No promises were made Tuesday night when Marcus Smith joined The Dale Jr. Download but it bought hope that one day something will happen to the old North Wilkesboro Speedway.
He made no promises, but @MarcusSMI had a very important message regarding North Wilkesboro.
LISTEN:
Web: https://t.co/Bifc95zRhQ
Apple: https://t.co/7XKWk0ZlEl
Google: https://t.co/TnKDFDVW0E pic.twitter.com/dnFGTvs1cd— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) March 31, 2021
After closing in 1996 and hosting NASCAR for over 50 years the track has sat in Wilkes County, North Carolina relatively untouched as it was following the final race there. In 2009 a small effort was made to revive the track and return racing there until it ultimately failed in 2011.
Speedway Motorsports who took full control of the track following the purchase of New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Bob Bahre’s fifty-percent stake in the track have been tight lipped on their plans they might have for the facility.
But when Mr. Smith made an appearance on The Dale Jr. Download he made it very clear they were thinking about and looking at plans.
“I just want to let you know we haven’t forgotten about North Wilkesboro. We haven’t given up on it. I’m thinking, we’re working on it, no promises” Marcus Smith
This sat off earth shattering news across social media with many in agreement that something should be done. Many even pointing to a return to dirt racing at the facility. But as Save The Speedway pointed out its history is relatively short as a dirt track.
NW was a dirt track for a small amount of time. By the mid 50s it was paved and 40 years of it’s history is as a paved track.
— Save The Speedway (@savethespeedway) March 31, 2021
To some degree that is true.
The track opened on May 18, 1947 as a dirt track with 10,000 in attendance to watch Red Byron take the day, in 1949 it hosted the final race of the inaugural NASCAR season crowning the very first NASCAR champion in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Yet by the mid-50s the track was converted to pavement and for nearly 40 years and 80+ races it remained a paved track until Jeff Gordon won the final NASCAR Cup Series event on September 29, 1996.
What happens next is anyone’s guess but it sure sounds like Marcus Smith is working on something.
“If we can think of a way to do something there, we’re going to. I don’t want people to think I don’t care. We do care and I am thinking and work on ideas regularly.” Smith continued.
Should racing or any event return there the track will need an overhaul something that been pointed out quite consistently on social media on the condition of the track. While it will sure need the overhaul, one would think the renovations would be geared toward the yesteryear of NASCAR giving it both a retro and modern update to pay tribute to the foundations of NASCAR because after all its “Where it all Began”.
