NASCAR considers Dover move for All-Star Race

Dover hosting the All-Star Race would clear a spot for North Wilkesboro to host a Cup points race in 2026.

NASCAR weighs Dover move for All-Star Race

As NASCAR finishes its 2026 Cup Series schedule, a new option is gaining traction: moving the All-Star Race to Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware. If Dover hosts, it would clear a slot for North Wilkesboro to land a Cup points race, something the track has not done since 1996. Speedway Motorsports owns both Dover and North Wilkesboro, a detail that could make a swap logistically simpler. The All-Star Race is traditionally held in May, a timing that would likely hold whether the race is at Dover or North Wilkesboro. No final decision has been made, but discussions are advancing as NASCAR plans to release the full schedule next week.

Dover is a one mile concrete track that has hosted top-level NASCAR races since 1969. The track was purchased by Speedway Motorsports in 2021 for 131.5 million dollars. The North Wilkesboro revival is tied to a broader effort to expand NASCAR footprints, after the track reopened in 2023 following state backed improvements that began with a 40 million dollar investment in 2021 under a relief act for infrastructure. If North Wilkesboro is brought back as a Cup points track, it would mark a rare return for a venue that had no points races after 1996.

The potential move shows NASCAR balancing tradition with modernization. Keeping the All-Star format lively while leaning on track ownership to streamline logistics reflects a sport trying to adapt without alienating its regional base. A shift to Dover would not just reshuffle a calendar; it signals how venues and sponsors shape a sport hungry for fresh energy and stable economics.

For communities around North Wilkesboro and Dover, the decision carries economic and emotional weight. Wilkesboro has become a symbol of revival, aided by public investment and years of fan affection. Any change that edges Wilkesboro back toward the Cup points schedule would intensify debates about where NASCAR belongs and who benefits from such moves.

Highlights

The schedule will reveal whether NASCAR leans into bold venue shifts or preserves familiar routes.