There needs to be a movie about this, it literally has all the characteristics - An introduction, slow build to the top, a golden era, a betrayal, and a comeback story.
Agreed, I've been to many races, and never felt like I did when I did walking into the track and looking out and seeing life back on a track that was left to die
Hey Slap, thank you for recognizing Bright Sun Films contribution to the track. The latest update video we did just recently I helped out with research wise. I go for all of us at BSF when I say thank you so very much.
As a resident of WNC, just two counties over from Wilkes, I sincerely appreciate the effort that you, and many others put into seeing this wonderful track return. I didn't get to go for the all star race, but having a potential cup track closer than Charlotte or Bristol, that also has a strong local presence as well, makes me so happy. Thanks, S1ap, and everyone from Jr to Smith who helped this happen.
To see North Wilkesboro back is wonderful! As a North Carolina native, I’ve wanted this track to be repaired for years. I couldn’t be happier to see it back in action.
The contrast between what the track looked like in Stapleton’s video, and now? Insane. I’m so happy they kept a lot of stuff original… I know it was probably more for cost cutting than a genuine retro-enthusiast thing, but still… I just love how everything looked in the 70’s-80’s-90’s. The styling of the interior of the towers hit me right in the feels, and I’m a young guy.
In this day and age, small town middle class America getting such a major dub like this is nothing short of a miracle. I don't care if the race was underwhelming because it was so much more than a race. Long live the North Wilkesboro Speedway
Racing coming back to Wilkesboro brought my grandmother to tears. It's such an iconic location for folks in WNC. I hope to take my daughter there in the years to come.
I was there. No matter what else happens I can always say I was there when North Wilkesboro came back. I can't begin to describe the energy at that place during the pre-race for the Cup race on Sunday evening. It was as if 27 years of frustration, angst, disappointment, and hope all exploded into a massive wave of excitement and joy. It didn't matter that the race kinda stunk. North Wilkesboro is back!
@@pierce324 I hope so. Excitement for the venue can only carry it so long before it will take exciting racing to keep butts in seats. I drove over 8h one way to get there, but likely won't do it again, at least not right away. If NWS starts putting on bangers that will go a long way
I am an Audio Engineer contracted for SMI Properties, worked North Wilkesboro all week as the Audio Tech. Spent much of Sunday standing on the roof. Needless to say, thanks for this video.
I remember watching the All Star race on TV. It was actually pretty good if you ask me. Sure it wasn't close quarters, beating and banging short track racing as usual, but at least it was clean. And honestly, as a Serbian NASCAR fan, I loved it. I wish NASCAR keeps it for decades if not centuries.
I'm italian and I have discovered North Wilkesboro on NR2003 back in 2020 completely random since I was still pretty new to NASCAR. I was trying to make my own season on the Cup90, and the schedule required the install of North Wilkesboro, that's where I've got acknowledged of the track. I found it a cool track immediately, got informed about the story of the circuit and felt that it was a shame to keep it in that status. I was really happy when they have announced the comeback in the NASCAR schedule, but I was already happy with the Late Model revival and this immense crowd on the standings. When I see an oval full of people I have always goosebumps, not gonna lie. So happy to see North Wilkesboro back. Now it's time to think at Nashville Fairgrounds!
I was born in 1997, never even heard of North Wilkesboro. Moved to North Carolina in 2007. Heard a bit about it. Then I attended the first race back in 2010. I fell in love and felt like a piece of the track was with me. I’ve now been to every single race at North Wilkesboro since it reopened in 2010. I always believed deep down inside it would come back some day. At face value after the 2010’s failure and extreme overgrowth, I thought NWB was dead and gone forever. But I still believed. I still had hope even when trees were growing through the stands and the buildings collapsing. I went to college right up the road from the track. Every time I went home for a weekend and came back I would always take the exit and drive around the property to see how it was doing. Even broke in once after I called Paul Call but his wife answered and was pissed. Even the days I didn’t take the exit and drove right by, I’d roll my window down, rain, shine, or cold, and put a 3 in the air. I loved this place. When it was announced it was coming back last year I was like a little kid in a candy store. I bought season tickets as soon as I could. The races in August 2022 gave me butterflies with how much the crowd turned out. Then NASCAR announced it was coming back and I was beside myself. It was more than I ever dreamed of. I can’t wait for what is in store for my track
As a person who doesn't follow stock car racing as much as other forms of motorsport (I blame NASCAR's leadership lately), you have no idea how happy I am for you folks. This should never have been left to rot. Glad as hell it got brought back.
In a world where common decency seems so uncommon, where there seems to be an unrelenting barrage of bad news and sad news, the story of North Wilkesboro's comeback feels damned good to hear.
I was there, I was shocked it returned, I made sure my dad went with me as he used to bring me as a child there in the 90s and he was there at the very last race so it was only fitting he be at the first. I was excited to see people there and had hopes for a crowd, but I did not expect over 90% full capacity for a truck race! The city did an outstanding job with traffic and transportation from the ex-Lowes headquarters to the track was smooth and easy. As we walked across the bridge over 421 cars were honking at us, and to no surprise the trucks put on a show. It was an old school racing experience at a short track; the leaders ran away and the mid pack raced hard from lap 1 to 200. We sat in turn 1 and that was the best spot IMO. We saw a lot of trucks going 3 wide and a lot of passing every lap. Money well spent.
Damn this is f*cking great ! Love that it’s back ! I live in belgium , so it doesnt matter to me , but seeing a very oldschool (and founding) track beeing brought back is awesome ! Things like this is what the sport needs to make it popular again i think
I think it’s incredibly fitting and pretty ironic that Texas Motor Speedway took away North Wilkesboro Speedway’s date on the cup schedule. And then more than 20 years later, North Wilkesboro steals Texas’ cup series date right back.
SMI has a ten year plan for the track completed and have communicated it to local Wilkes County officials but it’s not ready to be announced just yet. Possibly taking the place of Bristol on Easter Sunday.
Believing a 10 year plan with SMI is solid until the 10 year plan is over. Regardless, its up to Wilkes County to revitalize by attracting racing spectators to nearby stores and bringing in/growing tier 2 businesses to support itself.
This makes me so happy. I've known the story of North Wilkesboro Speedway and how it was just kind of cast aside to rot in spite of the fact it was a beloved home track for many people, but I didn't know about the developments over the last year or two. Sometimes the good guys win.
My old man and I drove up from near Mobile, AL. Came for the whole weekend and had an absolute blast. I grew up at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola and being at NWS felt like I was watching NASCAR at Five Flags. Can't wait until next year, I'm praying for a points race.
What a Modern American Story. One would have never believed until the day the track reopened. That this was possible. And even at that point. For it to not only look nicer than it did its last ten years of operation. But to have a Cup race, again. It gave us fans such hope in what seems to be hopeless days.
I love how involved in the RUclips community you are. Not just NASCAR RUclips. I can hear the Emplemon and Jet Neptune influence. Also the call out to Bright Sun Films. I've been watching him for 6 years now. He does an excellent job.
@@anaveragejoehanginground I genuinely think Boisian style documentaries will be a highly studied genre and phenomenon a few decades from now, when Internet videos are taken seriously as an art form, just like it took a few decades for films to be seen as a serious art form. It'll be studied by academics at universities, how Jon Bois will be seen as the Sergei Eisenstein of Internet documentaries. Because Bois' influence goes so far and wide, basically every great youtuber counts him as one of their main influences. Emplemon's whole channel is Boisian documentaries, and he freely admits that. And you've got people like Bobby Broccoli making Boisian documentaries but about science instead of sports. And you've got channels like this one, Slapshoes, showing so much influence of this type of documentary. Seriously just pay attention and watch a lot of great youtubers and you see Jon Bois' influence everywhere. In a few decades when the academics will be millenials who spent our teen and early adult years addicted to RUclips, the art form will be taken seriously, and Jon Bois will be the most studied artist within the genre. It may sound daft now, but I really think this will happen. People thought it was daft at first to take movies seriously as an artform, until the great artists like the early soviet filmmakers and the German filmmakers etc advanced the art form and made it a serious venture, invented things like the montage, and so on. Boisian documentaries are everywhere you look on RUclips when you pay attention. I don't think even he himself realises how much influence he's had on the Internet and art in general.
The story of North Wilkesboro is so similar to a track here in the UK called Odsal Stadium in Bradford. The stadium opened in 1933 on a former landfill for the local rugby league team the Bradford Bulls. Motorcycle speedway started racing on a track built around the rugby pitch in 1945 up to 1960 before leaving. Stockcar racing was introduced in the UK in April 1954 with the first event at Odsal taking place one month later. The stadium hosted four events in 1954 and two in 1955 before stockcar racing ceased at the venue for nearly 20 years. Over that 20 years span, the top stock car class in the UK transformed itself into BriSCA Formula One stock cars. By the mid-70s these cars no longer have resembled street cars and were more akin to a modified crossed with a sprint car. The F1 stock cars return to Odsal in 1975, with a new steel plate fence around the track and railway sleepers, protecting the rugby pitch on the centre. In 1977, Odsal got, it’s big break when Stuart Bamforth purchase for promoting rights to Odsal Stadium, and at this time, he was the reigning world champion. Stuart retired from racing and immediately converted the track to asphalt and started to promote the stadium as one of the top tracks in the country with all of the U.K.’s top drivers, wanting to compete. In the early 1980s the tracks owners who were the local council akin to local government in the states completed a major refurbishment of the stadium including aspects for stockcar racing. The biggest thing for a Stockcars was the introduction of a second access road to the pits. This one change meant after races cars could join the track for the next race while the cars from the previous race could leave track on a separate road, dramatically speeding up events. In 1985, the FIM selected the track to house the 1985 motorcycle speedway World Championship which resulted in the track being converted to dirt. That same year the track also hosted the BriSCA Formula One stockcar World Championship event. Even today one race from that fateful day is still talked about, the Dash for Cash race. Stuart Smith, who had won the world championship early that night, went from the back of the grid in 10 laps to win £1000 with a video of that brilliant race on RUclips. During this time the stadium went from strength to strength. However, trouble was around the corner in 1993, when stock car drivers weng on strike. The strike only lasted a month but put the sport back for over a decade as driver, numbers, and spectator, numbers fell almost overnight. With dwindling crowd and driver numbers at the end of 1995, Stuart Bamforth sold the promoting rights to Rees, a recently retired driver, who had just began to to promote other tracks around the country. Around the same time, the local authority was looking into demolishing the stadium to build a Superdome but the plan did not include speedway or stock cars. At the end of 1997 it was confirmed the new project was to commence shortly and that stock cars and speedway would be hosting their last events By the early 2000s, no construction had happened, and the project was shelved. The armco stayed at the track but the dirt surface was removed and the rugby pitch widened into the track. in 2002 to Steve Rees applied for, and was granted planning permission to host Stockcar racing again however talks with the council and Bradford Bulls rugby team never came to any success. Matters were made worse at the end of the 2000 when the Bradford Bulls, who were in their own financial trouble, removed the Armco fencing at the track and weighed it in for scrap. During this time, it was commonplace for stock car fans over the Internet to discuss if the stadium would return. By this point most fans were of the opinion that it was never going to come back but a few small loyal supporters of the stadium kept pushing with regular events from 2015 onwards, taking place at the stadium during rugby matches promoting the stadiums former stock car heritage. In 2019 the rugby team was in financial trouble and left the stadium due to the cost of maintenance for the stadium. Having no use now it looked like a very likely chance that the stadium would be demolished, during this time, Steve Rees, who kept renewing his planning permission to host at events at the site, began a plan. Behind-the-scenes talks took place with the stadium management, the rugby league and rugby team and at the start of 2020. It was announced that Odsal Stadium would return in 2021. Once Covid restrictions relaxed in the UK in the summer of 2020, work began on the stadium, refurbishing it after nearly 2 years without being used and 23 without racing. Originally planned for April 2021, but delayed due to UK. Covid restrictions stockcar racing return to Odsal Stadium in May 2021, with the rugby team returning the same month. It was also announced that in the stadium’s first season back it would host the 2021 world championship final once again. Since reopening the stadium has gone from strength to strength.
I was never a Jr fan... Until he led the fight for getting Wilkesboro on IRacing and he won me over. He forever has my gratitude for that. I do wish you had gone in to the iracing part a little more including what happened in 2020. With no other live sports on TV nascar drivers doing *something* was a big deal and generated buzz, and then we got to finally see a glimmer of the return to North Wilkesboro. I'm grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.
There’s no fizzle here, I am a huge NASCAR fan and I watch all 3 major touring series race every weekend, all season. I have done so for more than 20 years. I am very grateful to all of the people who had a large or a small part in bringing back North Wilkesboro - each of you know who you are. i agree that the Cup Series All-Star race wasn’t as good as the Truck Series race was that weekend in May 2023, but you correctly mentioned that is due to the Next Gen car, and not due to the track. Thank you again for bringing this track back for the fans, we appreciate it more than words can say.
I was there for the whole weekend. When I drove by the place on 421 on Friday afternoon, and saw the campers, banners, and people instead of the track decay that I had got used to for most of my life, it brought a tear to my eye. The track actually came back to life! It was the first time I spent a whole weekend at a NASCAR event, and it was a ton of fun. I felt SMI did it right. I plan to come back as long as they keep holding races there. Thanks to you as one of the RUclipsrs who kept the conversation going, and to the powers that be that made the track come back. I cannot be more grateful.
We made the trip from Texas, we had an absolute wonderful vacation in Wilkes County. 99.99% of the people we encountered (i would say 100% but the guy next to us was a lil to drunk for his own good and completely ruined a fun night for the couple sitting behind him bc he felt the need to stand the whole race) we're very nice and friendly. We got suggestions of places to eat at that were all fantastic. The hauler parade through town was a site to see as well. Took us an hour to get out of the parking lot after the all star race (we had parking right in front of the main gate entry) but that just allowed to visit more people. Definitely would recommend checking the track and area to anyone and everyone.
As an NC native, growing up hearing the stories about North wilkesboro, i was dying to go but it was dead,and hearing how impossible it was to get the track back up definitely didnt help, id never thought id get to experience it, but i did, i was standing on the track in the evening during the summer late model races of 2022 realizing one of the things i thought id never get to do was happening, i could feel the energy and it was powerful, i was walking were legends had walked, one of my childhood dreams had been fulfilled
My fellow South Carolinian and Greenville resident, this video put a Joker smile on my face and congratulations on your channel for blowing up after the Air Base Speedway video
S1ap and Dale Jr. Pushed for North Wilkesboro to Return to the Cup Schedule and by God it happend. Thank you Guys !!! Now this is what should happen and this is something that Y'all Will Love, for the Month of September: Throwback Swing at the Carolina's, Sunday 6 pm ET • Southern 500 @ Darlington (Labor Day Sunday) • Rockingham 400 @ Rockingham (A Week Later) • Wilkes County 400 @ North Wilkesboro (A Week Later)
Man, I wish I had the money to go to these! Would be awesome...I hope that these events are appreciated a bit more now that everyone knows how important they are not just to NASCAR, but to the local communities and small business owners as well.
I loved every second there; drove 14 hours from NY to spend every minute away from our hotel at the track for the 3-day package. At some points, we were happy just sitting in the car soaking up some AC and listening to the radio. It was such a simple vacation and it was such a monumental comeback for a venue. It was way more than just a race - like many of the comments here, the collective experience was just unforgettable. Totally agree with your closer; the atmosphere was great, and everyone was happy to be there. Loved it! Great video.
North Wilksboros people and their track and the people like you slapshoes, who didn't give up. Knew that a little bit of the "good ole days" needs to stay. This track is a microcosm of the world and what any single person can do with the determination to never Gove up. I remember watching the last race and the first race back...and I finally love Nascar again. I'll keep with Nascar if they keep listening to and working for the past and their fans. Thanks for your part slapshoes. And especially thank you to everyone who helped in their own little or big way.
I’m a Canadian short track racer and “the race” had interest all over Canada and the US we almost drove down to watch the race ended up renting the race online (first time I ever remember that being a option)
YES!! I found your channel on the airway speedway video. And I had a little bit of hope for the track on your video and Dale doing the iRace scan. Prayers do get answered in time.🤘🏻
This whole process has been so satisfying to watch, started watching your channel properly in 2020 and started getting really into NASCAR in 2022, learning about this history of not only the track but the surrounding Wilkes county having the track come back to life and also taking away a date from Texas Motor Speedway is also too goddamn perfect
I remember watching your videos on North Wilkesboro and Rockingham (North Carolina Motor Speedway) thinking it was so sad that they were literally being reclaimed by Mother Nature. Thanks for doing your part in the revival of this track S1apSh0es and I hope we can get Rockingham revived and back on the schedule someday.
I went and saw this track around 2019 in person, bought an atv in wilksboro. I cannot believe this happened. It's amazing what people can do when they get together.
I remember that trilogy you did. It's what got me to sub to your channel and actually planning to go to Richmond for a race. Happy you got to do a little to help out!
You guys don't watch much short track racing. There are lots of smaller tracks that will have one guy dominate. When Gordon won the last race there, he led most of the laps and kind of did what Larson did. At a small track like this, if a driver/team nail the set up and have the skill, they will often drive away. Heaven forbid we don't have 12 crashes and 8 GWCs
Airbase speedway is the video that introduced me to your channel I'm from upstate South Carolina also seeing my local area on RUclips has been awesome to see
Glad to see it return and I'm not even a Nascar fan but this could be treated as a lesson to every racing league/discipline and that is to never throw away legacy circuits from the schedule like its nothing.
I'm glad i've been here long enough to say... "Man... I was there when he asked us for help". S1ap... You were one of the few who can say "I personally saved North Wilkesboro".
Watching the races there that weekend was surreal A track that seemed more like a lost legend can back and put on great races(except for cup but tbh it wasn’t horrible just nascars short track package) Feels so good that the track has returned
It's very refreshing to see your point of view on this topic compared to your friend eric's. I started watching you When that air base speedway Trilogy came out, And got obsessed with the north wilkesboro video. I visited a few times and then found out that it was coming back. Glad to have been part of that historical moment. Keep up the good.
After 76 years of being open my local track Rockford Speedway was sold so now it can become a parking lot or new commerce building's etc. I am 45 now but even today walking up to the ticket booth this final season still gives me the same exciting feeling i had as kid on a summer Saturday Nite with my popcorn and checkered flag in hand ready to watch great racing!!🏁😥
As a NC native (Rockingham now Boone) its amazing to see it back. I do think your original video played a part in it. That must feel crazy man. Love your content ❤ Hopefully we get Rockingham back soon too ❤❤❤
Awesome. Just purely amazing. This story, the way it unfolded; this deserves a serious sports documentary. So much nostalgia, and a glimmer of positivity overall.
The racing could’ve been better yes. But we were all happy to have it back. It’s my goal I make it next year to this track. She deserved the third chance, and she got it. A better car package on cup and can see this track being absolutely amazing
You can hear the pride in you voice. At least you did your part. We know you did . And look how it turned out. The amount of time you spend turning out these wonderful, indepth vids for us is remarkable and trruly appreciated. You have made a difference and been an influence. Good man !
I love this! I need to go check out a race there. I've been following this since your first video. I've watched all of the dirt tracks here in East Texas go away, along with drag racing. I've also noticed the decline of NASCAR, and it seems that this was in large part due to trying so hard to gain new fans that they alienated their "bread and butter". We see a lot of this currently. Glad to see someone making an effort to revive this track, and in function bringing OG fans back to the forefront.
Perfect perfect perfect as always. Nothing beats a slap video. The best part of my month is having a quality mini doc to enjoy about my favorite sports
Thank You, S1ap, I think you have been one of the most instrumental forces in the long awaited return of this Historic Original Old nASScar legend that we call North Wilkesboro. I just wish I had been able to attend it's Grand Re-opening in person, but at 79 years of age and not in the best of health, I had to settle for watching it on the Tube. Thanks again for all your amazing content. God Bless and stay safe.
tears came to my eyes when i watched this race happen. the race aside, this track deserves to have life. the people of wilkes county deserve their speedway.
Totally worth the entire set of laps for that day alone, and having learnt the history of this place, I can humbly say, Welcome Home North Wilkesboro Speedway!
As a local to the track and wanting it back since it left when I was just a child. It is amazing to see racing back here and what a blast that whole week was. Don’t forget to come see the modifieds in September.
North Wilkesboro's revival is such a good story. It would be so cool if NASCAR legends pooled their money together to save, bring back, or maybe even build new tracks!
It’s wild that I started watching you with the airbase speedy, and saw the north wilksbourough video as it released and then the track opening. GG slapshoes
I had a fun time there. I went to ses the truck race that saturday. My sister got tickets for her, my father, and I to go. She was really interested in it because she had spent months making a story for a tv station she works at. Was cool see some of the drivers she managed to get on for interviews about it. Admittedly bummed about who won the race, was hoping for one of the non cup drivers to win
There is a fantastic book about how the moonshiners became the foundation that founded NASCAR. It's called "Racing With The Devil" by Neal Thompson. Highly recommended. Though I am sure that plenty of NASCAR officials would prefer that the shiner's contributions not be known.
I agree with some folks here to say YOU started this snowball rolling!! I actually started watching your channel at the end of the pandemic (I also got into rc cars at the same time). I've seen all you videos multiple times and love the message and info you put on here!! Keep it up!!!
Watching the qualifying, practice, heat races, and then the main event itself was so surreal. I remember when I first learned about the track I clamored for it's return but always felt like a distant dream
HEYYY me and my friends are breifly in the shot at 14:16, standing by the gates to get in. Im in the red Dale Jr shirt and white hat. Thats pretty cool
I'm from NC and have family in Wilkesboro, this track returning from the dead has been incredibly exciting. Also, thank you for pronouncing "Appalachian" correctly.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
There needs to be a movie about this, it literally has all the characteristics - An introduction, slow build to the top, a golden era, a betrayal, and a comeback story.
With Bruton Smith as the absolute villain.
Definitely need a 30 for 30 about this track
Definitely a 30 for 30!
They shouldn't have sold the track.
Or a full-length documentary
Being there was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had at a racetrack.
Yes. Such an awesome weekend that I’ll never forget
Amen was a borderline religious experince for a NASCAR fan
God i would have killed to be there i can only imagine just how much electricity was in the air and the vibes! It had to be incredible
Agreed, I've been to many races, and never felt like I did when I did walking into the track and looking out and seeing life back on a track that was left to die
@@DoubleTeaMedia it was. Everyone was happy an no complaining or bitching. Just happy to be there
Crazy to think that just 5 years ago, this would've been seen as impossible
3 years ago even.
anythings possibleeeee! :)
Crazy things happen in crazy times!
Bright Sun Films 🤝 Dale Earnhardt Jr 🤝 S1apshoes
Bringing back North Wilkesboro
To this day I credit you as the one who started the process. With your video about the "worst decision NASCAR has ever made"
While that’s a good thought the process was started long before then by Dale Jr and Marcus Smith talking but the video certainly helped I’m sure.
@@TracksideViews the millions in taxpayer dollars helped also..lol
Pretty sure it was the community of iRacing that pushed to have it scanned
It got younger people invested in the idea.
However, it was save the speedway efforts aswell as dale jr that saved the track.
Plus the community there REALLY WANTED it back. It took a lot of players to bring it back.
Hey Slap, thank you for recognizing Bright Sun Films contribution to the track. The latest update video we did just recently I helped out with research wise. I go for all of us at BSF when I say thank you so very much.
As a sub since Abandoned #1 i hope you guys keep up the great work
As a resident of WNC, just two counties over from Wilkes, I sincerely appreciate the effort that you, and many others put into seeing this wonderful track return. I didn't get to go for the all star race, but having a potential cup track closer than Charlotte or Bristol, that also has a strong local presence as well, makes me so happy. Thanks, S1ap, and everyone from Jr to Smith who helped this happen.
To see North Wilkesboro back is wonderful! As a North Carolina native, I’ve wanted this track to be repaired for years. I couldn’t be happier to see it back in action.
The contrast between what the track looked like in Stapleton’s video, and now? Insane. I’m so happy they kept a lot of stuff original… I know it was probably more for cost cutting than a genuine retro-enthusiast thing, but still… I just love how everything looked in the 70’s-80’s-90’s. The styling of the interior of the towers hit me right in the feels, and I’m a young guy.
In this day and age, small town middle class America getting such a major dub like this is nothing short of a miracle. I don't care if the race was underwhelming because it was so much more than a race. Long live the North Wilkesboro Speedway
Racing coming back to Wilkesboro brought my grandmother to tears. It's such an iconic location for folks in WNC. I hope to take my daughter there in the years to come.
I was there. No matter what else happens I can always say I was there when North Wilkesboro came back. I can't begin to describe the energy at that place during the pre-race for the Cup race on Sunday evening. It was as if 27 years of frustration, angst, disappointment, and hope all exploded into a massive wave of excitement and joy. It didn't matter that the race kinda stunk. North Wilkesboro is back!
The racing will definitely get better too! They’re still figuring the cup stuff out there, I’m sure it can only get better from there!
@@pierce324 I hope so. Excitement for the venue can only carry it so long before it will take exciting racing to keep butts in seats. I drove over 8h one way to get there, but likely won't do it again, at least not right away. If NWS starts putting on bangers that will go a long way
I liked seeing Larson take everyone to school. Wheelman
Imagine telling someone in 2012 that the way back for North Wilkesboro Speedway to Cup was through a pandemic and video game.
Thank you for giving Bright Sun Films his props too. Been killing the abandoned stuff for years at this point!
I am an Audio Engineer contracted for SMI Properties, worked North Wilkesboro all week as the Audio Tech. Spent much of Sunday standing on the roof. Needless to say, thanks for this video.
I remember watching the All Star race on TV. It was actually pretty good if you ask me. Sure it wasn't close quarters, beating and banging short track racing as usual, but at least it was clean. And honestly, as a Serbian NASCAR fan, I loved it. I wish NASCAR keeps it for decades if not centuries.
I'm italian and I have discovered North Wilkesboro on NR2003 back in 2020 completely random since I was still pretty new to NASCAR. I was trying to make my own season on the Cup90, and the schedule required the install of North Wilkesboro, that's where I've got acknowledged of the track. I found it a cool track immediately, got informed about the story of the circuit and felt that it was a shame to keep it in that status. I was really happy when they have announced the comeback in the NASCAR schedule, but I was already happy with the Late Model revival and this immense crowd on the standings. When I see an oval full of people I have always goosebumps, not gonna lie.
So happy to see North Wilkesboro back. Now it's time to think at Nashville Fairgrounds!
I was born in 1997, never even heard of North Wilkesboro. Moved to North Carolina in 2007. Heard a bit about it. Then I attended the first race back in 2010. I fell in love and felt like a piece of the track was with me. I’ve now been to every single race at North Wilkesboro since it reopened in 2010. I always believed deep down inside it would come back some day. At face value after the 2010’s failure and extreme overgrowth, I thought NWB was dead and gone forever. But I still believed. I still had hope even when trees were growing through the stands and the buildings collapsing. I went to college right up the road from the track. Every time I went home for a weekend and came back I would always take the exit and drive around the property to see how it was doing. Even broke in once after I called Paul Call but his wife answered and was pissed. Even the days I didn’t take the exit and drove right by, I’d roll my window down, rain, shine, or cold, and put a 3 in the air. I loved this place. When it was announced it was coming back last year I was like a little kid in a candy store. I bought season tickets as soon as I could. The races in August 2022 gave me butterflies with how much the crowd turned out. Then NASCAR announced it was coming back and I was beside myself. It was more than I ever dreamed of. I can’t wait for what is in store for my track
As a person who doesn't follow stock car racing as much as other forms of motorsport (I blame NASCAR's leadership lately), you have no idea how happy I am for you folks. This should never have been left to rot. Glad as hell it got brought back.
Hopefully more abandoned short tracks in America can be revived
Can almost see the smile on S1ap's face hearing him say "we are so back," :)
In a world where common decency seems so uncommon, where there seems to be an unrelenting barrage of bad news and sad news, the story of North Wilkesboro's comeback feels damned good to hear.
I was there, I was shocked it returned, I made sure my dad went with me as he used to bring me as a child there in the 90s and he was there at the very last race so it was only fitting he be at the first. I was excited to see people there and had hopes for a crowd, but I did not expect over 90% full capacity for a truck race! The city did an outstanding job with traffic and transportation from the ex-Lowes headquarters to the track was smooth and easy. As we walked across the bridge over 421 cars were honking at us, and to no surprise the trucks put on a show. It was an old school racing experience at a short track; the leaders ran away and the mid pack raced hard from lap 1 to 200. We sat in turn 1 and that was the best spot IMO. We saw a lot of trucks going 3 wide and a lot of passing every lap. Money well spent.
Damn this is f*cking great ! Love that it’s back ! I live in belgium , so it doesnt matter to me , but seeing a very oldschool (and founding) track beeing brought back is awesome ! Things like this is what the sport needs to make it popular again i think
I think it’s incredibly fitting and pretty ironic that Texas Motor Speedway took away North Wilkesboro Speedway’s date on the cup schedule. And then more than 20 years later, North Wilkesboro steals Texas’ cup series date right back.
SMI has a ten year plan for the track completed and have communicated it to local Wilkes County officials but it’s not ready to be announced just yet. Possibly taking the place of Bristol on Easter Sunday.
Believing a 10 year plan with SMI is solid until the 10 year plan is over. Regardless, its up to Wilkes County to revitalize by attracting racing spectators to nearby stores and bringing in/growing tier 2 businesses to support itself.
Do you have a source for that? I'd love to read it.
I have been to a race here in the early 90’s. I’m so glad to see it back and a functional race track again.
This makes me so happy. I've known the story of North Wilkesboro Speedway and how it was just kind of cast aside to rot in spite of the fact it was a beloved home track for many people, but I didn't know about the developments over the last year or two. Sometimes the good guys win.
My old man and I drove up from near Mobile, AL. Came for the whole weekend and had an absolute blast. I grew up at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola and being at NWS felt like I was watching NASCAR at Five Flags. Can't wait until next year, I'm praying for a points race.
What a Modern American Story. One would have never believed until the day the track reopened. That this was possible. And even at that point. For it to not only look nicer than it did its last ten years of operation. But to have a Cup race, again.
It gave us fans such hope in what seems to be hopeless days.
I love how involved in the RUclips community you are. Not just NASCAR RUclips. I can hear the Emplemon and Jet Neptune influence. Also the call out to Bright Sun Films. I've been watching him for 6 years now. He does an excellent job.
You forgot the reference in the title about sb nation
@@anaveragejoehanginground I genuinely think Boisian style documentaries will be a highly studied genre and phenomenon a few decades from now, when Internet videos are taken seriously as an art form, just like it took a few decades for films to be seen as a serious art form. It'll be studied by academics at universities, how Jon Bois will be seen as the Sergei Eisenstein of Internet documentaries. Because Bois' influence goes so far and wide, basically every great youtuber counts him as one of their main influences. Emplemon's whole channel is Boisian documentaries, and he freely admits that. And you've got people like Bobby Broccoli making Boisian documentaries but about science instead of sports. And you've got channels like this one, Slapshoes, showing so much influence of this type of documentary.
Seriously just pay attention and watch a lot of great youtubers and you see Jon Bois' influence everywhere. In a few decades when the academics will be millenials who spent our teen and early adult years addicted to RUclips, the art form will be taken seriously, and Jon Bois will be the most studied artist within the genre.
It may sound daft now, but I really think this will happen. People thought it was daft at first to take movies seriously as an artform, until the great artists like the early soviet filmmakers and the German filmmakers etc advanced the art form and made it a serious venture, invented things like the montage, and so on. Boisian documentaries are everywhere you look on RUclips when you pay attention. I don't think even he himself realises how much influence he's had on the Internet and art in general.
The story of North Wilkesboro is so similar to a track here in the UK called Odsal Stadium in Bradford.
The stadium opened in 1933 on a former landfill for the local rugby league team the Bradford Bulls. Motorcycle speedway started racing on a track built around the rugby pitch in 1945 up to 1960 before leaving.
Stockcar racing was introduced in the UK in April 1954 with the first event at Odsal taking place one month later. The stadium hosted four events in 1954 and two in 1955 before stockcar racing ceased at the venue for nearly 20 years.
Over that 20 years span, the top stock car class in the UK transformed itself into BriSCA Formula One stock cars. By the mid-70s these cars no longer have resembled street cars and were more akin to a modified crossed with a sprint car. The F1 stock cars return to Odsal in 1975, with a new steel plate fence around the track and railway sleepers, protecting the rugby pitch on the centre.
In 1977, Odsal got, it’s big break when Stuart Bamforth purchase for promoting rights to Odsal Stadium, and at this time, he was the reigning world champion. Stuart retired from racing and immediately converted the track to asphalt and started to promote the stadium as one of the top tracks in the country with all of the U.K.’s top drivers, wanting to compete.
In the early 1980s the tracks owners who were the local council akin to local government in the states completed a major refurbishment of the stadium including aspects for stockcar racing. The biggest thing for a Stockcars was the introduction of a second access road to the pits. This one change meant after races cars could join the track for the next race while the cars from the previous race could leave track on a separate road, dramatically speeding up events.
In 1985, the FIM selected the track to house the 1985 motorcycle speedway World Championship which resulted in the track being converted to dirt. That same year the track also hosted the BriSCA Formula One stockcar World Championship event. Even today one race from that fateful day is still talked about, the Dash for Cash race. Stuart Smith, who had won the world championship early that night, went from the back of the grid in 10 laps to win £1000 with a video of that brilliant race on RUclips.
During this time the stadium went from strength to strength. However, trouble was around the corner in 1993, when stock car drivers weng on strike. The strike only lasted a month but put the sport back for over a decade as driver, numbers, and spectator, numbers fell almost overnight. With dwindling crowd and driver numbers at the end of 1995, Stuart Bamforth sold the promoting rights to Rees, a recently retired driver, who had just began to to promote other tracks around the country.
Around the same time, the local authority was looking into demolishing the stadium to build a Superdome but the plan did not include speedway or stock cars. At the end of 1997 it was confirmed the new project was to commence shortly and that stock cars and speedway would be hosting their last events
By the early 2000s, no construction had happened, and the project was shelved. The armco stayed at the track but the dirt surface was removed and the rugby pitch widened into the track. in 2002 to Steve Rees applied for, and was granted planning permission to host Stockcar racing again however talks with the council and Bradford Bulls rugby team never came to any success. Matters were made worse at the end of the 2000 when the Bradford Bulls, who were in their own financial trouble, removed the Armco fencing at the track and weighed it in for scrap.
During this time, it was commonplace for stock car fans over the Internet to discuss if the stadium would return. By this point most fans were of the opinion that it was never going to come back but a few small loyal supporters of the stadium kept pushing with regular events from 2015 onwards, taking place at the stadium during rugby matches promoting the stadiums former stock car heritage.
In 2019 the rugby team was in financial trouble and left the stadium due to the cost of maintenance for the stadium. Having no use now it looked like a very likely chance that the stadium would be demolished, during this time, Steve Rees, who kept renewing his planning permission to host at events at the site, began a plan. Behind-the-scenes talks took place with the stadium management, the rugby league and rugby team and at the start of 2020. It was announced that Odsal Stadium would return in 2021.
Once Covid restrictions relaxed in the UK in the summer of 2020, work began on the stadium, refurbishing it after nearly 2 years without being used and 23 without racing. Originally planned for April 2021, but delayed due to UK. Covid restrictions stockcar racing return to Odsal Stadium in May 2021, with the rugby team returning the same month. It was also announced that in the stadium’s first season back it would host the 2021 world championship final once again.
Since reopening the stadium has gone from strength to strength.
What goes around comes around eh? Good to hear those across the pond have a successful story like we had with North Wilkesboro
I was never a Jr fan... Until he led the fight for getting Wilkesboro on IRacing and he won me over. He forever has my gratitude for that.
I do wish you had gone in to the iracing part a little more including what happened in 2020. With no other live sports on TV nascar drivers doing *something* was a big deal and generated buzz, and then we got to finally see a glimmer of the return to North Wilkesboro.
I'm grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.
There’s no fizzle here, I am a huge NASCAR fan and I watch all 3 major touring series race every weekend, all season. I have done so for more than 20 years. I am very grateful to all of the people who had a large or a small part in bringing back North Wilkesboro - each of you know who you are. i agree that the Cup Series All-Star race wasn’t as good as the Truck Series race was that weekend in May 2023, but you correctly mentioned that is due to the Next Gen car, and not due to the track. Thank you again for bringing this track back for the fans, we appreciate it more than words can say.
They handled this event SO well. It was so easy to get in and out of the track, they put a lot of thought into it. Really appreciate Marcus and SMI.
Makes me optimistic for them being able to solve the traffic problems bringing back Nashville Fairgrounds will inevitably have.
I was there for the whole weekend. When I drove by the place on 421 on Friday afternoon, and saw the campers, banners, and people instead of the track decay that I had got used to for most of my life, it brought a tear to my eye. The track actually came back to life! It was the first time I spent a whole weekend at a NASCAR event, and it was a ton of fun. I felt SMI did it right. I plan to come back as long as they keep holding races there.
Thanks to you as one of the RUclipsrs who kept the conversation going, and to the powers that be that made the track come back. I cannot be more grateful.
Bob Barhe was actually a really interesting guy. I highly doubt he was the one keeping lower series from racing there.
We made the trip from Texas, we had an absolute wonderful vacation in Wilkes County. 99.99% of the people we encountered (i would say 100% but the guy next to us was a lil to drunk for his own good and completely ruined a fun night for the couple sitting behind him bc he felt the need to stand the whole race) we're very nice and friendly. We got suggestions of places to eat at that were all fantastic. The hauler parade through town was a site to see as well. Took us an hour to get out of the parking lot after the all star race (we had parking right in front of the main gate entry) but that just allowed to visit more people. Definitely would recommend checking the track and area to anyone and everyone.
You deserve way more than your 148.000 subs for your content. I love it so much, that i rewatch it regulary.
As an NC native, growing up hearing the stories about North wilkesboro, i was dying to go but it was dead,and hearing how impossible it was to get the track back up definitely didnt help, id never thought id get to experience it, but i did, i was standing on the track in the evening during the summer late model races of 2022 realizing one of the things i thought id never get to do was happening, i could feel the energy and it was powerful, i was walking were legends had walked, one of my childhood dreams had been fulfilled
My fellow South Carolinian and Greenville resident, this video put a Joker smile on my face and congratulations on your channel for blowing up after the Air Base Speedway video
S1ap and Dale Jr. Pushed for North Wilkesboro to Return to the Cup Schedule and by God it happend. Thank you Guys !!! Now this is what should happen and this is something that Y'all Will Love, for the Month of September:
Throwback Swing at the Carolina's, Sunday 6 pm ET
• Southern 500 @ Darlington (Labor Day Sunday)
• Rockingham 400 @ Rockingham (A Week Later)
• Wilkes County 400 @ North Wilkesboro (A Week Later)
Man, I wish I had the money to go to these! Would be awesome...I hope that these events are appreciated a bit more now that everyone knows how important they are not just to NASCAR, but to the local communities and small business owners as well.
I loved every second there; drove 14 hours from NY to spend every minute away from our hotel at the track for the 3-day package. At some points, we were happy just sitting in the car soaking up some AC and listening to the radio. It was such a simple vacation and it was such a monumental comeback for a venue. It was way more than just a race - like many of the comments here, the collective experience was just unforgettable. Totally agree with your closer; the atmosphere was great, and everyone was happy to be there. Loved it! Great video.
North Wilksboros people and their track and the people like you slapshoes, who didn't give up. Knew that a little bit of the "good ole days" needs to stay.
This track is a microcosm of the world and what any single person can do with the determination to never Gove up.
I remember watching the last race and the first race back...and I finally love Nascar again. I'll keep with Nascar if they keep listening to and working for the past and their fans.
Thanks for your part slapshoes. And especially thank you to everyone who helped in their own little or big way.
I’m a Canadian short track racer and “the race” had interest all over Canada and the US we almost drove down to watch the race ended up renting the race online (first time I ever remember that being a option)
YES!! I found your channel on the airway speedway video. And I had a little bit of hope for the track on your video and Dale doing the iRace scan. Prayers do get answered in time.🤘🏻
this is the funny thing about nascar
if you watch long enough everything comes full circle
Paul Kolb, you were the savior nobody knew they had. I hope your name lives in NASCAR history forever.
This whole process has been so satisfying to watch, started watching your channel properly in 2020 and started getting really into NASCAR in 2022, learning about this history of not only the track but the surrounding Wilkes county having the track come back to life and also taking away a date from Texas Motor Speedway is also too goddamn perfect
Lets give this race the Goodyear 400 spot and make it the throwback weekend. All the history on display makes it the perfect fit
I remember watching your videos on North Wilkesboro and Rockingham (North Carolina Motor Speedway) thinking it was so sad that they were literally being reclaimed by Mother Nature. Thanks for doing your part in the revival of this track S1apSh0es and I hope we can get Rockingham revived and back on the schedule someday.
Rockingham was revived quite awhile ago
What an amazing revival of a track left for dead. Great video Sir and thankyou for your Part in bringing North Wilkesboro back to life.
Good work folks. Been up and down 421 for years. Watched the place get lost in time. Beyond amazing the do over!
I went and saw this track around 2019 in person, bought an atv in wilksboro. I cannot believe this happened. It's amazing what people can do when they get together.
I remember that trilogy you did. It's what got me to sub to your channel and actually planning to go to Richmond for a race. Happy you got to do a little to help out!
What’s crazy is seeing this channel grow … this could be the best NASCAR RUclips channel with a million subs if done right
it’s kinda crazy how hyped everyone was about North Wilkes being back…
…and then the package, with Larson’s help, turned it mid…
North WIlkesboro will be fine, fix the package and it will be alright
Larson remembered his 2021 performance and went " I'll try doing that "
you forget the truck race....
You guys don't watch much short track racing. There are lots of smaller tracks that will have one guy dominate. When Gordon won the last race there, he led most of the laps and kind of did what Larson did.
At a small track like this, if a driver/team nail the set up and have the skill, they will often drive away. Heaven forbid we don't have 12 crashes and 8 GWCs
Glad Larson could dominate and show why he's the best driver in the sport.
This needs to be a movie / a documentary about the rise and fall and rebirth of north wikesboro speedway it's deserve one
North Wilkesboro pulled an Undertaker.
After Texas thought it had the track down for the count it sat up and chokeslammed Texas into the ground
My nascar intrest started with your first video. Its the sequel i never thought would get made. Love your stuff slap. Keep it up
Airbase speedway is the video that introduced me to your channel I'm from upstate South Carolina also seeing my local area on RUclips has been awesome to see
Great video and such a great story to see the track bought back!!
Glad to see it return and I'm not even a Nascar fan but this could be treated as a lesson to every racing league/discipline and that is to never throw away legacy circuits from the schedule like its nothing.
I'm glad i've been here long enough to say... "Man... I was there when he asked us for help".
S1ap... You were one of the few who can say "I personally saved North Wilkesboro".
Father Time, Mother Nature and Old Man-Lady Luck all three finally came together.
The rule of three, some things never change:)
Watching the races there that weekend was surreal
A track that seemed more like a lost legend can back and put on great races(except for cup but tbh it wasn’t horrible just nascars short track package)
Feels so good that the track has returned
It's very refreshing to see your point of view on this topic compared to your friend eric's. I started watching you When that air base speedway Trilogy came out, And got obsessed with the north wilkesboro video. I visited a few times and then found out that it was coming back. Glad to have been part of that historical moment. Keep up the good.
BEST VIDEO YET!!!!!! Great work and I am proud of you !!!!!
After 76 years of being open my local track Rockford Speedway was sold so now it can become a parking lot or new commerce building's etc. I am 45 now but even today walking up to the ticket booth this final season still gives me the same exciting feeling i had as kid on a summer Saturday Nite with my popcorn and checkered flag in hand ready to watch great racing!!🏁😥
As a NC native (Rockingham now Boone) its amazing to see it back. I do think your original video played a part in it. That must feel crazy man. Love your content ❤ Hopefully we get Rockingham back soon too ❤❤❤
Awesome. Just purely amazing. This story, the way it unfolded; this deserves a serious sports documentary. So much nostalgia, and a glimmer of positivity overall.
The racing could’ve been better yes. But we were all happy to have it back. It’s my goal I make it next year to this track. She deserved the third chance, and she got it. A better car package on cup and can see this track being absolutely amazing
Things you love to see. This!
Really one of the greatest stories in the past twenty years. I could see Matt Damon in a lead role on the film.
You can hear the pride in you voice. At least you did your part. We know you did . And look how it turned out. The amount of time you spend turning out these wonderful, indepth vids for us is remarkable and trruly appreciated.
You have made a difference and been an influence.
Good man !
I love this! I need to go check out a race there. I've been following this since your first video. I've watched all of the dirt tracks here in East Texas go away, along with drag racing. I've also noticed the decline of NASCAR, and it seems that this was in large part due to trying so hard to gain new fans that they alienated their "bread and butter". We see a lot of this currently. Glad to see someone making an effort to revive this track, and in function bringing OG fans back to the forefront.
Perfect perfect perfect as always. Nothing beats a slap video. The best part of my month is having a quality mini doc to enjoy about my favorite sports
Thank You S1apSh0es & Dale Jr For Reviving North Wilkesboro
Thank You, S1ap, I think you have been one of the most instrumental forces in the long awaited return of this Historic Original Old nASScar legend that we call North Wilkesboro. I just wish I had been able to attend it's Grand Re-opening in person, but at 79 years of age and not in the best of health, I had to settle for watching it on the Tube. Thanks again for all your amazing content. God Bless and stay safe.
Damn, have I been following you since the Air Base Speedway vid? Time FLIES!
tears came to my eyes when i watched this race happen. the race aside, this track deserves to have life. the people of wilkes county deserve their speedway.
Totally worth the entire set of laps for that day alone, and having learnt the history of this place, I can humbly say, Welcome Home North Wilkesboro Speedway!
As a local to the track and wanting it back since it left when I was just a child. It is amazing to see racing back here and what a blast that whole week was. Don’t forget to come see the modifieds in September.
Was there that Saturday for the truck race. It was absolutely amazing! The vibe of that place was incredible!
I thought of you and all those strangers in the stands watching that race. Field of dreams moment.
A documentary must be made about this achievement! Been following Save the Speedway since the start!
North Wilkesboro's revival is such a good story. It would be so cool if NASCAR legends pooled their money together to save, bring back, or maybe even build new tracks!
It’s wild that I started watching you with the airbase speedy, and saw the north wilksbourough video as it released and then the track opening. GG slapshoes
I had a fun time there. I went to ses the truck race that saturday. My sister got tickets for her, my father, and I to go.
She was really interested in it because she had spent months making a story for a tv station she works at. Was cool see some of the drivers she managed to get on for interviews about it.
Admittedly bummed about who won the race, was hoping for one of the non cup drivers to win
6:36 Hold on, TOP GEAR actually went to North Wilkesboro ??? How the hell have I not watched this clip before ?!
Check out their East Coast Road Trip episode.
There is a fantastic book about how the moonshiners became the foundation that founded NASCAR. It's called "Racing With The Devil" by Neal Thompson. Highly recommended. Though I am sure that plenty of NASCAR officials would prefer that the shiner's contributions not be known.
I agree with some folks here to say YOU started this snowball rolling!! I actually started watching your channel at the end of the pandemic (I also got into rc cars at the same time). I've seen all you videos multiple times and love the message and info you put on here!! Keep it up!!!
Watching the qualifying, practice, heat races, and then the main event itself was so surreal. I remember when I first learned about the track I clamored for it's return but always felt like a distant dream
I’m so crazy happy for y’all. Talk about grassroots effort!! Can’t wait to see what this means for Wilksboro!
HEYYY me and my friends are breifly in the shot at 14:16, standing by the gates to get in. Im in the red Dale Jr shirt and white hat. Thats pretty cool
I'm from NC and have family in Wilkesboro, this track returning from the dead has been incredibly exciting. Also, thank you for pronouncing "Appalachian" correctly.
Yo- thanks for posting this. Been a fan of your channel for a few years. 13:07 we were there and I still can feel the goosebumps!
Casually throwing in a Halo 2 quote at the end. Classic.
Without you i would have never known about this track well done on your channel and well done on getting it reopened here's to many more years
AWESOME video, sir. You never cease to amaze me. Thank you for all of the time and effort you put into all of your projects. Well done!