North Wilkesboro Speedway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| North Wilkesboro Speedway | |
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| Facility statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | North Wilkesboro, North Carolina |
| Broke ground | |
| Opened | May 5, 1947 |
| Owner | Bob Bahre/Bruton Smith |
| Operator | closed |
| Construction cost | |
| Architect | |
| Former names | |
| Major events | |
| First Union 400 (1949-1996)
Tyson Holly Farms 400 (1950-1996) |
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| Seating capacity | |
| Current dimensions | |
| Track shape | Oval |
| Track length | 0.625 miles |
| Track banking | Turns: 14 degrees Straightaways:- minimal banking |
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track which held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996.
The track is located on US Highway 421 about four miles east of the city North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
It measures 5/8ths of a mile, or 0.625 miles. One unique feature was the uphill backstretch and the downhill frontstretch.
Citing North Wilkesboro Speedway's age and lack of modern amenities, Bob Bahre and O. Bruton Smith purchased the track in 1996, and its two Winston Cup events were transferred to New Hampshire International Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, respectively.
Since the sale to Bahre and Smith, there have been attempts and gestures to buy the track and re-open it by, among others, local native Junior Johnson. However, no deals have yet materialized. The last race was held there in September 1996.
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[edit] Memorable moments
- The first race at the track was on May 5, 1947. Fonty Flock qualified on the pole, won his heat race, and won the feature after sitting out for 4 1/2 years with an injury [1]. The event was sanctioned by the National Championship Stock Car Circuit, which was a forerunner to NASCAR.
- One year Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace drove side-by-side for around 10 straight laps for the lead.
- Terry Labonte avoided a late crash that took out Rusty Wallace to win the Spring 1996 race.
- The Wilkes 400 in 1972 featured Bobby Allison against Richard Petty in a 39 lap slugfest. The lead changed thirteen times. In the final five laps, Petty was held up by a slower car. Both drivers plowed into the fences, guardrails, and each other. Both continued at full speed. Allison led with one lap to go, but Petty passed him for the win.
- Allison came back for the win in the 1973 Wilkes 400 by passing Petty for the win on the final lap.
- In the late 1970s, Cale Yarborough dominated the track. Cale blew up a tire, but made up three laps in the fall 1978 race to win easily.
- In 1979 Bobby Allison led most of the race. In the final 150 laps Darrell Waltrip caught Allison. The two hit together hard and Darrell nailed the front stretch wall. Waltrip began crowding off Allison under the caution and got black flagged for the crowding. Benny Parsons won the race
- In 1984, Tim Richmond passed a fading Ricky Rudd for the win.
- In the fall 1988 race, Dale Earnhardt led nearly half the race until Ricky Rudd caught him. The drivers banged fenders for the final 41 laps. They were both black flagged to the rear of the field and pounded together again with five to go. Rusty Wallace passed Geoff Bodine with ten laps left. Bodine struck Wallace's car at the start of the final lap. Wallace pushed Bodine sideways, and Wallace crossed the finish line for the win.
- In the Fall 1989 race, Dale Earnhardt led 343 laps, but a caution set up a two lap showdown with Ricky Rudd. Rudd went side-by-side with Earnhardt. The two spun, and Geoff Bodine passed the two for the win.
- Brett Bodine led most of the spring 1990 race. During a caution the pace car picked up the wrong leader, which gave Bodine a lap lead. Bodine put on a set of tires before the error was corrected. He held off Darrell Waltrip for his only career Winston Cup win.
- As exciting as most races were in North Wilkesboro, the Fall 1994 race was not. Geoff Bodine lapped the field on his way to the checkerd flag. The only challenge Bodine received all day was when Rusty Wallace tried to get his lap back on a restart. Wallace pulled a nose out front but after a little bit of beating and banging, Bodine beat Wallace back to the caution after Dale Earnhardt spun and hit the wall. Only 3 other drivers even finished within two laps of the leader that day. The race was, and with how races are set up now, the last race ever to finish with the leader lapping the field.
[edit] Save the Speedway
In April 2005, Save the Speedway was founded with the goal of bringing racing back to North Wilkesboro Speedway. The organization's website, Savethespeedway.net provides visitors with statistics, photographs, message boards, and recent news related to the track.
[edit] Trivia
- Current car owner Jack Roush of Roush Racing held round one of "Roush's Race For The Ride" at North Wilkesboro Speedway, a competition to find the next Roush Racing development driver.
- Ted Musgrave won the final pole; the final race was won by Jeff Gordon.
- Richard Petty's fifteen wins were the most in the history of the track.
