NASCAR returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway for a historic points race

It is finally happening. After decades of absence, the NASCAR Cup Series is returning to the historic 0.625-mile North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina for a true, points-paying event. We have seen the All-Star Race grace this beautiful facility from 2023 through 2025, but this Sunday marks the first time since 1996 that championship points will actually be on the line at this legendary venue.

Coming off the chaotic weather and fireworks at EchoPark Speedway, the stakes have never been higher for the 21st event of the 2026 campaign. A total of 37 cars are set to take on the challenge, and you can catch all the action starting at 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, truTV, or HBO Max, with radio coverage provided by PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This weekend also hosts round four of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge, which adds a layer of intensity to the bracket. We will see the recent winner at EchoPark, Ryan Blaney, entering as the No. 3 seed to face off against No. 10 seed Christopher Bell. On the other side of the bracket, No. 4 seed Chase Elliott is set to go head-to-head against No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland. It is a massive weekend for the sport as we finally witness points-paying competition return to a place that carries so much weight in the history of NASCAR.