NASCAR gears up for return to North Wilkesboro with revamped track and race format changes

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (WCYB) — We are just three weeks away from NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro for a third year and a lot has changed at the track and in the All-Star race since then.

Joey Logano gave News 5 a trip around the historic track to show us some of the changes. The biggest thing is just how fast the new surface is on the track.

There are also a number of tweaks to the format for next month’s All-Star Race.

But for driver’s the coolest thing is that all of these changes have happened, while preserving the old school charm of the track..

“To see what (has been) done to tastefully improve the facility for the modern day, while keeping the nostalgia of what North Wilkesboro Speedway is, is really neat. This track has a lot of character, and it’s just been fun, even down to the special trophy,” said Logano. “It was fun to give rides to some of the media members. I thought that the main thing everyone said was that they couldn’t believe how much grip the track has when we’re going through the corners. I mean, you put me in a Mustang, what do you think is going to happen, we’re going to go fast.”