NASCAR Cup Series points race comes to North Wilkesboro - RAW CHILI

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Thousands of racing fans are making their way to North Wilkesboro for the Window World 450.

It’s the first NASCAR Cup Series race at the North Wilkesboro Speedway in nearly 30 years.

What You Need To Know

The Window World 450 takes place Sunday at North Wilkesboro Speedway

It’s the first NASCAR Cup Series race at the track in nearly 30 years

The event includes a Sawyer Brown pre-race concert

The weekend began with the opening of the fan zone and autograph session.

Officials said fans who attended the last points race here in 1996 are in for a different experience this time around.

“Double the amount of cars, double the amount of laps on a hot July night on a track surface that has provided phenomenal racing, and you will not want to miss racing here at North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend,” said North Wilkesboro Speedway executive director Graig Hoffman.

Officials said fans from 49 states and eight counties will visit over the weekend.

He said fan activities off the track have also grown.

“It is the biggest fan zone we’ve ever had for an event here at North Wilkesboro. Highlighted by the Cracker Barrel Fan Zone stage. So we’ll have music, we’ll have driver appearances. We’ll even have a Sunday morning worship service with our partnership with FaithFest,” Hoffman said.

There are some changes in the competition as well.

“This will be the first time since we’ve reopened the track that a full field will be on the track at the same time with the All-Star Race. It’s kind of a best of the best. So it’s not the full field. It’s just the winners. And that’s what we’ve had the last three years. But this year we’re going to have, you know, all 38-plus cars racing Cup Series on this track, a very historic short track,” said Scott Cooper with North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Local leaders said the town is making it easier for fans to experience everything happening throughout the area before Sunday’s main event.

“We’re going to have a shuttle service running from the speedway down to North Wilkesboro, to Wilkesboro and back to the speedway so fans can enjoy all the venues,” said North Wilkesboro Mayor Randy Huffman.

He said the area will be celebrating the points race’s historic return all weekend long.

“We’re excited to have all the race fans and people come into town. We’re having a whole venue of activities and things going on,” Huffman said.

The event includes a Sawyer Brown pre-race concert, and for the first time ever, NASCAR has implemented its 750-horsepower package and a new bumper rule.

Click here for more information on tickets.