What did Joey Logano say about North Wilkesboro’s significance to the NASCAR All-Star race

As the NASCAR exhibition event returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the third straight year this weekend, defending winner Joey Logano has lauded the return of the historic track.

The 0.625-mile short track in North Carolina has deep roots in NASCAR’s moonshine-running history. It was left dormant for years before a successful revival campaign brought it back to life in this decade. With passionate local support, the short track has hosted the All-Star Race since 2023, after Texas Motor Speedway.

During a conversation on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Logano, who dominated last year’s event by leading 199 of 200 laps, shared his thoughts on the venue’s revival.

"I thought it was a cool way to bring back North Wilkesboro, like, as the All-Star race. Like, it's kind of like a cool comeback story. I wouldn't be surprised if someday it turns into a points event and the All-Star race moves around somewhere else," Joey Logano said.

This year’s All-Star Race will feature 250 laps, 50 more than last year, and a revised format to stir up competition. The winner, as usual, will take home $1 million from a $2.4 million purse.

Logano also won the All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2016 and has a record 10 straight top-10 finishes in the event. The Team Penske driver also mentioned the atmosphere at North Wilkesboro.

"It's a pretty cool racetrack, unique facility. Fans up there are super passionate. They’re happy their racetrack’s back....It’s got its own vibe, right? Like, it’s got its own identity… It’s old school moonshiner, grassroots NASCAR. It’s kind of cool. And it’s cool that they own that," Logano said.

The All-Star Open will begin after 5:30 pm and the main race is scheduled to start at around 8 pm ET on Sunday, May 18.

"On the right trajectory now" - Joey Logano back on track for 2025 Cup season with two departments

Joey Logano is currently ranked ninth in the NASCAR Cup standings. The three-time Cup champion's 2025 season started slow but the momentum turned around at Texas, where he won the first race of the year after a disqualification at Talladega.

Logano has since managed a ninth-place finish at Kansas last, which was his third top-10 of the season.

"[Our season] is on the right trajectory now. We're doing much better. There's kind of two departments, there's a speed department and the execution department. The speed department was always pretty good, but the execution department was not. And now I feel like we're getting it back where it needs to be," Joey Logano said (via Fox Sports).

Logano's season so far has also been more competitive than last year, where he scored his first points race win at Nashville in June.