For his first act as a NASCAR All-Star Race champion, Christopher Bell chose to praise the revitalized 78-year-old racetrack that delivered a memorable night of racing.
鈥淟et鈥檚 go!鈥 Bell shouted to roaring approval from a capacity crowd of 25,000 as he made the case Sunday night during his frontstretch celebration that North Wilkesboro Speedway was due a Cup Series points race.
鈥淭he best short track in NASCAR,鈥 Bell said. 鈥淚t is absolutely incredible. It鈥檚 just going to get better and better. Man, that was an amazing race.鈥
In its third edition as host of the $1 million exhibition event, the speedway produced All-Star Race records for lead changes (18) and green-flag passes for the lead (59) as its remarkable rebirth continued from a dilapidated and rotting hulk just three years ago.
Speedway Motorsports announced that grandstand seating and premium hospitality were sold out for the 41st All-Star Race, which drew fans from 43 states and nine countries to North Wilkesboro, which is 80 miles north of Charlotte. SMI president and CEO Marcus Smith proclaimed that 鈥渓ike Lambeau Field to football and Fenway Park to baseball, North Wilkesboro Speedway has become America鈥檚 throwback racetrack.鈥
Bell was among several drivers who say the short track deserves its first Cup Series points race in 30 years when NASCAR releases its 2026 schedule, which is expected in a few months.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see why not,鈥 seven-time most popular driver winner Chase Elliott said about the possibility after finishing fifth. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 plenty capable of hosting, and obviously, the crowd seems extremely receptive to the idea, too. Whatever NASCAR decides on that, I鈥檓 good with. It put on a good race for sure, so it鈥檚 hard to argue against that.鈥
Aside from a smattering of minor-league races in 2010-11, North Wilkesboro Speedway had sat dormant since Jeff Gordon won its most recent Cup race on Sept. 29, 1996. A $20 million renovation ( ) began in 2022 and led to .
Its first two All-Star Races were lackluster, but North Wilkesboro鈥檚 racing came to life Sunday. The 0.625-mile oval鈥檚 surface has widened into multiple lanes since a repaving last year, and Sunday鈥檚 race featured 1,426 green-flag passes that electrified the jammed grandstands.
鈥淢an, they show up,鈥 Bell said. 鈥淲e go out for driver intros, and the place was packed. It鈥檚 just bumping. We need more events like this.鈥
Joe Gibbs, with Bell joining previous winners Kyle Busch in 2015 and Denny Hamlin in 2017, credited Smith and support from the community for putting the track in line for points race consideration.
鈥淚 won鈥檛 be making that decision,鈥 Gibbs said. 鈥淏ut I think the way this race turned out and the crowd and everything, that鈥檒l have a lot to do with it.鈥
Budding rivalry
Already sour about that erased his late lead and left him vulnerable on older tires, runner-up Joey Logano took issue with Bell鈥檚 winning pass in the No. 20 Toyota. After the drivers made contact that squeezed his No. 22 Ford into the outside wall with nine laps remaining, Logano vowed retaliation if he鈥檇 been able to catch Bell.
鈥淚 did all I could do to hold him off, and he got under me and released the brake and gave me no option,鈥 said Logano, who led a race-high 139 of 250 laps. 鈥淚f I could鈥檝e got to him, he was going around after a move like that. I just couldn鈥檛 get back to him. Just frustrated after you lead so many laps, and the car is so fast, and you don鈥檛 win. It hurts quite a bit.鈥
Bell was bemused by Logano鈥檚 frustration.
鈥淚 had got to him a couple times before, and he made it very difficult on me, as he should,鈥 Bell said. 鈥淚 got my run, and I took the moment, as I should. I don鈥檛 think that I did anything that Joey has not done, and I鈥檝e seen Joey do much worse. We will continue on.鈥
Notable
With top-five finishes by Ross Chastain, Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott, Chevrolet beat Ford and Toyota to win the All-Star Race鈥檚 first 鈥淢anufacturer鈥檚 Showdown鈥 that was based on the combined results for each automaker. 鈥 Jon Edwards, , was honored with 鈥淭he Byrnsie Award鈥 that is voted on by Fox鈥檚 NASCAR broadcast team in tribute to late broadcaster Steve Byrnes. Fox has presented the award since 2016 to celebrate those who embody Byrnes鈥 principles of preparation, teamwork and family.
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