When NASCAR released the 2024 Cup Series calendar a few weeks ago, the community couldn’t contain their excitement about the return to a historic track. 2023 marked an exhilarating return to North Wilkesboro Speedway after 27 years for the All-Star race. The weekend saw Kyle Larson reign supreme over some of the best drivers in the Cup Series. Now, to fans’ delight, the iconic speedway to set to make a cameo in the schedule once again.

However, the resurrection of the mighty speedway placed in sunny North Carolina was made possible in part due to one of the sport’s most iconic drivers. With the confirmation that the All-Star weekend will be hosted by the Speedway once again in 2024, the president of Speedway Motorsports took fans on a trip down memory lane to share Dale Earnhardt Jr’s involvement with the track’s resurfacing a few years ago.

How did Dale Earnhardt Jr help North Wilkesboro Speedway restore its glory?

A track past its glory days, North Wilkesboro Speedway was in dire need of a makeover so it could continue its streak of hosting over 90 races before it shut down in 1996. Fortunately, the NASCAR community got their wish to see the 5/8 mile oval restored to its golden era. iRacing undertook the task of scanning the track surface so the iconic speedway could be immortalized in the digital world, for which the surface had to be repaved.

Reflecting on the time when Earnhardt Jr joined SMI President, Marcus Smith, to help the team repave the tarmac, Smith shared, “Four years ago today, a group of dedicated people cleaned up @NWBSpeedway with the goal of getting it ready to be scanned for @iRacing to digitally preserve it for future racers.” 

In a state that’s well-known for its humid summers and relatively warmer winters, the day Smith and Earnhardt Jr decided to help out was the polar opposite. The post included photos of Junior and Smith on street sweepers, with the president also sharing Junior’s interest in trimming the run-off areas! He shared, “Me and @DaleJr tried our skills at the string trimmers and the street sweepers, but we had no idea what would be accomplished in the months ahead … I’m looking forward to seeing everybody up there next year for the @NASCAR All-Star Race and the @CARSTour races!”

Earlier this year, Smith had also extended his gratitude to NASCAR and FOX Sports for helping with the return of North Wilkesboro for the All-Star Race in 2024. To boost the track’s long list of loyal fans, Smith expects the speedway to become a staple for NASCAR in the coming years once again.

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With the Speedway’s involvement in Earnhardt Jr’s CARS Tour series, it’s safe to say that the JR Motorsports boss’ involvement with its revival will pay off soon. Especially as Junior gears up to increase viewership for his beloved series. However, North Wilkesboro isn’t the only track on Earnhardt Jr’s mind as the veteran’s favorite track announced their bid to enter NASCAR once again following Wilkesboro’s success story.

It’s double the excitement for Earnhardt Jr

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When it comes to North Carolina’s love for race tracks, nothing beats the feeling of seeing not one, but two speedways being restored to their former glory, with the V8s echoing through each bend. Rockingham Speedway is receiving major funding from the Richmond County Board of Directors, with approximately $10 million in grants to extend their bid for a re-entry to NASCAR.

When Earnhardt Jr got wind of what was going on behind the scenes at Rockingham Speedway, he wasted no time in sharing his excitement. Taking to Twitter, Jr replied to Matt Weaver’s tweet about the ongoing renovations: “This is awesome to see progress here. I learned to love what a challenge this track was. Trucks, Xfinity, and even Cup hopefully return someday soon.”

With the 2024 calendar shaping up to include some of the fan’s all-time favorite tracks, the impression that North Wilkesboro’s revival has left on iconic drivers like Junior is a sign of great things to come.