NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. -- William Byron has driven past North Wilkesboro Speedway on his way to the Blue Ridge Mountains. So has Brad Keselowski and many other North Carolina-based NASCAR drivers.
Like most, they'd never been inside the track before this week. And none of the drivers on the NASCAR circuit have raced a Cup Series car here.
That should make the All-Star race tonight at the restored .625-mile track all the more interesting -- and unpredictable -- when 24 drivers vie for a $1 million first-place prize at the refurbished track.
"I'm not gonna speculate on what type of racing that we're gonna see," Kevin Harvick said. "... When you start speculating on something that's never happened, you're just asking for nothing but trouble. It's going to be fun, but I don't know what that means as far as how the race is going to be."
The last time the track hosted a Cup Series race was in 1996 when Jeff Gordon won.
It has sat mostly dormant and unused for the better part of 27 years until Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith spearheaded an effort to bring it back to life for NASCAR's 75th anniversary celebration.
Some drivers have tried to get a feel for the track using a simulator leading up to this weekend, and others came earlier in the week to race late-model cars just to get in a few laps.
The practice session on Friday left some to speculate the lack of grip on the track could make it difficult to pass. Others said it could lead to more spinouts.
Despite racing on a asphalt track that hasn't been paved in more than three decades and had weeds growing up through the cracks four years ago, drivers are embracing the great unknown.
The track has already been patched in several areas and could receive more patchwork during breaks in the race, if pieces start coming up.
"I like the fact that they didn't repave it and they wanted to get at least one race on the original surface," Keselowski said. "I certainly respect it and I think there's an industry expectation that it's probably not gonna go off without a flaw. There will probably be something, but I think there's some tolerance for that being that this is an All-Star event, an exhibition race and how hard the industry has pulled together to try to get this track back to life. We'll deal with it as it comes."
Byron said racing tonight will feel a little like stepping back in time.
"It makes me a fan again of what we do. I just think that's cool versus going to ... no offense, Kansas or somewhere," Byron said.
Given there are no assurances that racing will return to North Wilkesboro, Keselowski said this will be "a big race to win" for bragging rights.
"It's a chance to put your name on a track that has defeated death in a lot of ways," Keselowski said. "I think that's gonna carry a lot of weight and prestige."
FILE - Dale Earnhardt Jr., left, laughs with Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith as they record a video after a press conference, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Raleigh, N.C., announcing that the a NASCAR All-Star Race will be held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May 2023. (Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP)
Crew members run to the car of Kevin Harvick for a tire change during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday, April 23, 2023, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The pit crew of William Byron celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sunday, May 14, 2023, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
William Byron celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sunday, May 14, 2023, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)