North Wilkesboro Speedway returns to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule this weekend, but the race fans will see Sunday won’t look anything like the one held at the historic short track a year ago.
Instead of battling for a $1 million exhibition payday, Cup Series drivers will compete in North Wilkesboro’s first points-paying race since 1996. That makes this weekend one of the most anticipated stops of the 2026 season.
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Before the green flag drops, here’s a look back at the last NASCAR Cup race held at North Wilkesboro and how it unfolded.
Christopher Bell Outdueled Joey Logano for the Win
The most recent NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro came during the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race, where Christopher Bell drove the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to victory.
Bell started second and crossed the finish line 0.829 seconds ahead of Joey Logano after making the winning pass with just 26 laps remaining in the 250-lap exhibition.
The race turned late when a promoter’s caution bunched the field and forced teams to make a strategic decision. Bell elected to pit for two fresh right-side tires while Logano and several others stayed on track to protect track position.
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The strategy paid off.
Bell quickly charged through traffic before catching Logano. On Lap 224, he pulled alongside entering Turn 1, completed the pass a few laps later and drove away over the closing laps.
Ross Chastain finished third, followed by Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott. William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe and Chris Buescher rounded out the top 10.
Bell also became the first Toyota driver to win the NASCAR All-Star Race since Kyle Busch in 2017.
This Year’s North Wilkesboro Race Is Entirely Different
While Bell enters this weekend as the defending winner at North Wilkesboro, Sunday’s race will be much different than last year’s exhibition.
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For the first time since 1996, the historic 0.625-mile short track will host a points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race. Every finishing position, stage point and playoff point will matter as drivers continue their push toward the Chase.
The event also marks another milestone in NASCAR’s return to one of its most iconic venues. North Wilkesboro returned to the national spotlight in 2023 as the home of the All-Star Race after years of restoration, and now becomes a permanent stop on the championship schedule.
That change dramatically raises the stakes compared to last season.
Instead of racing strictly for prize money and bragging rights, drivers now have an opportunity to gain valuable championship points at one of NASCAR’s most unique and demanding short tracks.
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