt. Eleven cars finished on the lead lap.
The length of the race was 2 hours, 34 minutes, 54 seconds. The length of the memories from that race currently stands at 10 years and counting. In all, there are 50 years of memories and history that North Wilkesboro Speedway has provided. In May of 1947, the first sanctioned race took place at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The last race took place on September 29, 1996. MORE.
Check out the new photos
We have uploaded several photos to our images sections, many of these are current photos that have been taken by Rick Perski and Joey Scott that show some of the work that has been done inside North Wilkesboro Speedway over the past few months.
Follow Save The Speedway on Facebook
Save The Speedway can now be found on Facebook, you can follow us and keep up to date on whats going on, events we will be at and photos of Save The Speedway working on reopening North Wilkesboro Speedway. Click the icon to be taken to our page.
Videos Needed
Save The Speedway is looking for several volunteers to submit a 30 second to 1 minute file talking about why they would like to see North Wilkesboro Speedway reopened or about what makes North Wilkesboro Speedway special to you. These videos will be included in presentations to help gain attention to the speedway and to help reopen it. Please submit all videos to the link below. Thank you.
Save The Speedway has a limited number of t-shirts for sale. The sale price is $20 for any size shipping included. All proceeds from the sale of the t-shirt go to support the North Wilkesboro Speedway Monument.
North Wilkesboro Speedway Highway Marker Placed
Save The Speedway and the North Carolina Office of Archives and History will dedicated the North Wilkesboro Speedway Highway Marker Saturday May 24, 2008. In attendance, North Carolina Senator Steve Goss, North Wilkesboro Mayor George Church, Terri Parsons, Mike Staley, 1960 NASCAR* Grand National Champion Rex White, and others.
Opening remarks were given by Senator Steve Goss and Ansley Wegner of the North Carolina Office of Archives and History followed by the unveiling and dedication of the historical marker by Sen. Steve Goss, Terri Parsons, with members of Save The Speedway. The following inscription will ensure for generations that the history of North Wilkesboro Speedway will be preserved.
"NORTH WILKESBORO SPEEDWAY"
Pioneering NASCAR dirt
track. Built 1946; paved
in 1958. Hosted sanc-
tioned events, 1946-96.
5/8 mile oval 1/2 mi. E.
*NASCAR is the registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. www.nascar.com.
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