JACKSONVILLE, NC – NASCAR racing is coming to Jacksonville.
New River All-American Speedway, formerly known as Goodyear All American Speedway (and Coastal Plains Raceway prior) will be racing under the NASCAR banner in 2023. Five of the track’s divisions will race for points in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
“We’re excited to be going NASCAR in 2023 and be a part of the sport’s 75th anniversary season,” New River All-American Speedway promoter and operator Anthony Goodyear said. “This is going to be an exciting deal for our racers and fans.”
The $20,000-to-win Solid Rock Carriers Battle of the Stars, scheduled for Saturday, March 4, will be the first race under the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series banner and the first race under the New River All-American Speedway branding.
“We’re really looking forward to the Battle of the Stars,” Goodyear continued. “We can’t thank Kirk and Lynette Ipock enough for upping the purse for this race and for all they do for short track racing. We’ve had a lot of calls and messages about this race in the past few weeks and it’s going to be a fun weekend to kick off a new season.”
NASCAR has a rich history in Onslow County, dating back to the sport’s early years. In 1957, the now-defunct Jacksonville Speedway in Piney Green hosted the NASCAR Grand National Series, now known as the NASCAR Cup Series, in a race won by Hall of Famer Buck Baker, as well as the NASCAR Convertible Series, which was won by fellow Hall of Famer Joe Weatherly. NASCAR again raced in Jacksonville in 1964 when Hall of Fame driver and broadcasting legend Ned Jarrett picked up the 37th win of his illustrious career.
The former NASCAR Southeast Series made visits to New River All-American Speedway, then called Coastal Plains Raceway, in 2000 with races won by Florida short track legends Billy Bigley, Jr. and Wayne Anderson. Several notable names in NASCAR racing have raced at the track, including Rodney Childers, Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, Matt DiBenedetto, Josh Berry, Frank Kimmel, and Mason Diaz. Berry won the 2021 Solid Rock Carriers Battle of the Stars, while Frank Kimmel picked up two wins last season.
“New River All-American Speedway has a rich history, and we’re going to expand on that even more this season,” Goodyear commented. “We’ve got a lot of great racers who compete with us, and you never know, the next NASCAR superstar might be racing out here this season.”
The Late Model, Charger, Super Truck, Bomber and Champ Kart divisions will all run under NASCAR sanctioning in 2023. On top of the full season of racing, New River All-American Speedway will host the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour in September, the southeastern based Late Model Stock Car which was recently purchased by two-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt, Jr., NASCAR legend and NBC Sports commentator Jeff Burton, 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, and Trackhouse team owner Justin Marks.
The complete schedule of races can be found on the New River All-American Speedway website at newriverspeedway.com.
New River All-American Speedway is Jacksonville’s Action Attraction featuring racing and other events. For more information about New River All-American Speedway, check out the speedway’s website, like/follow “New River Speedway” on Facebook, follow @newriverswy on Twitter, or follow the track on Instagram.
