The release of the 2026 NASCAR schedule to the hungry masses is said to be just around the corner.
We’ve gotten a few announcements and just as many rumors to nibble on over the last few months: the championship race weekend returning to Homestead, a race on a naval base in San Diego and the departure of the Chicago street course being just a few.
Aug. 14, however, brought possibly the biggest and most confusing double-edged sword of an announcement I can think of.
After three seasons of enjoying a second lease on life, North Wilkesboro Speedway might be getting a points race next season.
This wouldn’t be terribly surprising and it would be welcome.
The track that rose from the dead through the help of iRacing and government subsidies has proven the demand for it was real.
The resurrection would be complete if it hosted a points race 30 years after its last one.
Why did I use the word “might” earlier?
Well, the possibility of North Wilkesboro hosting a points race for the first time in 30 years came via a new report from Jordan Bianchi at The Athletic. One that doesn’t even mention North Wilkesboro in the headline.
Instead, the headline reads: “NASCAR considering moving All-Star Race to Dover.”
You read that right.
North Wilkesboro getting a points race 30 years after Speedway Motorsports bought the track for spare parts and its race dates, might come at the expense of sending the All-Star Race to … one of the worst tracks on the schedule.
A track that’s also owned by Speedway Motorsports.
A track that’s last memorable highlight was Kyle Busch passing Chase Elliott coming to the white flag and winning in *scrolls through Racing Reference …. continues scrolling* …. oh my, 2017.
A track where your best shot at taking the lead is on pit road or on a gutsy restart.
A track that’s one of two on the schedule that you’re obligated to say, “remember when this race was 500 miles?” because the races there are just that bad and you have to remind yourself it could be worse.
Oh, and before I forget: a track that doesn’t have lights.
There’s no guarantee this will happen. But a report by The Athletic means the train’s whistle is possibly blowing and the conductor is about to yell, “All aboard!”
I would feel really bad for NASCAR fans in the Dover area. Despite my feelings about it, it’s still their track.
They had two race dates. Then they lost one in a time when many tracks were losing one of their two dates.
Now, their one 400-mile race could be cut in half in order to satisfy the increasingly baffling need to have an All-Star Race when … every weekend is All-Star Weekend and a $1 million purse doesn’t make anyone blink.
Should this happen, it’s possible Dover’s days could be numbered.
In other words, it kind of feels like Dover is getting North Wilkesboro’d.
I could think of another scenario for the All-Star Race.
Give Bristol Motor Speedway’s spring race date to North Wilkesboro. Bristol’s first race has been in the toilet since before 2020 and was given a three-year reprieve via dirt before returning to the status quo.
Return the All-Star Race to Charlotte Motor Speedway, which has soared to the top of the charts when it comes to tracks the Next Gen car perform on.
Dover keeps its full race date and North Wilkesboro gets a points race it should never have lost after 1996.
Or, and I’m sure the current charter and TV deals would prevent this, just scrap the damn All-Star Race. It’s pointless, unnecessary and was only tolerated for the last three years because we loved seeing North Wilkesboro in all its surreal glory.
Now, there is one scenario where I wouldn’t care where the All-Star Race was held.
Remember when we learned earlier this year that NASCAR offered Cup teams the chance to run what you brung in the May All-Star Race?
And then it shockingly refused, because we can’t seem to have nice things this year?
If that concept were to actually become a reality I’d put my misgivings into a chest, lock it and throw it into Lake Lloyd.
That’s really the only way I’d feel good about any of this.
But again, that’s if the powers that be at NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports go through with it.
This could all be an overreaction to a move that will only last one season.
Right?
Daniel McFadin is a 10-year veteran of the NASCAR media corp. He wrote for NBC Sports from 2015 to October 2020. He currently works full time for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and is lead reporter and an editor for Frontstretch. He is also host of the NASCAR podcast "Dropping the Hammer with Daniel McFadin" presented by Democrat-Gazette.
You can email him at danielmcfadin@gmail.com.