Dale Earnhardt Jr. “disappointed” with North Wilkesboro hosting the All-Star race instead of Charlotte

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. was left disappointed with NASCAR's decision to announce North Wilkesboro Speedway as the host for the All-Star race next season. 2025 would be the third consecutive year that NWB will host the All-Star race.

When the long-defunct North Wilkesboro Speedway was revived back to racing conditions again, Dale Earnhardt Jr. emerged as a vocal advocate for its return. The Hall of Famer helped generate funds, organised a CARS Tour race, and even ran his car on the day before NASCAR announced its return to the racetrack.

NASCAR ran its iconic non-points All-Star race at NWB last season, before returning to the track once again in 2024 for the $1 million cash grab All-Star race. NASCAR also ran a Craftsman Truck Series event at the iconic venue.

However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was left "disappointed," in his own words, following Joey Logano's emphatic victory in the All-Star race on Sunday. With NASCAR announcing the return of the non-points-giving race to NWB in 2025, Earnhardt Jr. disapproved of the idea when addressing the situation on a recent episode of his Dale Jr Download podcast. He said:

"So it was announced that the All-Star race will come back (to North Wilkesboro Speedway). My initial reaction to that was a bit disappointed."

The two-time Xfinity Series champion added:

"Why would I be disappointed about that? Because I want Wilkesboro to have a points race. Wilkesboro for me is still on the comeback trail. It is not fully back until it's got a points race."

He suggested:

"The All-Star race needs Charlotte Motor Speedway to reach its true potential."

Charlotte Motor Speedway has hosted the All-Star race in the past, from 1985 till 2019, except for 1986 when it was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. on why Charlotte Motor Speedway would be a better choice for the All-Star race

Earnhardt Jr. argued that Charlotte, particularly with the Next Gen cars performing exceptionally well on 1.5-mile tracks, would provide the best venue for the All-Star race. He explained:

"The All-Star race needs Charlotte and especially while the Next Gen is so amazing on the 1.5 milers. And since we've moved it around it just don't have that same feel that Charlotte gives it."

He added:

"You know, we're gonna go race All-Star race next year again at Wilkesboro, that'll be a fun week but I would love to see Wilkesboro get its points race and the All-Star race to go back to Charlotte while this 1.5 mile next gen phenomenon is so awesome."

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s advocacy for NWB began well before its current revival. During the pandemic, he helped lobby for government funding to renovate the track, leading to the state allotting $18 million for its refurbishment in late 2021.

Despite these efforts, NWB was initially left off the Cup racing schedule until its big return in August 2022 with the CARS Tour, a late-model series partially owned by Earnhardt. He participated in that race, driving a bright-green Sun Drop No. 3 car, reminiscent of his 1993 Wilkesboro appearance.

The following month, Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined Speedway Motorsports President Marcus Smith to announce NASCAR’s return to NWB with the All-Star exhibition race in May 2023.