Welcome to Save the Speedway.net, A website dedicated to the preservation of the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in Wilkes County, 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.
North Wilkesboro Speedway Highway Marker Dedication
Save The Speedway and the North Carolina Office of Archives and History will dedicate the North Wilkesboro Speedway Highway Marker on May 24, 2008 at 2pm. At the most recent meeting on May 18 the sign was approved with the following inscription:
"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.
The dedication of the sign will take place on Old US 421(Speedway Road) at NC 115 southeast of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
12/7: Save The Speedway has added many pages to the history section on races that took place at North Wilkesboro Speedway and a time line that covers many of the NASCAR* races held at the speedway. You can find the information here.
6/4: We have recently received word that our application for a historical highway marker for North Wilkesboro Speedway has been approved. The application was submitted last fall, however a decision was postponed to determine proper verbage for the sign. At the most recent meeting the sign was approved with the following inscription:
"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.
A dedication ceremony will be planned in Wilkes County, North Carolina once the sign is in place. More details regarding this will be posted soon on our website - www.savethespeedway.net so keep checking back for updates.
STS motorsports Inc.
5/29: We have received word from the state commission that our application for the highway marker has been approved. We will receive more information on when the marker will be placed and the dedication ceremony will be.
1/24: Letter received from Michael Hill, Research Supervisor:
At their meeting on December 18, the members of the NC Highway Historical Marker Advisory Committee deferred final action on your proposal regarding the North Wilkesboro Speedway. The topic was one among twenty items on the agenda that day, only six of which were approved. This will be among the first items of business at the next meeting, set for May 14.
A deferral of this sort is common when we are deliberating over a proposal. I am attaching the proposal as presented to the group in advance of hte meeting on December 18. Several questions arose, among those the appropriateness of mention of bootlegging on the sign. Some questioned the mention in the sketch of Enoch Staley but not of Charlie Combs. In the end, the group vote to defer, asking us to work with our committee member Dan Pierce of UNC-Asheville, who is knowledgeable about NASCAR history, to revise the sketch and proposed inscription. I remain hopeful that we can devise an acceptable alternative for review in the spring.
We at STS Motorsports are pursuing a historical highway marker to be placed in Wilkes County, North Carolina off highway 421 near the racetrack grounds.
We have contacted the Division of Archives and History Department of Cultural Resources and have been given an application for consideration. The track must show some historical significance that sets it apart from every other major and minor race track out there. So far, the only "first" thing we can find is that it was the last stop on the inaugural NASCAR series season and meant the first champion was crowned there in 1949. We know the track was in operation since 1946 but are unable to find any substantial information about this time period to be helpful to our cause. If anyone out there has historical information regarding NW Speedway that will aide us in our efforts to get this track historically credited.
For rules and such about this, please look here on the message board.
And if you have any information or promising leads, please Contact Me and tell us what you know. Any and all help is welcome.
~Steven
