Once forgotten and left to crumble, the track came to life again with the All-Star Race, and it stole the show. Fans went wild, drivers couldn’t stop talking about it, and now Christopher Bell, who won that $1 million race, is pushing for something huge—a points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race at what he calls the “best short track” out there. This idea’s got everyone fired up.

Bell’s big win wasn’t just about the money. After the race, he was all praises for the track: “North Wilkesboro is the best short track on the schedule.” Unlike big ovals where leaders can zoom off, North Wilkesboro keeps cars bunched up, forcing drivers to fight tooth and nail. The big question isn’t if North Wilkesboro deserves a points race, but which track it might bump off the schedule.

Kevin Harvick wanted to know from the champ why the track deserved a points race, and Bell’s answer wasn’t leaving any holes in the argument, “Oh, I think it would be absolutely amazing. Like, just the amount of rubber that’s going to get smeared on the racetrack, you’re literally… line and everywhere in between. And I think it has potential to be serious magic. I would love to have a points race there, go have more cars on the track and adding lap traffic.” Bell and Harvick’s conversation got to a point. A 200-lap race with 40 cars in the hot afternoon sun? That’s next-level.

But that’s not all. Last weekend’s race was true entertainment, not just due to the promoter’s caution but the amount of chaos on the field. Bell’s last-ditch effort to get Logano on new tires was incredible to watch, ending in a 0.829-second difference between the two drivers. And it’s no fluke. Last year, despite Logano’s 199 laps spent leading the All-Star Race, the four overtime restarts and 0.636-second difference between first and second tell you everything you need to know.

The biggest challenge, however, has been dirty air—the turbulent air behind a car that disrupts handling, making passing tough, especially on short tracks. The JGR driver added further, “So with 23 cars, I think we had maybe one or two lap cars in there, but it’s just not enough to really disturb the air for the leaders. And now, you know, we’ve seen even at a place like Martinsville or Richmond, like the guys that get out front, they can get a gap. But then whenever you get into a lot of traffic, that’s whenever the racing really starts to happen. So I think we got 40 of us out there at North Wilkesboro in an afternoon show it will be lights out.” 

The All-Star Race is an “intense showdown,” but with only 23 cars, it lacked the chaos a full field would bring. At North Wilkesboro, lapped traffic would amplify this, forcing leaders to navigate a mess while creating “bumper-to-bumper” action, like at Martinsville. Otherwise, the result will be the 18 lead changes that we saw. So it would balance it out.

However, that won’t be easy. While Bell was in front, driving in clean air, his teammates suffered the consequences of starting behind. And adding more cars could just amplify it. As Denny Hamlin said, “Because he qualified well, he always was up towards the front. And there’s a massive, massive difference between running in the top-four to five the entire time in somewhat clean air vs being 20th where I was. Again, I expect enough out of my car to be able to pass…I couldn’t pass anyone, was mostly in the way of 18th. But I always believe, your speed should outrun your position.” 

Still, the excitement’s unstoppable. Bell’s doubling down right after his win, begging for a points race. Fans on social media are shouting for a 2026 slot. It’s not about ‘if’ but ‘what track gets replaced’. Huge viewership for the All-Star Race proved that North Wilkesboro’s a hit. But could that happen? The track isn’t about the points. It’s about the million-dollar spectacle, as Logano once said. “The race is a bit of an all-or-nothing kind of race. You’ve got nothing to lose. You can’t lose any points. You’ve got nothing to lose and a million bucks to gain. To me, it’s a pretty fun race because you can race with your hair down a little bit.” 

This track’s more than a comeback story—it’s a game-changer. Will NASCAR bring a points race to North Wilkesboro in 2026? If the crowd’s energy is any clue, it’s only a matter of time. North Wilkesboro might just be the key to solving NASCAR’s short-track problem.

For now, with Bell winning his fourth race of the season, he’s making quite some noise.

Christopher Bell is making his case for the championship

Let’s start with North Wilkesboro. The No. 20 driver pulled off a tire strategy that left jaws on the floor. While most drivers played it safe, Bell went for four fresh tires, a risky call that clinched him the win, forcing Joey Logano to finish second.

The drama cranked up at the All-Star race with an epic clash against the Penske driver. It was intense—bumpers banging, tires screeching. Logano tried to bully Bell off the track, but Bell stood his ground. “I had got to him a couple times before and he made it very difficult on me, as he should. I got my run, and I took the moment, as I should.” he fired back with defiance. That moment proved he’s not just about speed—he’s got the grit to match. He’s the same guy who won 3 races this season and was also on the brink of achieving a 3-peat.

FOX Sports’ Mike Joy, a NASCAR icon, is all-in on Bell. “He will be a champion of this sport. I have no doubt,” Joy revealed, “I really wished he had the chance to run for it last year.” That’s huge from someone who’s seen every racing era.

From outsmarting rivals to standing tall against #22 driver, Bell’s stealing the spotlight. NASCAR came alive with excitement at North Wilkesboro, and Bell’s leading the charge. Fans and experts are rooting for him to snag that Cup title. Do you agree? Tell us in the comment section.