The renowned 0.625-mile track will once again showcase two days of thrilling racing action, with the Truck Series race scheduled for May 18 followed by the Cup Series’ all-star race on May 19.
Last year’s NASCAR events marked a significant return to the track, which had not hosted a Cup race since 1996. Despite extensive renovations by Speedway Motorsports, the races were conducted on the same surface.
The recent Goodyear tire test, featuring Cup drivers Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs, and William Byron, was the first on-track activity since North Wilkesboro Speedway underwent a repaving last November.
Logano praised the renovations, noting that while the track still retains its unique characteristics, such as its distinctive shape and notable bumps, it has received significant improvements. He highlighted particular areas of interest, including a sizable bump in Turn 1 and another leaving Turn 4, which adds to the challenge of navigating the track.
Byron expressed optimism about the potential for exciting racing on the newly repaved short track. Drawing comparisons to similar repaving projects at other tracks like Richmond, he anticipates intense on-track action, with the potential for more wrecks due to the increased challenges posed by the revamped surface.
Gibbs, impressed by the efforts invested in the track’s repaving, acknowledged the visible changes brought about by the resurfacing process. He commended the track management for their meticulous work, which has visibly enhanced the racing surface.
The November resurfacing involved milling the old track, repairing damaged sections, and applying a specially designed asphalt mixture to maintain the original track configuration. Similar to recent repave at other Speedway Motorsports tracks, the new asphalt is expected to mature rapidly, providing a conducive racing surface.
Reigning Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes emphasized the drastic transformation of the track following the repave, highlighting the significant changes witnessed within a single day of testing.
His sentiments were echoed by driver Christian Eckes, who anticipated improved racing conditions with better opportunities for passing compared to the previous year.
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