North Wilkesboro Speedway: NASCAR cancels All-Star Heat Races following severe storms (2024)

FAQs

Are the NASCAR heat races cancelled? ›

The All-Star Heat Races have been canceled.

After the sport's top series stopped hosting events following the 1996 season, the track hosted a handful of grassroots events in 2010 and 2011 before the facility fell into disrepair.

Speedway Motorsports announced Friday that the NASCAR All-Star Race will return to North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2025.

The track has a capacity of 25,000 as of 2023, down from its peak of 60,000 in 1996.

In July 2021, Motorsport Games confirmed that they would be discontinuing the NASCAR Heat branding, it will be using the rFactor 2 physics engine and the Unreal Engine for the upcoming official NASCAR game. The game's name was later unveiled as NASCAR 21: Ignition, and is set to be released in October 26 and 28.

Despite a midseason change in getting rid of stage breaks for road course races last season, NASCAR has reverted back to stage breaks at every type of track for the 2024 season. Here's the full list of stage lengths for races in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

In 1962, Richard Petty won his first race at NWS, the Gwyn Staley 400. He would go on to win 14 more times over 66 total races at the track. In 1986, Dale Earnhardt won his first race at North Wilkesboro, the First Union 400. Earnhardt had raced 14 times at NWS before his first win.

Following an extensive restoration, North Wilkesboro Speedway returned to the NASCAR Cup schedule on May 21, 2023, hosting the NASCAR All-Star Race.

Thanks in good measure to the vision of a far-flung network of motorsports enthusiasts, track-owner Speedway Motorsports and NASCAR recently announced that, as part of NASCAR's 75th anniversary season, the NASCAR All-Star Race will be held at North Wilkesboro Speedway this May 21.

Ultimately, Dodge chose to withdraw from NASCAR, citing the inability to secure a partnership with a team that met its high standards for competitiveness and technological innovation.

When was the last time North Wilkesboro Speedway was paved? ›

North Wilkesboro Speedway, which welcomed NASCAR racing back to the North Carolina foothills for the first time since 1996 when it hosted the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race in May, hadn't been repaved since 1981.

Earnhardt's expressed interest in the track found backing from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, who allocated state and federal funding to be put forward into renovating the track for NASCAR events. An $18 million grant was used from American Rescue Plan Act funding to support renovations at the track.

The North Wilkesboro Speedway total renovation costs were north of $20 million. The project received $22 million in grants — including $18 million from the American Rescue Plan and $4 million in additional state grants, according to Fox Sports.

At . 526 miles in length, Martinsville Speedway is the shortest track on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit. Because of its small size, tight corners and unique shape – described most often as a paperclip – Martinsville offers some of the most exciting and close-quarters racing in the sport.

NASCAR Cup Series qualifying has been canceled due to weather. Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney will lead the field to green in New Hampshire.

While the game does not technically need internet to play the offline modes, internet is required to download the Day 1 patch, any future updates, access online multiplayer, and DLC content.

Yes, players will be able to compete online using the NASCAR Heat 5 - Next Gen Car Update DLC content. New servers were built for the 2022 content, with setting and customization options remaining the same.

Can you get a refund on NASCAR tickets if it rains? Sort of. If the race is postponed, fans can exchange any unused grandstand ticket for a future race in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series at another venue.