North Wilkesboro Speedway construction update

The famed track is preparing to host it’s first NASCAR race since 1996

With help from the state of North Carolina, North Wilkesboro Speedway has returned from the grave. Construction is ongoing ahead of the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 21, 2023.

The surface of the 0.625-mile short track remains unchanged. However, upgrades surround it.

The track was not changed to add safer barriers. Instead, they added several extra feet of new pavement around the edge of the track to allow for the Safer wall installation without changing track characteristics.

“Since December, we have SAFER wall that’s started with about 70 percent installed at this point or maybe 60 percent, all the SAFER wall has been delivered,” Steve Swift commented.

“All the Musco bases were put in, all the foundation, wiring to those has been completed. We got our first load of Musco poles; those will start standing tomorrow.”

“All the siding on the suites, there was no siding on the suites at that time and that’s started and we are about 80 percent complete with the siding on the exterior of the suites. We have dry roofs on everything so we aren’t having any water problems or leaks. Plumbing and electrical has all been run in, sheetrock has been hung in the suites with the first coat of paint going on soon on the inside and the exteriors have already started painting.”

“The infield has been halfway paved, ready for another half of paving starting on Thursday so we’ve made a lot of progress.”

Other changes include updating the infield scoring tower, installing MUSCO track lighting and re-installing a manual lap-count and top-five leaderboard.