Abandoning tracks like these is why Nascar is in the shape it is in.

Need to go back to short tracks like this

What a historic video. I miss these days of nascar

Sad that North Wilkesboro has been pretty much been in disrepair since the track closed. Had the owner never sold the track, who knows if they would had run in 97 and beyond or not, consider the track owner needed money, which was why he originally sold half of the ownership to Bruton Smith in the first place. However in the end, Mike Staley decided that money was more important that keeping the track, and sold it to Bob Bahre who owned New Hampshire International Speedway at the time. In short, what happened to North Wilkesboro wasn't NASCAR's fault. Only three people are to blame. Bruton Smith, Bob Bahre, and Mike Staley.

As sad as it is to see such a great track and an important piece of NASCAR history removed, it unfortunately was a victim of NASCAR's growth in the 90s,and sadly the Cup series simply outgrew it, if I had the money, I'd repair the track, and have it host Xfinity and Truck Series racing

Look at all the people in the stands. Look this weekend they are at least 60 70 percent empty. Good job nascar.

As a big NASCAR fan that is very very sad. Breaks my hart :-(

Coming back after 27 years.

Never say never. Looks like the track is back!

Thank you for sharing this.

I was there... Miss that track.. Went to my first winston cup race there in 1989..

And now we will finally see this track make a return

they need to bring back the old tracks and change the tracks that they changed back they way they used to be and bring to old cars like the lumina and the old late 70s and 80s cars

Go back in time just like they did with Darlington Raceway's throwback race. They need to turn back time. Make North Wilkesboro a dirt track again. Put it in the chase. Make them race for all they're worth on dirt for points in the chase. Make the races shorter. If they want to save the sport, they have to remember where they came from. Period. I only watch a hand full of races anymore. Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond, Texas, and Chicago. Oh and out of all of the races I watch, the big show isn't even a Nascar points race... It is the Prelude to the Dream on the dirt. I think this is what they need to do with NWB. That would be huge if Monster Energy, Goodyear, and a few other big time sponsors stepped up to the plate and turned back the clock. How awesome would that be seriously. To see these guys racing like moonshiners on a short track for big money and chase points? I'd drive there to see it! And I haven't been to a race since Dale Sr. died at Daytona. The fans should ask for it!

Wow... I miss the days when REAL drivers were racing. Gordon and Martin are the last of this generation of drivers.

I absolutely LOVE the way the cars looked back then..they should bring these model cars back for 1 race, or the 86 monte carlo

It’s back!!

@Phil24MAD I wouldn't say that's necessarily 100% true, we've still got Martinsville, Bristol, and Richmond. But yes, this was a fantastic track and is sorely missed. This and North Carolina Speedway.

I miss that paint scheme on Gordon's car. Idk if it was because it was the scheme he won 80% of his races in or something else but he was more intimidating in that car.

A truck race or maybe even a xfinity race would do really well at this track

And Stewart. Ol' Smoke is just sick. He's so good.

@camdisco24 Jeff Burton, Bill Elliott, Geoff Bodine, Bobby Labonte, and Terry Labonte too.

@camdisco24 Ricky Rudd was also a fantastic short track driver as well, but the obvious oversight is Rusty Wallace. Short track season used to be his Christmas.

Just seeing tracks taking away all of the seats these days makes me wonder why they had to leave tracks like Wilkesboro and Rockingham. Sometimes things do not go well when you bite the hand that feeds you....that is coming home to roost now for NASCAR.

the good ole days

So sad i miss coming here :( :(

Yep you said it greed the hell with nascar.

After playing NR2003, I can see why there aren't many short tracks on the schedule anymore.

And it wasn't for bankrupt, we would have more historic mental and close finishes and GREAT RACING FOR THE FANS, SO LETS SAVE THE SPEEDWAY!!!!!

yeah wilkes!

Some great racing at that place shame to see it go

I only go to short track races, richmond is as close as you can get to north wilkesboro but with nascar back at Rockingham I feel within 20 years we may see it back at northwilkesboro

RIP Dale Earnhardt, Benny Parsons... Bill Brodrick, Brooke Gordon, no more Nascar.......

Fontana, Kanas, Kentucky FTW!

vice land brought me here...WOW time flys...Winston cup....was that the Kodak car???? R.I.P #3 :(

This is exactly the kind of track NASCAR needs now instead of another cookie cutter

i wish theyd open this track back up

jk would have liked to see I race here. Would also like to see Iowa in the Cup Series. That track is awesome.

@glynnracing79 I'll do you one better...the guys that finished in the top 5 are all real racecar drivers, doing well at a real NASCAR track. I love Jeff Gordon, but I mean Earnhardt, Wallace, Labonte, Burton, Martin, etc. all real drivers. Especially the two guys up front :]

I loved it when they didn't feel the need to do a burnout after every win.....

@Phil24MAD It wasn't up to nascar really, the track owner sold the track and the new owners ( who owned other biggers tracks ) closed this track to move the dates to there other tracks.

im only 17 bit i agree ive seen alot of 1990's nascar races and in my min 1995 through 2004 were the best cars like monte carlos. btw why take this track away? GO Jeff gordon drive for 5!

The right guy with enough money could buy this place and turn it into a 3/8th's mile dirt track. Tons of seats to fill, they could have some great races there.

@Phil24MAD I love watching short tracks! Sick of those boring cookie cutter tracks!

@partyboyrockstar and texas motor speedway

@partyboyrockstar they couldnt get enough fans

ISC International speedway corp. is owned by the France family. Which means NASCAR owns about half of all the tracks

Yeah, in a real race car too.

They dont even have to come every year, a race once in awhile would be great. Not sure why we have to visit the same ol tracks every year... take a race away from Pocono and give it to Rockingham.. take a race from Loudon and give it to NW.. Those 2 tracks do not need 2 dates

Grizzly Adams at 4:02

How big was this track? 'Cause it looks SUPER short. NASCAR should've kept coming to this track, 'cause the new cars would be perfect for this place.

a real race car driver winning at a real track.

thing is people like me are not interested in watching 43 cars go 500 miles anymore. I prefer short track racing because thats where it all began.

@partyboyrockstar Humpy Wheeler and greed

Why did they have to eliminate this track?

@partyboyrockstar Because Nascar was getting ready to expand across the country. Facilities were not the greatest at NW.

I always think what if the cup guys raced at Iowa, it would be too cool.

@partyboyrockstar greed

I am appalled at what NASCAR has become.

THIS IS WHEN NASCAR WAS A REAL and a JOY TO WATCH. nascar needs to go back to some of there founding tracks. In stead of there cookie cutter bullshit tracks where only a few teams can win. Anyone who is a long time nascar fan KINOWS i am right.

If I had money, I would buy NW Speedway and fix 'er up in a heartbeat

Only 37 cars took the start?.

Sad that historic tracks get moth balled. Like so many dirt tracks especially outlaws in the midwest that were threatened or disappeared. Just sucks. Hopefully some will be resurrected.

sadly, short tracks just don't interest NASCAR anymore :-(

nah bruton smith sadly bud

i recently visited the track a couple weeks ago... its sad to see how it has it has fallen apart. they don't even race local races or anything there. It just sits and rots away. To the people who bought the speedway just to take it off the schedule, fuck you. This track was 100 times more entertaining than Texas or New Hampshire, the tracks that replaced the spots.

it makes no sense.dover,bristol,martinsville,phoenix,ne hampshire,darlington all sell out or sell alot of the seats.california,vegas and all those big tracks cant sell crap worth of seats.fans want side by side racing not strung out boring racing.

@glynnracing79 DUDE YOU HIT RIGHT ON WITH YOUR COMMENT. If nascar gets rid of tracks liKE Bristol, martinsville, richmond IM DONE AS A FAN. REAL RACING HAPPENS ON SMALL TRACKS WERE MOST TEAMS HAVE A CHANCE. BRING BACK WILKS, THOMPSON, ROCKINGHAM, CORPRUTT NASCAR SUCKS.

@partyboyrockstar so we can watch them race at pathetic tracks like pocono and michigan twice a year

Wow, tomorrow from when I publish this comment will be 23 years since this race. Sad. If I were wealthy I would want to start a group of investors to buy and save this track from Bruton Smith. This place was a local economic powerhouse, and it is clear everyone still loves the place. Think of the business opportunities here.

@partyboyrockstar greed like phil said as a fan im real sick of corprutt nascar. it sucks not the same.

wow the rainbow warriors seem so happy to win... hahaha

I don't understand why Gordon won. Why didn't nascar through a debris caution with two to go. Then line them up double file so Earnhardt and Gordon could crash and Dale Jarret could win. I thought that was what racing is. I don't know what this is.

Blame who you want for this disaster of abandoning a staple of the sport, but one thing is for sure, NASCAR lost A LOT of fans when this and other tracks went to those stupid super speedways.

Jeff Gordon was a cheater and a cry baby

There's a twitter account for North Wilksboro, it's called (@savethespeedway) they do race there but I think it's only for model racing

Plus I wish it wasn't bankrupt