A Historic Return to North Wilkesboro
The NASCAR Cup Series is set to return to North Wilkesboro Speedway this Sunday, marking the first points‑paying Cup race at the historic half‑mile track since 1996.
Rain forced a postponement of the qualifying session, leaving Ryan Blaney to claim the pole position as crews work to dry the surface for a final practice before the green flag.
The event, scheduled for July 19, 2026, will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, HBO Max and the Performance Racing Network, with coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Organizers have announced a substantial purse of $11,233,037, underscoring the significance of the race within the 2026 schedule, and the stage lengths will be set at 80, 265 and 450 laps.
The return to North Wilkesboro has drawn a full field of top drivers, including Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, Carson Hocevar, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, William Byron, Michael McDowell, Daniel Suarez, Todd Gilliland, John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Ryan Preece, Ty Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Alex Bowman, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, Josh Berry, Zane Smith, Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, Connor Zilisch, Austin Hill, Riley Herbst, AJ Allmendinger, Cody Ware and Chad Finchum.
As the sun sets over the North Carolina venue, anticipation builds among fans and competitors alike, with the promise of a thrilling night of racing under the lights.