5/7/2022
Iron-Man Late Model Series
Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series to Race on Historical North Wilkesboro Speedway
NORTH WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA (May 7, 2022)—Officials with the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series are pleased to announce another historical moment for the tour. After a highly successful co-sanction of the Bristol Dirt Nationals in March & April, the tour is pleased to announce it will race on the dirt on Friday October 7 and Saturday October 8 at the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
To open the big month of October, part of the track’s Racetrack Revival will feature a practice on Thursday October 6 followed by the Super Late Models hitting the hallowed track for a $5,000-to-win and $500-to-start event on Friday October 7 and a $10,000-to-win and $1,000-to-start event on Saturday October 8. The healthy regional purses will feature a 20-lap feature Friday and a 30-lap feature on Saturday.
This will be the first dirt race held at North Wilkesboro since NASCAR ran on the dirt for the “Wilkes 200” on October 16, 1949 when Bob Flock took home the victory over Lee Petty, Fonty Flock, Clyde Minton and Herb Thomas. The track turned into pavement in 1950 and went on to host 93 (then NASCAR Winston Cup Series) events. Richard Petty was the all-time winner at North Wilkesboro with 15 victories while Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, Terry Labonte, Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin were some of the many multi-time winners over the years at the 75-year-old facility. The last NASCAR Cup Series race was held at North Wilkesboro on September 29, 1996 during the Tyson Holly Farms 400 when Jeff Gordon picked up the victory.
On April 16, officials from XR Events and Speedway Motorsports met at Bristol Motor Speedway for the huge announcement which set into motion the “Race track Revival” which will bring grassroots racing to the pavement the month of August then the track will be transformed into a dirt track for the final time before its repaved for the start of the 2023 season. ??“This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for competitors and short track race fans to experience North Wilkesboro Speedway one more time on the old asphalt and then on the dirt as it first began,” said XR Events CEO Barry Braun.
“What an opportunity we had at Bristol and now to get to race at North Wilkesboro, it’s a dream come true for a small regional series like the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series,” stated CT Promotions President Chris Tilley. “We are thrilled to be the first dirt race on the historic track before it’s repave in 2023. This will be a must-see event for race fans across the nation and we can’t wait to get started promoting this mega-weekend,” Tilley went on to say.
XR Events has produced grassroots race events at several Speedway Motorsports venues including Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. For more information, click on www.RaceXR.com . For more information on North Wilkesboro Speedway, please log on to www.NorthWilkesboroSpeedway.com .
For more information on the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series, please logo on to www.IMDIRT.net .
Friday October 7 Purse: 1. $5,000, 2. $3,000, 3. $2,500, 4. $2,000, 5. $1,500, 6. $1,250, 7. $1,000, 8. $900, 9. $800, 10. $700, 11. $600, 12. $550, 13. $525, 14. $500, 15. $500, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500.
Saturday October 8 Purse: 1. $10,000, 2. $5,000, 3. $4,000, 4. $3,500, 5. $3,000, 6. $2,500, 7. $2,250, 8. $2,000, 9. $1,900, 10. $1,800, 11. $1,700, 12. $1,600, 13. $1,500, 14. $1,400, 15. $1,300, 16. $1,200, 17. $1,100, 18. $1,000, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000, 21. $1,000, 22. $1,000, 23. $1,000, 24. $1,000.
Submitted By: Ben Shelton
