The seventh annual Moonshiners & Racers Reunion returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 17, bringing more than 100 racing pioneers, drivers, crew members, car owners and moonshine-running legends together as part of the speedway’s grassroots racing Saturday Tripleheader.
Presented by Friendly Tire, the Moonshiners & Racers Reunion celebrates the intertwined history of North Carolina’s moonshine-running culture and the early days of stock car racing. The event will feature a collection of vintage race cars and moonshine vehicles, along with a meet-and-greet and autograph session offering fans the opportunity to hear stories and share memories with many of the people who helped shape the sport.
The 2026 Moonshiners & Racers Reunion will also serve as the official induction ceremony for the North Wilkesboro Speedway 2026 Stock Car Racing Wall of Fame class.
This year’s inductees represent the many facets of the sport’s history, from behind the wheel and under the hood to the garages and back roads that helped shape stock car racing.
The 2026 Stock Car Racing Wall of Fame class includes NASCAR independent driver and car owner Buddy Arrington; short-track racing veterans Gene “Stick” Elliott, Burt Myers, Sam Sommers, Billy Thurston and Junior Miller; legendary car builders R.T. “Buckshot” Morris and Edwin “Banjo” Matthews; Hall of Fame engine builder Maurice Petty; crew chiefs David Ifft and Herb Nab; and moonshine representative Frank Huthinson.
Among the expected attendees at this year’s reunion are NASCAR Hall of Fame member and Modified racing champion Jerry Cook; NASCAR legend Dave Marcis; longtime NASCAR crew chiefs Jeff Hammond and Kirk Shelmerdine; former NASCAR Modified and Late Model standout Neil Castles; former NASCAR drivers Chuck Bown, Roddy Langley and Ronnie Thomas; Bowman Gray Stadium standouts Burt Myers, Tim Brown and Chris Fleming; and renowned car builder and crew chief Will Cronkrite.
The diverse group also includes drivers, crew members, car owners, historians, racing personalities and members of families deeply connected to North Carolina’s racing and moonshine heritage.
The Moonshiners & Racers Reunion will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. outside the speedway’s main entrance. Participants will later return to the track for parade laps at approximately 2:05 p.m., giving fans another opportunity to see the reunion’s historic vehicles and honorees during the day’s on-track festivities.
The reunion is part of a full day of grassroots racing at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Saturday’s racing program will feature the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic feature, the Friendly Tire 99, the season finale for the SMART Modified Tour, along with the 62-lap Carolina Crate Modified Series Northwest Automotive 62 and the 30-lap Carolina Mini-Stocks Broadway Collision 30 presented by Better Homes Furniture Company.
The SMART Modified Tour championship will be decided at North Wilkesboro, with NASCAR veteran Ryan Newman among the drivers expected to compete in the Friendly Tire 99.
The Carolina Crate Modified field will feature a mix of established competitors and rising talent, while the Carolina Mini-Stocks will round out the afternoon’s tripleheader.
North Wilkesboro Speedway’s historic 5/8-mile oval has long been regarded as one of the birthplaces of stock car racing, making it a natural setting for an event dedicated to preserving the sport’s earliest history.
The Moonshiners & Racers Reunion was held in Mount Airy, North Carolina, during its first five years before relocating to North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2025. Its return to the historic speedway continues the event’s mission of bringing racing fans face-to-face with the people who helped build the sport.
The Moonshiners & Racers Reunion is held outside the main gate and does not require a ticket for entry. Tickets for the racing program start at $30 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. Trackside camping and Turn 4 premium seating are also available.