The following is an excerpt from
When The Engines No Longer Roar: A Case Study of
North Wilkesboro, NC and The North Wilkesboro Speedway.

A Thesis By: Andrew J. Baker
2005, All Rights Reserved.

The Birth of a Speedway, The Beginnings of a Sport: The History of North Wilkesboro Speedway (1947-1996)

Chapter 3

The End of NASCAR at North Wilkesboro Speedway: 1996

3.3 The Final Season: 1996

The First Union 400, held on April 14, 1996 and the Tyson Holly Farms 400, held on September 29, 1996, both attracted over 60,000 race fans, each more than any race prior.  Up until the April race, most residents and race fans figured this would be the last race held at the speedway, since the September race would be far enough in advance for Bob Bahre to organize a race a his New Hampshire International Speedway (Williams, 1996b).  However, the September race went on as planned in front of a record crowd that watched Jeff Gordon take the final checkered flag.

Terry Labonte leads Elton Sawyer to the start of the final spring race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, April 14, 1996.

One local race fan was noticeably abscent; Junior Johnson refused to attend the alst race weekend, as he stated: “I’m not going.  It would be more of a sad deal for me – to go out and just stand around and look at something disappear, something I can remember almost since I’ve been around” (Zeller, 1996b).  Those fans that were in attendance watched a race under clear skies, where one could easily see the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distances.  After the race, most of the fans remained in their seats long after the checkered flag was thrown, clinging to the memories fo the speedway (Zeller, 1996b).  Bruton Smith, viewed by most as the reason for NASCAR’s departure from the track, needed extra security for his own protection from hostile race fans during the final race.  Some fans brought bolt cutters attempting to cut out sections of the bleachers and fence to keep as memorabilia (Ju. Hubbard, 1996b).

The end of an era...Jeff Gordon takes the final checkered flag at
North Wilkesboro Speedway, September 29, 1996. (CNNSI)

3.4 The Return of Racing?

Since the last race in September 1996, the track has sat idle and empty due to differences between Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith, the track’s equally represented co-owners.  Bahre and Smith bough the track with no intention of ever running a race there as Bahre states, “I don’t want it.  I have no interest in running it.  I just bought it for the Winston Cup date” (Zeller, 1996a).  In fact, Bahre was willing to sell his half-share back to the Staley family or other investors at a fraction of the cost he paid for it.  Bahre wants racing, whether it be the “minor-leagues” of NASCAR (Busch Series, Craftsman Truck Series, Busch East, Hooters Pro Cup) or open-wheel racing.  Bahre feels he is limited in making decisions regarding the track’s future without Smith’s approval.

Bruton Smith, upset that he did not become 100 percent owner, has shown little interest in bringing back racing to the speedway he co-owns.  Smith approached the Staley family both prior and after the death of Enoch Staley in 1995, however the family declined to sell to him because the offer was unsatisfactory and Enoch Staley distrusted Smith, instructing his family never to sell any part of their interest in the Speedway to him (Wise, 2004).  Smith said in a 2003 The Record article that “[T]he people there had a chance to sell 100 percent to me.  If that had occurred, it [the track] would have been operating today” (Lankford, 2003b). Smith adds, “I’m not going to put my dollars and people at risk as only a 50 percent owner.”

__________
Track promoters Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith each own 50% interest in
North Wilkesboro Speedway. The track has sat idle ever since.

When smith made the initial 50 percent purchase in 1995 he told a local newspaper, “I’m looking to do anything that we can to help the speedway,” hoping to improve the trck’s facilities for future races.  He added, “I can’t imagine that there will be a time with no races there.  There’s a lot of history there… the people should absolutely have no fear at all that [trck closing] happening” (Sore Winner?”, 1996).  These comments were drastically contradicted after the Staley’s sold their 50 percent remaining share to Bob Bahre when smith stated, “The plan right now after the race in September is to shut down.  Everybody goes home. That’s it.” (“Sore Winner?”, 1996).   Smith and Bahre no longer remain on speaking terms to this day.  Bahre was once quoted as saying, “I think someday, someone will have a race there…but it’s probably going to be after Bruton and I are in heaven or hell” (Marshall, 2001, c4).

In early 2003, it was reported that local legend Junior Johnson and a group of investors were considering a purchase of the speedway (Lankford, 2003a).  Johnson feels that the track would be best suited for races at all levels of the “minor-leagues” of NASCAR or possibly used as a testing track for th etop division of NASCAR, the Nextel Cup.  In the article, Johnson adds, “I’ll do what I can to help the thing get back in operation.  Whatever happens, it needs to be running.  It don’t’ (sic) need to just be sitting there.  It does no one any good that way.”  However, by 2004, Johnson deemed any track purchase to be very unlikely and an expensive, risky venture (Lankford, 2004b).  The dispute between the two owners, coupled with the numerous necessary repairs such as painting and water and sewer problems, were cited as economical obstacles to a track purchase.

Johnson sees several possible uses for the speedway, as he lists in an interview what he woul ddo if he owned NWS: “I would run a test track at first.  That’s what I woul dset it up for, because all the [Nextel] Cup teams now int eh winter, and through the summer, build new cars and they want to take them somewhere and shake them down and run them.  They only got a few tests, and when they use those tests up, it’s over with.”  He adds, “So, you could run probably every day of the year at North Wilkesboro it wasn’t  raining or snowing.  I think it would be a great place for a driver’s school.  It’d also be a great place for Modifieds, ASA.  I think you could keep it busy.  Car shows. All kinds of stuff” (Stock Car Racing, 2004).

3.5 Community Petition
In October of 2003, Robert Glen, an local realtor who moved to Wilkes County from Virginia in 2002, started a petition to get racing back at North Wilkesboro Speedway (Lankford, 2003c).  Glen feels that the speedway’s absence has hurt the local economy stating, “The biggest thing is that people are losing their jobs and they’re losing their homes.  You mention the speedway and you see a glimmer of hope in their eyes.  That racetrack is a crown jewel of Wilkes County.  It’s history.  I see this as a catalyst for bringing in new business and jobs to Wilkes” (Lankford, 2003c).  The Petition asked that county commissioners condemn the track and through power of eminent domain sell the speedway to an investor that will use th facility for auto races.  It was reported that there were 3,313 signatures on the petition that stated:
           

We the undersigned strongly believe that the closing of the North Wielksboro Speedway in September of 1996 has caused severe economic hardship for the citizens of Wilkes County.  Jobs have been lost, businesses have closed and tourism has diminished.  We strongly support action by the Wilkes County commissioners to condemn the North Wilkesboro Speedway and bring back racing to Wilkes County.  By signing below, we agree and support the county commissioners’ effort to restore racing to Wilkes County by power of eminent domain.

 

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