With a championship at stake, more than 30 SMART Modifieds are expected to take the green flag as part of a grassroots tripleheader Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. With cool, sunny weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect fall day for racing at one of NASCAR’s most historic venues.
The Friendly Tire 99 SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic headlines Saturday’s tripleheader, with five drivers mathematically in contention for the 2026 championship. Danny Bohn enters the season finale atop the standings, with Jake Crum and former NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Newman just three points behind. Brandon Ward trails by nine points, while multi-time SMART Modified Tour champion Burt Myers sits 21 points back.
Newman, who is seeking his first SMART Modified Tour championship, said North Wilkesboro’s history and the quality of its restoration make Saturday a can’t miss event.
“The history of the race track is amazing, and the quality of the restoration in keeping that history alive is 100%,” Newman said. “It’s awesome to get back to a track that has so much history in NASCAR and is a great Modified race track. They did an excellent job with the repaving to make it racy in the first couple of years. That’s one of the biggest challenges in renovations, and the racing has been phenomenal at Wilkesboro, and I really look forward to going and racing for a SMART Modified championship.
“I’m proud to represent Bass Pro Shops, Capitol Auto Group, Montrose Molders and Aggressive Hydraulics, and we’ll have Farm Bureau Insurance on the nose of the car this week,” Newman said. “Keith Royal, a local Farm Bureau Insurance broker, has joined us for this race. Hopefully, we can put all of our sponsors in victory lane and give ourselves a shot at the championship. We’re just three points out, so we’re looking forward to getting to Victory Lane and seeing if we can bring home the title.”
Saturday will also be a family affair for Newman. His father, Greg, and daughter, Brooklyn, are both entered in the Northwest Automotive 62 Carolina Crate Modified feature, giving the Newman family several opportunities to take a checkered flag at NWS.
For fans who have never experienced SMART Modified Tour racing, Newman said the cars’ distinctive sound and close-quarters competition make them a must-see attraction.
“I think they’re one of the best race cars ever made,” Newman said. “There’s no real aero interaction, and the cars just make for great racing.”
The field also features accomplished Modified competitors from the Northeast and Southeast, including Patrick Emerling, Jimmy Blewett, Kyle Bonsignore and Justin Bonsignore. Their experience adds depth to an already competitive lineup as they take on Newman and the other championship contenders in the Friendly Tire 99.
Luke Baldwin, the defending NWS race winner and 2025 SMART Modified Tour champion, returns alongside fellow rising talent Jack Baldwin. Carter McMurray, son of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Jamie McMurray, is also entered.
The SMART Modified Tour will share the program with the Carolina Crate Modified Series and Carolina Mini-Stocks, giving fans three feature events featuring some of the region’s top grassroots competitors.
The Carolina Crate Modifieds will contest the 62-lap Northwest Automotive 62, while the Carolina Mini-Stocks will compete in the 30-lap Broadway Collision 30, presented by Better Homes Furniture Company. The three-feature lineup offers a variety of racing action throughout the afternoon, with the SMART Modified Tour championship serving as the headline attraction.
Before the racing begins, fans can attend the seventh annual Moonshiners & Racers Reunion presented by Friendly Tire. The free-admission event starts at 9 a.m. outside the speedway’s main gate and features a vintage car show, moonshine-running vehicles and autograph sessions with racing pioneers, competitors, crew members and moonshine-running legends. The cool, sunny fall weather should make for an ideal morning to explore the reunion before the afternoon’s racing action gets underway.
Spectator gates open at 10 a.m., with practice and qualifying beginning at 10:45 a.m. Pre-race ceremonies are expected to kick off at 1:55 p.m. with racing beginning at 2:20 p.m.
Tickets for the tripleheader start at $30 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. Trackside camping and Turn 4 premium seating also are available.