North Wilkesboro Speedway has been revived after years of abandonment, with just enough improvements to bring amenities up to standard while retaining the classic flavour of one of America’s great short tracks.

Created in 1946 by local entrepreneurs, the first race was sanctioned by Bill France Sr and between 1949 and 1996 it held NASCAR races each year, with two per year from 1950 onwards (save for 1956 when the track was preparing for re-paving).

Having fallen by the wayside after NASCAR left, the circuit underwent an aborted revival in the 2010s, only to fall silent for another decade. Under Speedway Motorsports Inc’s helm, the track is now being reinvigorated again, with racing returning in 2022 ahead of it hosting the NASCAR All-Star race in May 2023. It marks the return of Cup Series cars after more than a quarter century.