What was once thought to be old became new again last weekend, as NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck and Cup Series teams headed to the now re-born North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. The 0.625-mile short track could easily be considered the place that gave birth to the NASCAR we know and mostly love today. Hosting it’s first official event in 1948, the track hosted events annually until the final event in 1996 (won by some kid named Jeff Gordon), with many other Hall of Fame drivers visiting Victory Lane before Gordon.

The decision was made to close the track following the 1996 event, with the venue being left to rot for decades…until 2019. Largely spearheaded by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. amongst others, an effort was put forward to restore the track…with the track hosting All-Star Races from 2023 to 2025. The big key here, is  that these were non-points paying events for the Cup teams. The Craftsman Truck Series also returned in full chaos, points mode in 2023 as well.

 

Why was this past weekend such a landmark event? The track held it’s first official points paying event with a full field of cars for the first time since 1996. Was the Cup race a bit long at 450 laps? Maybe. Was this very much an old-school type event where six cars finished on the lead lap? very much yes.

Joey Logano (led 323 of 450 laps), and a surprising Shane Van Gisbergen (led 49 laps) were the talk of the night. For Logano, it was a much-deserved win in a nightmare of a season. On the truck side of things, Front Row Motorsports’ Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs dominated their event, leading a combined 130 of 250 laps.

Next weekend, NASCAR hits Indy. ARCA and Trucks hit the Lucas Oil Raceway Park just down the road from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while the NOAP and Cup teams tackle the Brickyard with hopes of kissing the bricks at the end.

FAITH FEST 250

Winner: Chandler Smith

Pole: Layne Riggs

#45 LANDEN LEWIS

Niece Motorsports may have scored a huge get in signing Landen Lewis for a part-time schedule in 2026. A standout on the CARS Tour, Lewis has adapted quickly to the trucks. Niece Motorsports and Lewis have proven to be a great combination this season, with surprise results for a series newcomer. North Wilkesboro, which calls back to Lewis’ short track roots, was another standout performance.

The North Carolina short track, which was on tap next in Lewis’ part-time schedule made a strong case for the rookie driver. Rolling off 16th in the #45 Chevrolet, Lewis ran strong throughout the event. In a race where only ten trucks remained on the lead lap, Lewis came home 5th amongst the series veterans and Front Row Motorsports dominance.

Having only made a handful of starts with other teams in 2023 and 2024, Lewis signed a part-time deal to pilot Niece Motorsports’ #45 entry. In five races run thus far, Lewis’ record boasts an average finish of 6.2, which includes a 2nd place finish at Lime Rock.

Photo Credit: Jayski and David Jensen/Getty Images

#71 SHANE VAN GISBERGEN

We all know SVG is dominant on road courses, but what happens when he is taken out of his element? North Wilkesboro, if anything, is a sign that SVG has taken the lessons learned in his brief Cup career, and applied them in 2026. The former V8 Supercar champion made a rare Craftsman Truck Series start this past Saturday…and who knew it would practically be foreshadowing of the Cup race the following Sunday.

Taking the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ #71 Chevrolet, Van Gisbergen had a surprisingly strong run at North Wilkesboro. Starting 19th, SVG was mired deep in the field but moved to the front quickly. This positioned SVG to score one of his better truck series finishes, and collected a strong 3rd place finish.

The Craftsman Truck Series has been a bit of wildcard for SVG’s NASCAR career. Despite being a familiar name at the Cup and NOAP Series levels, Van Gisbergen has now four career truck series starts. He debuted in 2023 with Niece Motorsports (sounds familiar), and finished 19th at Lucas Oil Raceway Park. The remainder of his starts have come this season, with finishes of 3rd (Watkins Glen), 15th (Charlotte), and now 3rd again at North Wilkesboro.

WINDOW WORLD 450

Winner: Joey Logano

Pole: Ryan Blaney

#97 SVG

The raw speed and performance of SVG over the North Wilkesboro weekend was something that came as a pleasant surprise. Much has been made of the fact Van Gisbergen was a strong road course spoiler for any field he is in, but his oval track performance needed work in his first Cup seasons. The champion he is, SVG went to work, began learning his new discipline, and finishes started coming. Enter 2026, where not only is he the top performing car in the Trackhouse stable, but is now becoming a threat on a weekly basis.

We took a look at his truck race the Saturday prior, which was impressive….until the Cup race on Sunday. The Window World 450 just became the best oval performance of his barely started Cup career. In a race easily dominated by Joey Logano, the #97 Chevrolet started 8th, led 49 laps throughout the event (to even SVG’s surprise), and collected a 5th place finish for his efforts.

The 2026 season has been a roller coaster for all three of Trackhouse’s teams, but the gem of the season has to belong to the 97 crew and the work SVG has put in. As the Cup season has approached late summer, the results have now started to show. Yes, Van Gisbergen had his typical dominance on road courses…but the story goes deeper. These results also include a 5th in Nashville, a 6th in Atlanta, and now 5th in North Wilkesboro.

#34 TODD GILLILAND

When Front Row Motorsports’ Gilliland took over the teams vacated #34 Ford in 2025, results were hard to come by as the team had to reset and gel with their new driver. A mid-pack season in 2025, Gilliland and the #34 Ford have started to gain momentum and results in 2026…especially during the core summer months. North Wilkesboro became a culmination of that work in a way, creating one of the best stories of the weekend.

Having made it through NASCAR’s summer bracket challenge (it’s just about money and bragging rights), Gilliland arrived at the North Carolina track paired with former champ Ryan Blaney. The unexpected happened within the race, as the #34 Ford easily beat pole winner Ryan Blaney, allowing Gilliland to proceed in the bracket. Gilliland started 18th, and would finish 8th by race’s end. Blaney? he finished 11th, two laps down.

The 34 team’s most recent performance has added momentum to an already strong run as of late. After a season that started a bit rough in the early stages, Gilliland and crew have rallied themselves into a potential dark horse candidate for a win this season. In the last six races, Gilliland has finished 19th or better four times. The 34 car also finished 6th in Bristol early in the season.

Photo Credit: Jayski and Meg Oliphant/Getty Images