RALEIGH, N.C. — During the 75th season of NASCAR, the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race will be held at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, Governor Cooper announced on Thursday.
βMotorsports are critical to North Carolinaβs history, culture and economy, and our investments have helped to get the engines running again in places that needed revival,β said Governor Roy Cooper. βNorth Wilkesboro Speedway is back and better than ever, and the All-Star Race will take it to new heights.β
The NASCAR All-Star Race will be held at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 21st, 2023, according to a news release.
You asked. We listened. #AllStarRace pic.twitter.com/6DdZ8iDy2S
β North Wilkesboro Speedway (@NWBSpeedway) September 8, 2022
Officials say the NASCAR All-Star Race will bring an international spotlight and thousands of race fans to North Carolina.
βThe NASCAR All-Star Race has always been the fansβ race, and I canβt think of a better way to celebrate the fans during NASCARβs 75th anniversary than returning to North Wilkesboro Speedway,β said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. βWe couldnβt have made this happen without tremendous support from so many people including Gov. Cooper, our state legislature, NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and of course, the people of Wilkes County. Weβve got a lot of work to do, but weβve got the will to create something special alongside a community and hard-working staff that will get it done.β
The tourism impact is expected to carry through the following weekend with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
βSome of my best memories as a little boy were going to North Wilkesboro,β said Dale Earnhardt Jr. βAnd it got even better when I raced there as a teenager. I never thought Iβd see that place full again, and then I got to race there this summer in a late model before a full house. Thereβs just something special about it. I know the track, the fans, and the community will put on a show when weβre back with the Cup cars for the All-Star race.β
In his budget proposal last year, Governor Cooper included funds to revitalize speedways across North Carolina, according to a news release.
In November of 2021, officials say the Governor signed the state budget that included these funds.
The budget allocates American Rescue Plan funding to speedways across the state, with North Wilkesboro Speedway receiving $18 million.
In May, Governor Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced that 15 local governments have been awarded $45.8 million to help 17 motorsports venues recover from the pandemic.
Officials say the money can be used for water, sewer and other infrastructure projects pertaining to the speedways.
The grants enhanced local tourism, travel and hospitality industries that benefit from the many motorsports events held in North Carolina, according to a news release.
North Wilkesboro Speedway is one of the first NASCAR tracks.
The final NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro was held in 1996 and won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.
The track sat largely abandoned, but in recent years, the community made significant efforts to revitalize the track.
Racing returned to North Wilkesboro Speedway on August 31st for the Window World 125 race, where fans sold out the stadium.
In May 2022, Governor Cooper visited the North Wilkesboro Speedway to highlight the significant investments it is receiving for repairs from the state budget and celebrate the return of racing following the Racetrack Revival projects.
North Carolina is the birthplace of motorsports and NASCAR.
The state serves as the home to NASCARβs headquarters and Hall of Fame, and 90 percent of the sanctioning bodyβs race teams are based in North Carolina.
