When NASCAR called up Dale Earnhardt Jr. to finalize the new championship format for this season, it proved how much he, as an integral part of the sport, cared and respected the traditional ways of racing. So it was only natural for him to be outspoken about saving the Greenville-Pickens Speedway, as it fears the risk of demolition. While the campaign looked strong enough with Junior on board, it recently gained the support of a major South Carolina Governor candidate.

Dale Jr.’s words earn support from SC attorney general

“I’ll be the first entry.” Dale Jr’s words echoed strongly as he supported the resurrection of the track. He claimed that the CARS Tour will be the first series to return, and he will also run the race. While this in itself was enough for the track to gain attention all over social media, South Carolina’s attorney general, Alan Wilson, also stepped in support:

“Greenville-Pickens Speedway is part of South Carolina history. When @DaleJr says he would be first in line to return, it shows just how important this track is to the heritage of American motorsports. We should do everything we can to preserve this historic landmark,” he wrote on X.

The 0.5-mile speedway is more than just a track. Opened in 1946, it is one of the earliest NASCAR-sanctioned tracks in existence. The Cup Series also raced on it, but it has been left abandoned since 2022. RealtyLink ended up purchasing the property around it and started with a major construction project to build an industrial park. As per their plans, the speedway was to be demolished in phase three of the construction, which recently began. However, the Pickens County Planning Commission denied them permission to do so.

The future of the speedway seems to be in question. While the planning commission denies permission to demolish the track, it only seems to be a temporary solution. There is currently a push to purchase the property and push it towards possible preservation. While the track might not be perfect for Cup racing, it can serve as a great venue for grassroots levels of racing. With the officials now supporting the track, there seems to be some hope for it.

Something similar happened to the Riverside International Raceway. It was considered to be a gem in NASCAR’s history. But after years of being abandoned, it was demolished, and a huge settlement was constructed in its place. Today, nothing remains of the original raceway, and it is quite apparent why the likes of Dale Jr. and other drivers are in support of saving the Greenville track.

Brad Keselowski’s driver highlights the importance of short tracks amidst Greenville row

Understandably, most of the new drivers have not raced on the track. But it is similar to some of the other short tracks that they have been on. Ryan Preece, driver of the #60 RFK Ford, recently opened up on the importance of these tracks.

“Anytime you want short track to stick around. So, for me, hopefully, there’s a new level of excitement around Greenville Pickens.” He said, “I never really raced there, so I haven’t seen the facility, but certainly whoever’s taking on that lease or promoter that’s taking on that opportunity, they work with the racers, the racers work with them, and then that brings in the fans, right?”

It would make complete sense for someone to purchase the track and promote races there through different series. These tracks are amazing for amateurs to gain real-life racing experience and then move to the bigger leagues.

As Dale Jr. mentioned, the CARS Tour would be the first to return to the track, and he will be the first participant if the racing were ever to return. While the future of the track currently looks bleak, they might as well save it from demolition through strong business plans.