North Wilkesboro

buckaroo

buckaroo

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8/05/2010 - North Wilkesboro, NC - One historic event deserves another.

While the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival has been a must see event in Wilkes County, N.C., for years, the county’s racing history – dating back to the moonshine days and the birth of NASCAR – has been on a 14-year hiatus.

Once home to nationally televised stock car racing events at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the track has sat dormant for more than a decade. Thanks to a new ownership group and national attention, the speedway comes into focus again on the weekend of October 3.

The Apple Festival weekend will see the return of the Fall “Triple Header” which includes open wheel modified competition. Speedway officials confirmed the addition of a 100-lap Modified race and a 50-lap Street Stock race in conjunction with the Brushy Mountain 250 USARacing Pro Cup Series Championship race on Sunday, October 3, 2010.

“On behalf of Speedway Associates, Inc. I want to personally invite all modified competitors and race fans from “Madhouse” to extend your race schedule and come do battle at Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said Alton McBride Jr., President and Director of Operations.

The Brushy Mountain 250 Pro Cup event, race three of the five-race 2010 Championship Series, is scheduled for 2 p.m. and is preceded by a 50-lap Street Stock event at 12:30 p.m. The open-wheel modifieds will roll off immediately following the Pro Cup event.

“In the past, the triple header in the fall at North Wilkesboro with stock cars and modifieds was always a tremendously exciting event,” said USARacing Managing Partner, Larry Camp. “I know the fans will love it.”

“The first weekend in October is synonymous with the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival,” said Camp. “The race events on Sunday will mark an exciting rebirth of the speedway for the folks in Wilkes and surrounding counties. I'm sure race fans everywhere are excited about the speedway's return to action."

Modified racing in the South recently gained national attention with the History Channel television show "Madhouse." With the regular modified season over at Bowman Gray Stadium in nearby Winston-Salem, N.C., the drivers of “Madhouse” fame are sure to add action and excitement to the weekend.

Gates open at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets in advance are $17 for Adults and $9 for Kids ages 6-15. For more information about the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway and to purchase tickets, please visit www.historicnws.com or call 336.818.9505.
 
Is this for real, or has another swindler with his snake oil in tow navigated his way into North Wilkesboro? I hope not, it will be exciting to have racing again at the 5/8ths of a mile uphill downhill oval. I wished I could go and support it.
 
GREAT AMERICAN RACE FAN said:
Is this for real, or has another swindler with his snake oil in tow navigated his way into North Wilkesboro? I hope not, it will be exciting to have racing again at the 5/8ths of a mile uphill downhill oval. I wished I could go and support it.
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buckaroo said:
It's all for real.
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It's for real. The USARacing Pro Cup Series is going to be racing there in a few weeks -- the shot heard around the racing world last year.
 
Isn't the place about to fall apart or has someone fixed it up recently?
 
chromehorn said:
Isn't the place about to fall apart or has someone fixed it up recently?
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After 1996 when Bruton and Bahre duped the Staley family, it sat dormant for 13 years while Bruton held it over the heads of Wilkes County and anyone trying to buy it. I don't know what got him to come around, but he's finally sold it (one of the primary investors is Terri Parsons, widow of Benny) and the place has been somewhat refurbished. It's still not all that pretty, but it's ready for racing. They will have USAR, as well as ASA and PASS late model races there later this year.

I went there many times in the 80s when I lived fairly close by, and made the trip to the last spring race (having no idea until I got back home that the fall race would be the last period), and it gives me the warm and fuzzies knowing there will be cars back on the track soon.

Here are two shots of the track as it is right now, ready to go. Clearly the place still isn't in the best shape, but I actually hope they leave the walls as they are, with the Winston Cup signs and all the old advertisers. They probably can't do that though.
passtest060510.jpg


323.jpg
 
That's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Cool track though, I too hope they leave the paint the way it is.
 
There's been lots of action at the track since the last Cup race, but no until the last year or so. The track is race ready and that is what is really necessary for this type of racing. Unless there comes a crowd of 20,000 people or more, it's not likely to see any major changes. What was needed was the essential functions and those have probably been met. We had season tickets to the Cup races there and I'll always remember the last one. We will be attending this race.
 
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