Jr. will never admit it because he's too modest and humble, but I believe he's a huge part of the reason why this track is making a comeback. Getting i-Racing to scan it and put it in their catalog was just the beginning. I also think his driving career will be a smaller part of his legacy than his contributions to the sport afterward because his focus on the history and keeping it alive through Dirty Mo Media, his broadcasting career, and molding up and coming drivers through his race teams are doing far more for the sport than a lot of people realize. I am a bigger fan of his now than at any other time in his career. Thanks for all you do for NASCAR, Jr!
I was never a big race fan. But I was on the radio in Charlotte, NC in mid thru late '90s and I got to meet Jr a couple times. I remember Smash Mouth played a show and he was there. I was there with the radio station and after the show we all went to Vinnie's on South Blvd. Dale actually did donuts in the parking lot after closing. Then a few years later I was doing morning radio in Seattle, WA in 2001. After Sr passed away I found myself defending Nascar and the drivers who were essentially being written off by a majority of our audience as just simple rednecks. Months later after Jr won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in the All Star car he came out to Seattle for the All Star game and I got to sit and interview him. Anytime I spoke with Jr I always felt like he was intelligent and sincere. Now listening to his podcasts I know that was the case. Especially these Earnhardts. Yes they are fiery and competitive but they are super intelligent and they are visionaries. No doubt. I'm a much bigger fan of Dale as a person than I ever was of racing
This track is very legendary and it deserves to be put back on the NASCAR map, obviously “The Rock” Rockingham Speedway is not the NASCAR map with any scheduled races due to due to financial difficulties
First I was like oh Dale is going to go around for cameras etc. then He started warming the tires I was like oh shit Dale‘s actually going for a run! 😳😳😂 bad ass!
NASCAR: Fans don't like short track racing Dale Jr: Hold my beer Certainly hope like everyone else before me, they honestly make a hard push to bring NASCAR (Not just trucks) back
The short tracks is what separates the men from the boys. ( Well..... that, and removing the restrictor plates entirely for the super speedways, and let those mutha's fly, lol. )
Man Dale must have been grinning ear to ear. Just think, a few years ago North Wilkesboro was seen as dead and now he's running hot laps there. Must have been an amazing day for Jr.
Dude I just like watching what they do. Feathering the throttle, things like that are just really interesting cause they do like 20 of those little things.
What's great about this onboard is that I finally see what Mike Joy was talking about, you go downhill down the frontstretch and uphill on the backstretch. No doubt you would really feel it in the car. Hope Dale has a good run down there, regardless this is a victory lap for a man who wouldn't let the history of the sport fade away. Wasn't much of a fan of his as a driver back in the day but I love everything he does for this sport.
Glad to see the track coming back after sitting all those years! Turn 3 looked a little bumpy and loose, I can't wait to go see another race there again!!!
Man junebug ain't missed a beat looks like he's never retired out of the Nascar world glad to see him making laps at this awsome track and to hear him talk about entering a couple cars in the race and to just be there himself to enjoy the races
My friends and I have watched nascar since this track was a main stay on the yearly schedule. Then you couldnt get a ticket for any race pretty much unless you gave up half the farm. I (just my opinion) feel that when the people making the high dollar decisions about this sport, finally see, that the heart of this sport will always be in these tracks. I feel this sport has hit many upon many road blocks when the high command has tried to adapt this sport to make it more favorable to different types of people. Has this sport gained more followers then it has lost since they started all these changes? Has there been as many changes in football, baseball or basketball combined as to what has changed in this sport in the last 10 years. I dont believe so. Yet the stands and stadiums for those sports are usually always full. (baseball being somewhat of the exception of there during the week games) Even the crappy teams have hard core followers. Instead of trying to adapt nascar to new people, why not go back to what worked. These tracks are a part of the amazing history for this sport. They have a huge following as did this sport when these tracks were used. Fill these stands back up and I believe you will see this sport become what it once was. AMAZING. I wish Dale Jr all the best of luck in bringing back these tracks even if it isnt on a full nascar schedule. They are what built this sport.
With what Jr and lots of others are doing, I may just make the drive from phoenix to see racing at the backwoods home of nascar. To many this place is nearly Indianapolis. Agree with below, JR has done boatloads to help the lil guys . Awesome, A legacy Dale, Cale, and many others surely are proud of.
i just want to say thanks to JR I am on my wife's RU-vid but if it was not for you, I don't think they would have brought back racing at my home here in Wilkesboro I really hope one day Nascar will get to make a comeback to Wilkesboro speedway it would be really cool to see Nascar back. but a night race would be crazy. I was just a kid growing up in Wilkes and my grandfather use to get time trails tickets were he worked at back then holly farms now it is Tyson foods but I will never forget watching your dad in the black 3 driving around the track may he RIP he was NASCAR I will always love NASCAR but when we as fans lost him it was like apart of NASCAR died with him but my 1st race I really ever got to see was dale jr at Bristol you came in 2nd that night and the vary next night your dad won the race in one of his best moments when terry took the lead and dale rattled his cage just a little on the last lap and won the race GOD BLESS from Wilkesboro
Place is gonna look sweet once they repave and fix it up! Safer barriers, painted walls, fixed suites, probably new catch fence, updated concessions and bathrooms, and this place is ready to go!
That is the absolute most neutral car I’ve ever seen, zero corrections I saw while running through turns. Great job Dale, Love that track. Last time I was there Brett Bodine won 🤣
The first NASCAR Cup race I went to was at North Wilkesboro. It broke my heart when SMI closed that track. I truly hope at least one of the touring series returns to race at this awesome piece of NASCAR history. It is amazing that after all these years of quietly sitting the surface of this track is in this good of shape. Actually the entire facility having been neglected like it was for all those decades is in pretty dang gum good shape. This is proof sometimes miracles can happen let’s just hope the old girl can catch lightning in a bottle again.
Nascar top series needs to get back to somewhere between what they are now and this car. New car is kinda lifeless to watch. He did turn some bad ass laps at a bad ass track..
I liked how comfortable he looked at the beginning with his right hand off the wheel, then he put it back on the wheel for a full send run!!!, I bet he had a big ol smile after he was done. I sure did the whole time.
I used to race a local asphalt track and noticed watching a race one Sunday his hand placement. He appears to tug with his left hand almost in his lap keeping a loose grip with his right letting the wheel slide in that hand then gripping it to make slight corrections. I noticed it because I'm left handed and that's what I did. He said in an interview that was indeed what he does, and it's a little different than other drivers. I thought it was kinda interesting.
It's my understanding that they're going to run the August race on this surface then they're gonna rip the asphalt out for the October race. It will be ran on dirt and then the track will be repaved after that. I live about five minutes away
@@jasl7358 That's awesome both of my parents were from North Wilkesboro and still have family there... My mother is Junior Johnsons cousin she grew up with him!!
@@jerryvickers7048 wow small world. My family are Johnsons on my mother's side and also related to Junior. We're all really excited to have some racing back in town. The county will certainly benefit from it
Thar was cool. I like the racing part of nascar not all the drama the commentators put in to But just the racing part. N this video was awsone!!! Thank.you for making this video.
Man! What could have been if he didnt retire!! I feel he still has race pace and able to win races! But that being said I sure do love broadcaster Dale Jr!! # Slidejob
#DaleJr Man what do you think brother!!! You been talking & dreaming & wishing & hoping for years to get back up to North North Wilkesboro & Race Man!!! Congrats! Now I know it's not yours per se, but I knew when you got that crowd together a few years ago and all you guys got together and cleaned up and brought a lot of attention to that place We now want it better to clean up You plan to seed. And every time you talk about it on down during download you watered it a little bit more every time until now it's we didn't start looking like something people can see where the tree is going to look like a whole lot better in the spring than they do in the winter and we get just the beginning spring brother when it comes to North Wilkesboro we got a long way to go for getting fruit but come on Man I know you can feel it in your bones Jr Listen up NASCAR Short tracks is the future. I'm old school I love the big ovals the Dayton's is the Talladega's. NASCAR I'm not talking about getting rid of them I'm saying short tracks is going to carry NASCAR in the future. Short track oval short track dirt and short track road course! This generation with all their cell phones and technology the way it is, We don't like it or agree with it but let's face it they don't have the patience for 500 or 600 mi race anymore. If you ask his fans if you want to know how to keep people's attention and bring fun back in the NASCAR and don't let it be this giant conglomerate other thing where we forget our roots? Short track is the only thing that's going to keep the attention for the Next generation coming up. It's got to be short track. ✌️😎👌That's my two cents. NASCAR you're welcome.
I live three miles from here, grew up seeing it on video games. So glad it’s back and will support it! Dale deserves all the credit, he is a big part of the reason this is happening.
NC gave all racetracks millions of dollars to revive and update their tracks, they will be doing everything you just mentioned to this track with the 18 million Wilkesboro speedway got! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WgljhvQALPs.html
Fascinating to watch his footwork. The engine noise only kinda tells half the story. There’s tons of nuance with the braking and when he gets back into the throttle.
Sitting in Daytona Grandstand Petty Tower, Post Race and the Track is Partially LIT! Black #3 Goodwrench Monte Carlo takes to the Track for the first time at night! I loved seeing that in person. I drove past NW in 1996 while the Final Cup race was under Green Flag, I watched the RU-vid Video with Jr. Organizing a "WEED Wacker clean up day" with Volunteers. I saw the gleam in Jr's eyes when it was announced that once again Cars will Race at NW. Today's viewing of Dale JR on the Track Ranks up there as Nascar 3, 8, 88's Grand Moments.
To be 100% honest, without Jr. and his love for the sport, this would have never happened! That Earnhardt name carries a huge amount of weight in the racing sport. So glad to see him using it as he should. Of course he is a tremendous fan of the sport as well, so when he puts his full weight behind something in the racing game, expect results! Thank you Dale Jr. for using your name and your love of the sport to make this happen! Hope to see him race that iconic #3 Sun Drop car and put it back in victory lane! One more thing; it would be awesome to see all the retired drivers come back to North Wilkesboro for a Saturday night Retired Drivers shootout of a 150 mile race. I would pay BIG MONEY to come see that race!! Donate all the winnings to either the track revival or the winners favorite charity. Because let's be honest, most of these guys don't need the money! Who would pay 50 bucks to see that race once a year?
I love seeing Junior back behind the wheel Junior Nation baby I'm always been Junior Nation and thank God I get to see him get it and getting at it love you Dale Jr NASCAR is never going to be the same it hasn't been the same NASCAR is not NASCAR no more only thing good about NASCAR is Dale Jr nambi's NBC's booth
