North Carolina's legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway will host the 40th NASCAR All-Star Race for 2024. Race officials and state leaders gathered in downtown Raleigh Thursday to make the announcement.

This will be the second year in a row North Wilkesboro will host the race. The 2024 NASCAR All Star Race is part of a three-day event running May 17 to 19.

“We are very grateful that NASCAR and FOX Sports have supported our efforts to bring the NASCAR All-Star Race back to North Wilkesboro in 2024,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith.

“While NASCAR’s current 75th anniversary season still has some memorable moments to come, it’s hard to imagine a more magical moment than what we witnessed with NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro Speedway this past May," he said.

The track in Wilkes County, in the foothills between Winston-Salem and Boone, holds a special place for many in the history of NASCAR.

The North Wilkesboro Speedway started as a dirt track in 1947 and hosted its first NASCAR race in 1949.

"The track’s list of winners is a variable who’s who of NASCAR royalty, including Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough and hometown hero Benny Parsons," according to a statement from the North Wilkesboro Speedway.  

The track shut down after 1996 and fell into disrepair. Trees and weeds had overtaken much of the track and stands. But in late 2021, state leaders secured $18 million from the federal American Rescue Plan for renovations to get the speedway back open. 

Earlier this year, with the track cleaned up and renovated amenities, the North Wilkesboro Speedway opened its doors again.

In this year's state budget, the North Carolina General Assembly approved $4 million to continue work on the speedway and attract another event like the All Star Race. The speedway said it plans to repave the track before the 2024 season. It will be the first time it's been repaved since 1981.