NASCAR to takeover Bowman Gray Stadium racing operations in Winston-Salem

NEWS IN WINSTON-SALEM MARIA. WELL, IT’S REALLY GOING TO OPERATE AS USUAL, SO FANS CAN STILL EXPECT THE CRAZY AND FUN RACES THAT THEY’RE USED TO. IT’S JUST GOING TO BE THAT NASCAR IS NOW GOING TO RUN THINGS FROM HERE. BUT BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM HAS BEEN OPERATING AS A FAMILY BUSINESS FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS, UNTIL NOW. NASCAR WILL NOW MANAGE THE RACING OPERATIONS UNDER A LEASE WITH THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM. THAT LEASE RUNS UNTIL 2050. IT’S A TRACK THAT HOLDS A LOT OF MEMORIES FOR FANS, DRIVERS AND THE FAMILIES WHO STARTED IT IN 1949. SINCE THEN, THE STADIUM HAS HOSTED NASCAR CUP SERIES AND RACES AND HAD SEVERAL RACING LEGENDS HERE, LIKE RICHARD PETTY AND JUNIOR JOHNSON. WARREN PENNILESS, WHOSE FAMILY RUNS THE STADIUM, SAYS NASCAR WANTS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM. NASCAR HAS PROMISED US IS THEY DON’T WANT TO ROCK THE BOAT. THEY WANT TO KEEP BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM GREAT. THE WAY IT IS, SO I DON’T REALLY THINK IT WILL BE TOO MUCH OF AN EFFECT, A NEGATIVE EFFECT, IF ANYTHING, IT WILL BE POSITIVE BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BRING EVEN MORE EXPOSURE TO TO WHAT WE DO HERE AT BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF MAYBE CUP RACES OR BIG MARQUEE EVENTS COMING HERE? AND WE’LL JUST HAVE TO SEE WHERE THE WHERE THE ROAD TAKES US THERE. STAY TUNED. AND BOWMAN GRAY’S RACING SEASON STARTS ON APRIL 20TH. I’M GOING TO TOSS IT BACK NOW IN THE STUDIO TO KENNY BECK, WHO HAS MORE ON THIS FROM MAYOR ALLEN JOINS KENNY MARIE. THE MAYOR TELLS ME FANS AND DRIVERS REALLY WON’T NOTICE THIS CHANGE AT ALL. IT’S MORE ABOUT THE STABILITY OF HAVING OFFICIAL NASCAR BACKING. EVENTUALLY, HE SAYS, THOUGH THIS DEAL COULD MEAN BIG THINGS FOR BOWMAN, GRAY. WE TALK WITH THEM YESTERDAY AND THEY NOT MAKE ANY PROMISES, BUT THEY SAID HE WAS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. WE CAN BRING A NATIONAL EVENT OF SOME SORT HERE, AND IF WE DID THAT, THERE MIGHT HAVE TO BE SOME A FEW IMPROVEMENTS MADE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT THROUGH SPENDING ABOUT $9 MILLION ON THE STADIUM TO BRING IT UP TO, YOU KNOW, BETTER STANDARDS THERE. SO I THINK IT’S A PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. THE MAYOR ADDS NOTHING WILL CHANGE WITH WINSTON-SALEM STATE EITHER. THE RAMS, OF COURSE, PLAY THEIR HOME FOOTBALL GAMES AT BOWMAN GRAY IN THE FALL. THAT WILL CONTINUE. WWSU ALSO OFFERS DEGREES IN MOTORSPORTS MANAGEMENT AND ONE OF ITS STUDENTS, RODGER CARRUTH, JUST BECAME THE THIRD BLACK DRIVER IN NASCAR HISTORY TO WIN A NATIONAL SERIES RACE WHEN HE TOOK HOME THE CHECKERED FLAG EARLIER THIS MONTH IN TH

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NASCAR to takeover Bowman Gray Stadium racing operations in Winston-Salem

Editor’s Note: Video features race from Bowman Gray Stadium last seasonNASCAR announced Thursday it has acquired the Winston-Salem Speedway, INC that leases the historic Bowman Gray Stadium. NASCAR said it will manage racing operations under the lease with the city of Winston-Salem which runs through Dec. 2050. “As NASCAR’s first weekly racetrack, Bowman Gray Stadium holds a special place in the history of our sport,” said Ben Kennedy, Senior Vice President of Racing Development and Strategy at NASCAR. “We are grateful to the Hawkins family’s multi-generational legacy of leadership at this historic track and we’re thrilled to oversee racing at one of the crown jewels in NASCAR Regional. We look forward to leading the racing operations of the facility in partnership with the City of Winston-Salem to preserve the history and legacy of the racetrack for the next generation of fans and racers.”The racetrack built in 1937 holds a special place in NASCAR history as the longest-running weekly racetrack. “Bowman Gray Racing has been a part of the fabric of Winston Salem for many years. In fact, some attribute NASCAR’s beginning to the races held at Bowman Gray Stadium,” said City of Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines. “It is for that and other reasons that the City of Winston Salem is delighted that NASCAR is acquiring Winston-Salem Speedway Inc. I am doubly happy that NASCAR has committed to the continuance of the weekly races at the stadium, that are so popular with our citizens and visitors.”The racetrack was also the first paved rack that NASCAR competed on.The racetrack hosted 29 NASCAR Grand National, now NASCAR Cup Series, races from 1958 to 1971. It has also hosted NASCAR’s legends including Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Glen Wood, David Pearson, Ned Jarrett, Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, and others. Petty won his 100th NASCAR Grand National race in the 1969 Myers Brothers 250 at the racetrack.The 2024 Bowman Gray Stadium race season begins on Saturday, April 20.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —Editor’s Note: Video features race from Bowman Gray Stadium last seasonNASCAR announced Thursday it has acquired the Winston-Salem Speedway, INC that leases the historic Bowman Gray Stadium. NASCAR said it will manage racing operations under the lease with the city of Winston-Salem which runs through Dec. 2050.

“As NASCAR’s first weekly racetrack, Bowman Gray Stadium holds a special place in the history of our sport,” said Ben Kennedy, Senior Vice President of Racing Development and Strategy at NASCAR. “We are grateful to the Hawkins family’s multi-generational legacy of leadership at this historic track and we’re thrilled to oversee racing at one of the crown jewels in NASCAR Regional. We look forward to leading the racing operations of the facility in partnership with the City of Winston-Salem to preserve the history and legacy of the racetrack for the next generation of fans and racers.”The racetrack built in 1937 holds a special place in NASCAR history as the longest-running weekly racetrack. “Bowman Gray Racing has been a part of the fabric of Winston Salem for many years. In fact, some attribute NASCAR’s beginning to the races held at Bowman Gray Stadium,” said City of Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines. “It is for that and other reasons that the City of Winston Salem is delighted that NASCAR is acquiring Winston-Salem Speedway Inc. I am doubly happy that NASCAR has committed to the continuance of the weekly races at the stadium, that are so popular with our citizens and visitors.”The racetrack was also the first paved rack that NASCAR competed on.

The racetrack hosted 29 NASCAR Grand National, now NASCAR Cup Series, races from 1958 to 1971. It has also hosted NASCAR’s legends including Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Glen Wood, David Pearson, Ned Jarrett, Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, and others. Petty won his 100th NASCAR Grand National race in the 1969 Myers Brothers 250 at the racetrack.
The 2024 Bowman Gray Stadium race season begins on Saturday, April 20.

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